by Sara A Broers

Created on: May 13, 2008

Kids, dogs, guests, and every day wear and tear. These all contribute to the need to keep that neutral colored berber carpet clean. Carpets come in different piles, therefore; this makes it all the more difficult to clean. When the pile is thick and plush it is difficult to tell how much dirt and grime is really down between those threads.

By asking everyone to remove their shoes upon entering your home, you can alleviate some of the sand that can be tromped into your home. Most people will respect your wishes and comply. My children have been the most difficult to train in this area. Kids tend to have a mind of their own.

The ever famous purple juice. I can't begin to tell you how many cups of these have been spilled right in front of our television. As soon as the spot is visible, get out a towel and start blotting. Most newer carpets have a film on the carpet that will cause the juice to pool into one place. By blotting the purple juice, you will get a large amount of the juice off. Then take a damp towel and scrub. 95%-99% of the stain should come out. Now, if Junior is going to spill this beloved, bright colored juice out of your view- that's another scenario. If the juice drys before you can blot it; you may have rainbow colored carpet!

Our family calls our vacuum cleaner, "Jaws." We have a bagless cleaner and between the boys in my home, it goes fishing approximately every other day. By vacuuming regularly our carpets look nice and remain fresh. Now remember to utilize the attachments that hang on the handle of your vacuum. These will work wonders on your chairs, love seats, couches, and any other furniture you need to clean. By keeping your furniture vacuumed you will eliminate the chances of particles bouncing onto your carpet.

Our rug shampooer comes out of the closet a couple times a year. The true test of how unclean our carpets really are is exposed. This water turns dark brown so fast it is unbelievable. I can't imagine what this would look like in a home where their carpets are not vacuumed regularly. A friendly tip when using the rug shampooer- use it in the evening. This way you and your family won't be walking over the wet carpet.

By using some good old common sense, the carpets in your home will look new for many years to come. If you have young children the stains can be more difficult to deal with. By being in tune to the texture and feel of your carpet, you and your family will be able to breathe comfortably and live in a clean home. Clean carpets make family life much more welcoming. When the carpets are clean, everyone takes a little more effort to keep everything else in line. The home is organized and ready to be enjoyed by you and your guests.

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