Dealing With Young Kids And Pets? What Are Your Safest Carpet Cleaning Options?
Posted on: 11 November 2016
Kids and pets can be rough on soft surfaces, particularly carpet -- between hair, mud, claw marks, and various bodily fluids, keeping upholstered furniture and plush carpets clean can seem like a full-time job. However, many commercial carpet cleaning sprays and powders may leave you worried about residue that could pose harm to babies or pets who may have direct skin-to-carpet exposure. What are the best chemical-free cleaning options when it comes to high-traffic surfaces? Read on to learn more about some effective carpet cleaners that are safe for pet and baby contact.
Vinegar and baking soda
Two of the major green cleaning standbys can come in handy when you need to lift stains from carpet. First, you'll want to sprinkle some baking soda onto any discolored spots, then dab a rag soaked in vinegar onto these spots until the carpet is slightly damp. Depending upon how deeply the stains are set in, you may want to leave this mixture on your carpet for a few hours (or even overnight if possible), giving it as much time to work its stain-lifting magic as possible. Because neither of these ingredients is able to strip color from your carpets, you won't need to be as vigilant about limiting exposure as you may otherwise be with chemical-based cleaners.
Once you've allowed the baking soda and vinegar mixture to soak in, you'll be able to remove it by vacuuming over it and then soaking up any excess vinegar or baking soda residue with a towel. If stains still persist, repeat the treatment using more vinegar to see whether this lightens the stains until they're less noticeable.
Steam cleaners
Using ultra-hot steam to lift away stains can eliminate the need for harsh chemicals while still restoring your carpets to a like-new appearance and smell. These steam cleaners are generally much higher-powered than those available for purchase or rental and heat the water to an even higher temperature.
While steam cleaners don't need chemicals in order to do their work, this unfortunately doesn't mean all steam cleaning services are chemical-free; it's important to do a bit of digging into the steam cleaning company (or rental service) you choose to ensure that the steam you're planning to use doesn't have any chemicals associated with it. Taking this simple step can ensure that your carpets are never in contact with anything more dangerous or transferable than hot water.
For more information or assistance, contact a local carpet cleaning company about your situation and concerns.
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