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How Often should a carpet be cleaned?
What is lurking in my carpet?
What do you do about those “lurking things?”
How Often Should A Carpet Be Cleaned?
No doubt this question has surfaced at one time or another in the years you have owned carpeting. Information on this subject can vary from person to person - usually based on their level of usage, and
experience having their carpet cleaned. We have heard some carpet owners express the fear that if their new carpet is cleaned it will resoil faster than prior to the time it was first cleaned.
This fear is
the result of improper cleaning on the part of many other carpet cleaning companies. Many of these companies, in an effort to cut costs and corners, will not provide a separate rinse step in order to remove
detergent residues. If detergent is left in the carpet or upholstery, accelerated resoiling will occur.
Long’s Carpet Cleaning, uses a more thorough method of cleaning that adds a separate rinse step after a
prespray and agitation program. This method of cleaning removes deep dirt and leaves no detergent to accelerate the resoiling process. The fact is, the best thing you can do for your carpets is to have them
regularly cleaned by a qualified professional carpet restoration company. It is the build - up of dirt and soil that promotes wear to your carpet investment far more than the foot traffic that travels over its'
surface. Foot traffic only grinds the soil against the fibers, and causes them to gradually dull and fall away.
Major carpet fiber manufacturers such as DuPont recommend that you have your carpets
professionally cleaned every 8 to 18 months. But other considerations may increase the frequency rate: smoking habits, number and ages of children soiling conditions, humidity, temperature condition of the outdoor
environment, health status of occupants, allergy conditions, number and types of pets, and the types of activities being conducted are just a few. Heavily traveled area may require quarterly cleaning, whereas other
less frequented areas may not need cleaning until 24 months. Either way, it makes good sense to have your carpets cleaned regularly - not only from an aesthetic and investment protection point of view, but also
because the deep cleaning removes bacteria, germs, and the substances upon which these organisms live.
What Is Lurking In My Carpet?
Biocontaminants; volatile organic compounds; combustion products; asbestos; dust mites; epidermal waste; chemical
contamination; migrated outdoor pollutants; insoluble particulate soiling; grease and oil deposits; sand; quartz; gypsum; soil; dirt; food particles; pesticides; and allergens.
Big words, but what do they mean? Quite simply, if our carpet acts like a sink, then it filters and collects sources of soil, bacteria, allergens, and pollutants from the indoor environment.
These contaminants are part of what makes your carpet "ugly-out". This collection and filtering process allows carpet to trap contaminants within the carpet. Hard surface floors may
allow these contaminants to continue to "roam" throughout the indoor environment. But like any filter, your carpet needs to be periodically cleaned out. If these contaminants are in your
house, they could be contributing to you and your family's health and allergy problems. Bacteria, pollutants and allergens trapped in your carpet can contribute to an unhealthy indoor
environment. Dr. Thomas Platts-Mills, head of Allergic Medicine at the University of Virginia Medical School, estimates somewhere between 500,000 to 1,000,000 hospital visits are
made each year by patients allergic to biocontaminants (fungi, mites, cockroaches, bacteria). Dr. Michael Berry, Deputy Director of the Environmental Criteria and Assessment office of
the Environmental Protection Agency stated, "Based on what I have learned in recent months form researchers working in the United States, Canada, and Western Europe, I have reached
the conclusion that carpeting and fabrics not cleaned and properly maintained have the potential to cause a variety of health problems inside the building environment."
What Do You Do About All Those "Lurking Things"?
For one thing, periodic vacuuming. Vacuuming can remove a great deal of this soiling. But most vacuum bags allow small
particles to pass through them. These released particles tend to build up over time and have the greatest potential to cause harm as they are inhaled deep into the lungs. Many other types
of contamination simply cannot be removed by regular vacuuming. That is why it is absolutely essential that you have your carpets periodically cleaned professionally. Professional
Carpet Cleaning by hot water extraction method makes a significant positive contribution to removing these contaminants. Recent tests performed by organizations such as
the United States Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Institute, and the Carpet and Rug Institute have demonstrated that professional cleaning can contribute to a reduction in indoor air pollutants.
And don’t forget to improve your homes health make sure you check out our Services Page too!
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