Carpet Cleaning Solutions

Nothing is more aggravating than having something spill on your carpet, especially if the carpet is brand new. Although red wine, chocolate, or other hard to get out substances may appear as permanent damage, the truth is that you can get all sorts of spills and stains out of carpet with the right type of cleaning solutions. Some solutions are in the form of professional products while others are things you can put together at home.

Act Quickly

Regardless of the carpeting cleaning solutions you have or consider, the most important thing to remember is that the quicker you can start working on the spill the better chance you have of it not becoming a horrible stain. Another important aspect of cleaning up messes is that you should never rub any spill. Instead, always start with a clean, white cloth (cotton, no paper towels) and then blot at the substance to get as much up as possible before you start using the cleaning solution.

Carpet and Rug Institute Seal of Approval

Many people will purchase high quality carpeting cleaning solutions to have on hand just in case. If you decide to go this route, always choose products have the Seal of Approval from the Carpet and Rug Institute, a non profit industry group that tests carpets and carpet cleaners. The products that have passed CRI's rigorous testing process to earn the seal all have ingredients are safe and therefore, non-damaging to your flooring. CRI has been awarding the seal for the past four years for many different types of carpet cleaning products.

CRI Testing Criteria

CRI's rigorous testing process ensures that only the highest quality products are able to earn the seal of approval. The criteria that have to be met for carpet cleaning products to get this coveted seal include the following:

Effectiveness

To be effective, the product has to be capable of removing spots and soiled area on the carpet better than what standard water alone would do. Believe it or not, there are a lot of cleaners that do not meet this criteria.

Ph Levels

A neutral PH helps to ensure that carpet fibers and dyes are not damaged during cleaning. The Seal of Approval issued by the Carpet and Rug Institute also guarantees that products with this seal have neutral pH levels.

Rate of Resoil

Unfortunately, some products actually leave behind a sticky residue that attracts even more dirt after the spill. However, products with the seal have a much lower rate of resoil to prevent this from happening.

Loss of Color

Colorfastness or color loss is how the solution helps the carpet maintain its color. With so many incredible carpet colors, it is also important that products with the Seal of Approval will not cause bleeding, fading, or other problems associated with color loss.

Use of Brighteners

There are a number of "high quality" carpeting cleaning solutions on the market today that are formulated to create a brighter looking carpet. While this may sound like a good idea, it also causes uneven hue and makes the carpet look more worn in spots near the area that has been cleaned. This is why products with the Seal are not permitted to use brighteners.

Texture

It is important that carpets maintain their texture and feel over time. All carpet cleaners with the Seal are formulated so they do not change carpet texture or pile.

Testing Methodology

For all of the tests to be performed, water is used as the comparison. In other words, an attempt would be made for every spill and stain using water only. From there, a comparison would be made using products with the Seal of Approval. Although there is a long list of substances, CRI uses some of the harder items to clean such as grape juice, ketchup, mustard, chocolate, motor oil, and more! Top carpeting cleaning solutions that have been given the Seal of Approval include in-tank, pre-spray, and spot removing products.