Magic Carpet Cleaning: North Shore Edition

OK, now, imagine you’d had your morning coffee and, oops! On your fluffy carpet. Unless among the few peculiarly tidy dwellers of the North Shore, the situation is so familiar. You think, “Okay, now-how to clean up this coffee chaos without cramming it into the washing machine?” Don’t look so distraught! With some magic in your pockets, you will be prepared for any fight against dirt and spills with carpet cleaning north shore panache.

Well, begin with a pinch of everybody’s favorite cleaning sidekick: baking soda. That is the Swiss Army knife of cleaning agents. Damp corner of the carpet? Sprinkle a liberal amount of baking soda on it, walk away, sip on some tea, and let it do its magic till it’s dry; then just vacuum it off. It’s like a fresh breath to your old carpet. Try it the next time Fido decides to jump in that mud puddle and comes running back into the living room.

Ah, now, if the red wine does take a tumble at your book club meeting, well, there is a bit of chaos. Ah, well, yes, remember salt is not just for the Sunday roast. Apply dapples of cold water to the stain in quick fashion. Sprinkle salt all over the area straight after the spill, before the wine makes its way into the fibers of your carpet. That is, quite literally, you are making your carpet the Namib Desert. Let it crust, then vacuum. There, you’ve outsmarted the impossible stain.

Vinegar is more than that smelly thing on your fish and chips. Mix it with an equal part of water, and it’s a carpet crusader. Arm yourself with a spray bottle and lightly mist over the stained area. Remember: you’re not drowning the carpet, you’re courting it-not marrying it! Use a clean cloth and just lightly dab, dab, dab. Before you can say Jack Robinson, you’ll be deposing that insidious blotch. Want to give your carpet a spa day?

That’s where steam cleaning comes in, the Bentley of carpet cleaning methods. Otherwise, boil water if renting a steam cleaner isn’t in the cards, pour it into a shallow pan, and place it exactly where it is needed. Put a towel over the area-so your carpet doesn’t get too hot-and the steam rising from the pan reaches those labyrinths of fibers. Steam rejuvenates old stains, refreshing their appearance and gives your carpet an overall new look.

It’s like giving your carpet a facelift sans the celebrity gossip. Got a new carpet and hoping it stays spotless? Ward off stains before they even think of setting camp. Get some fabric protector spray and make it your best friend. Spraying it on will almost make your carpet invincible against spills. It’s like your superhero armor for your carpet!

Sometimes, hot and cold gang up on their objective. Actually, ice can deal with the most persistent gum stuck on your carpet as if it never existed at all. Freeze the gum with a couple of ice cubes and harden it that way. Then comes the glorious satisfying part-a gentle scrape with a butter knife and voilà!

And then, of course, there are the rogue stains. Like the shadows behind the stairs, they sit and hide, waiting for no one to see them coming. Dab the stain lightly, and trade your bravery for patience; soon enough, that camouflage crime will be waving the white flag.

You know, sometimes a little mess gives rise to new realities, like making your own carpet cleaners. More often perhaps than we would like, we have been induced into brewing such an elixir with the power of blowing commercial cleaners out of the water. Why not create one experiment for yourself?

Speaking of homemade concoctions, how about an unlikely hero: shaving cream. Not only is it good for those facial hair battles. Next time you spot one of those mystery stains, aim your shaving cream at it. Let it sit for a spell-about 30 minutes should do. Once time’s up, blot it with a damp cloth, and voilà! Your stain is gone, like it joined the circus.

Well, the company’s on their way over, and your carpet’s acting like it just came out of the jungle. Quick fix for musty odors? Vodka. Just mist it lightly onto the carpet, and poof-instant odor zapper. Just expect some explaining as to why your living room smells like a cocktail party.

Ever get that feeling that the vacuum cleaner just is not really pulling its weight? Give it some TLC. Try changing the bag or emptying the canister with a bit more regularity. A vacuum at its best is indispensable to the feel of plush carpet. Plus, the sound of a humming vacuum can be quite therapeutic; its white noise has a taste for cleanliness.

NAP:
Carpet Care Specialists Mosman
50 Yeo St, Neutral Bay, NSW, 2089
(02) 8311 3724