Keeping your carpets clean and our upholstery as well are important facets of the presentation of your home. When people walk in, they see pretty much everything, and that includes your family, and, of course, you. Often, the most staunch critic of your work is yourself. People tend to see the little things that drive them crazy, the small details that nag you until you take care of the issue. A stain on a carpet is one of those thorns in your side that can be a real pain to handle. The same can be said of a stain on upholstery. Every time you sit down or walk by the maligned piece of furniture, the stain jumps out at you, demanding attention. However, there are some good ways to get rid of them, and all you have to do is make sure you use the right tools and hire the right people. There are also steps you can take to prevent staining in the first place. We’re going to take a look at preventative measures first and then some things to think about when considering a company that specializes in cleaning upholstery.
How to Prevent Stains
Thanks to the wonderful force of gravity, stains have a way of plummeting down to our most precious surfaces at the worst times. However, there are ways you can help prevent stains from occurring in the first place. First of all, it could help to try to prevent stains from even having an opportunity to jump onto your upholstery or carpet, completely negating the need to have carpet cleaning done. One thing you can do is set strict rules regarding when people can eat in the areas you want to keep stain free, and you can also determine what kinds of foods can be consumed there. Many lunch food, if they don’t have ketchup, are relatively easy to get out of fabrics if they happen to drop. So you may decide that lunch time foods are OK to eat there. On the other hand, if you know that you have some messy eaters—regardless of the type of meal or time of day—you could simply ban those areas altogether.
For some people, this may feel extreme. A happy medium is to set up a rule that eating be done using trays. A tray, because it is so much wider than the plate, is likely to catch a whole lot of things that would normally find their way onto the upholstery or carpet. If, however, something does drop, everyone in the house should be trained as to how to either get it out completely or at least mitigate the effect of the stain. Soda water with some baking soda is a good way to attack a stain before it has a chance to settle all the way in. The solvent properties of the water, along with the bubbling capabilities of the carbonation, provide a good foundation for stain lifting. Also, the baking soda helps break up the stain while simultaneously helping to scrub it away thanks to its slightly abrasive texture. If everyone knows to take use these two things when something drops, the stains that are left to clean up, either for you or for carpet cleaning services, are going to be much more manageable.
Which Cleaning Company Should You Choose
There are several considerations to keep in mind when deciding which carpet cleaning repairs company you should use to defeat your stains. You will want to make sure the company has a solid track record with good reviews. This can be ascertained by asking for a few references from the company itself. They are likely to have several clients they don’t mind referring. You can also ask them about how they plan on getting rid of the stain before they even come. While they may not want to give you all of the details, they can likely give you a good idea—enough for you to know that they know what they’re doing. If they won’t provide information, you should probably consider another company to handle your upholstery cleaning.
Also make sure they are going to try to maintain the upholstery and not use products that ruin it. They should show your upholstery the same love you do.
