“This vacuum cleaner bag isn’t full yet. I don’t need to change it.”
No, the bag might not be ready to burst, but if it’s too full, it will negatively impact suction power. Live large and change your vacuum cleaner bag when it’s ¾ full.
“A little salt will take this red wine stain right out!”
Just the opposite! The tannins in the wine will react with the salt to set the stain permanently.
“I don’t see the stain anymore. I must have gotten it all up.”
Sad day. Even if you think you have a spot cleaned up, it can be hiding deep down and leech out.
“More is better! I’ll give this stain a good dousing!”
When it comes to cleaning a spot on a carpet, time and patience are your best bet. Go lightly with the spray when applying carpet cleaner or rinsing it. Take care to carefully blot and soak up the stain or spill, repeating applications as often as necessary.
“Don’t worry about that little spill! I’ll clean it up after the party.”
While you never want to embarrass a guest in your home, it’s NEVER a good idea to let a spill sit. It’s more likely to set permanently, seep into the padding, and stain the floor beneath. Deal with any stain at once.
“I can just use this laundry stain stuff on my carpet. I mean, fabric is fabric, right?”
Um, no. Only use cleaning products designated for carpets. Anything else and you run the risk of discoloration.
“This carpet smells like dog. Where’s the carpet deodorizer!”
It’s tempting to sprinkle on the deodorizing powder. But while your living room might smell like clean cotton for a few hours, you’re really just building up another layer of dust in your carpet.
“Test in an inconspicuous area? Who has time for that?”
Don’t test it. But don’t complain when it fades the color of your carpeting when you use it right next to your end table.
“The only way I’ll ever get this grease stain out of my carpet is to scrub the life out of it!”
That’s correct in one sense: scrubbing carpet will take the life right out of it. Scrubbing untwists the fibers, marring and dulling a carpet’s appearance.
“It’ll take a gallon of water to rinse this carpet!”
While its important to rinse a spot after its been cleaned, you never want to flood carpeting with water. Use a spray bottle and a clean white rag or paper towel to repeatedly spritz and blot until no more trace of stain or cleaner come off onto the cloth.
“This carpet is so filthy! I should put a little extra shampoo in this carpet cleaner.”
No, you shouldn’t. It will never rinse out, and guess what soap does? It attracts grime. Do you really want to turn your carpet into a dirt magnet?
“I vacuum all the time. You could eat off my carpet.”
Carpets have so much dirt deeply imbedded in them that no vacuum cleaner could ever truly clean them.
“Renting a carpet cleaner is simple and way cheaper than getting a professional to come in.”
There are just so many things wrong with this statement….There is nothing simple about cleaning a carpet. Do you really want to bring other people’s filth in your house via a used carpet cleaner? You think you can do this without soaking your carpet and traumatizing every inhabitant of the house? Fine. Go right ahead.
“Clean my carpet every year? No way. My carpet looks fine, and it hasn’t been cleaned in years.”
Don’t kid yourself. Your carpet is disgusting. Think where all those feet have been before they’ve trampled all over your floor. Get on the phone and call a carpet cleaner. Now.