Green Carpet Cleaning

In recent years, green carpet cleaning has become an important topic for many homeowners. In the past, most methods of carpet cleaning involved harsh chemicals that can damage the environment. However, with the power of the "green" movement, many people have turned to more environment friendly carpet cleaning options. Here are a few methods for cleaning carpets that are considered environmentally friendly.

Steam Cleaning

If you need to have your carpets professionally cleaned, the best route to take is steam cleaning. This is also sometimes referred to as hot water extraction. With this process, the cleaning company will not use any harsh chemicals in order to clean your carpets. They will only use a system that uses steam and extremely high temperatures in order to clean your carpets.

Steam cleaning is the preferred method for cleaning carpets by every carpet manufacturer in the market. In fact, many manufacturers will require you to have steam cleaning performed every 18 months in order to keep your word to use intact. This will not break down the protective barriers on the outside of the carpet fibers and it helps to keep it looking like new. Carpet has what is called a "heat set memory" which means it was constructed under heat originally. Whenever you steam clean the carpet, it will twist back up to its original shape and look like it is new again. Therefore, in addition to being environmentally friendly, this option provides you with the most benefits as well.

Regular Cleaning

In addition to having your carpets steam cleaned, you need to do your part through regular cleaning as well. Although it might not seem that important, regular vacuuming is critical to the longevity of your carpet. In addition to that, vacuuming will not do any damage to the environment. By vacuuming, you are removing dirt and soil from the carpet regularly. If you do not remove the dirt, when the carpet is walked on repeatedly, the dirt will break down the carpet fiber. When this happens, your carpet will be much more susceptible to stains and other problems in the future.

Spot Cleaning

If you get a stain on your carpet, you will need to try and spot clean it immediately. There are a few different options that you could utilize that would be considered green. The first and simplest option you have is to dab water onto the spot. For many stains, if you do this quickly enough, it will be enough to get them out of the carpet. You need to make sure to soak up any liquids with a towel after doing this.

If water does not work, try mixing a solution of equal parts white vinegar and water. Apply this to the stain and let it soak for a few minutes. Then using a towel, wipe up the solution and the stain should come up in most cases.

There are also several commercial products available that provide you with an environmentally friendly option. Brands such as Capture, Natureclean, and SimpleGreen produce green carpet cleaning options for home use. These products provide you with great stain removing capabilities while protecting the environment at the same time.