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Carpet and Textiles Care | Lake Zurich, IL

Care Tips for Carpets and Rugs

One of the best ways to maintain your carpet is to vacuum on a regular basis to remove ground-in soil so high-traffic areas will not begin to wear excessively. Dirt is extremely abrasive against the fibers of the carpet as you walk back and forth on it. Clean up spills and spots immediately, before they become permanent stains. Listed below are the steps that you must take to properly maintain your carpeting.

Professional Cleaning

As a general rule, have your carpets professional cleaned once per year, or more often for extremely heavy traffic areas.

Spot Removal and Interim Cleaning

New carpet still has a protective coating, so plain tap water will remove many spots. For those spots that will not move easily with water, use a spot cleaner that is recommended by the carpet manufacturer or by us. Most over-the-counter spot removers leave too much soap residue and can cause yellowing. Avoid using foam carpet cleaners or any product that is not made specifically for carpet.

Apply spot cleaner sparingly to white terry cloth and gently massage the spot causing it to transfer into the cloth. Never pour spot cleaner directly on carpet. If the product that you are using seems to cause the spot to re-soil over a few week period, discontinue use. Any spot that you are not able to remove, and for pet urine or feces, contact us immediately.

Protective Coatings

Residential carpets are treated with stain resist properties and soil resistors known as Dupont Teflon or 3M Scotchgard. After a period of 2 to 3 years, some of the soil-resistor wears off. At that point you should consider having a professional carpet cleaner re-apply the treatment after professional cleaning. The soil resistor will heip the soil slide off of the carpet easier when vacuuming, spots will be easier to remove, and professional cleaning will be more effective

Fine Rugs and Oriental Rugs

Here are some easy, basic steps for the care and protection of your Oriental rug:

Rotation – To insure even wear, your rug should be rotated once a year. Depending on the traffic, the rotation may vary from six months to two years.
Vacuuming – Oriental rugs, like most carpeting, should be vacuumed on a regular basis to remove dirt and restore life to the fibers. Be sure not to vacuum the fringe with your beater bar! Use the end of a vacuum hose from a canister vacuum.
Padding – A quality pad used under your rug helps protect it from dirt, wear and slippage.
Make sure that you safely and immediately clean up spots and spills before they become permanent stains.

Here are some spot and spill procedures for rugs:

Soak up the excess liquid by blotting with a clean absorbent material. Do not brush or rub the spot.
Spot-clean with a mild detergent-white vinegar-water solution. Do not over-wet.
Rinse area thoroughly with water and a small amount of vinegar. Avoid wetting the rug’s backing.
Blot dry until most of the moisture has been absorbed.
Allow to air dry. A fan or cool hair dryer can be used to hasten the drying process.
For spots that do not come out using these methods, contact us right away. We can remove the spot before it becomes a permanent stain.

How to Care for Your Fine Upholstery

By far, professional upholstery cleaning and protection is the best possible way to extend the life of your upholstered furniture.

General Information:

Vacuum often to reduce grit that can cause abrasion.
Reverse loose cushions weekly for even wear.
Protect from the sun. UV light can cause deterioration.
Keep pets off the furniture. Your pets’ body oils rub off and can be difficult to remove.
Use caution with clothing such as blue jeans. Fabric dyes can transfer to upholstered furniture.
Cleaning spots and spills right away

Cleaning Spills

All upholstered furniture will become soiled through use. Most spills and soil on fabric protection treated furniture will clean easily and quickly provided that the proper cleaning procedures are followed. A fabric protection application is not an absolute impenetrable barrier and improper cleaning methods can damage both the fabric and the treatment.

Blot (don’t rub) spills immediately with a clean absorbent cloth while the spill is still fresh. Dried spills are more difficult to remove.
Identify the cleaning code (below) for your type of fabric. This is very important to determine the cleaner to use.
Always read and follow the instructions on the cleaning agent.
Use distilled water with the cleaning agent if water is called for. (W and WS codes only.)
Pretest any cleaner on any fabric in a hidden area. check for color fastness and fabric compatibility.
Keep a small spill small. Work lightly, blotting from center to the edges. “Feather” the edges by dampening edges irregularly and blotting quickly to avoid rings.
Quickly dry a cleaned spot using a small fan or blow dryer set on low.

Cleaning Codes

Spot clean with water based shampoo or foam upholstery cleaner. Pretest for color loss and fabric compatibility. DO NOT overwet. Call us for professional cleaning for overall soiling.

Spot clean with a water-free cleaning solvent. Pretest for color loss and fabric compatibility. DO NOT USE WATER! Call us for professional cleaning for overall soiling.

Spot clean with upholstery shampoo, foam from a mild detergent, or a mild dry cleaning solvent. Pretest for color loss and fabric compatibility. DO NOT overwet. Call us for professional cleaning for overall soiling.

Clean only by vacuuming or light brushing with a non-metallic brush. DO NOT use water or dry cleaning solvents. Contact us for professional cleaning.

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