carpet steamer

There’s all kinds of information on the internet these days, and some of it is a little strange — including myths about carpet cleaning!

Many of these myths are passed down generationally, so it’s no wonder many people trust them. (After all, if Great Aunt Berniece knows everything about making the perfect midwestern hot dish, her knowledge about carpets must be legitimate, right?)

Thankfully, we’re here to clean up the noise when it comes to carpet cleaning. Find out what wisdom is purely myth and what actually works.

Myth 1: Vacuuming too often is hard on my carpet.

Nope! This isn’t true. In today’s world, carpets are durable and made to withstand many rounds of vacuuming.

Of course, an industrial vacuum cleaner may be too aggressive for your home carpets. However, most regular vacuums on the market are perfectly safe to be used on your carpets multiple times per week.

Vacuuming regularly is one of the easiest ways to keep your carpet clean and the best way to keep dirt from becoming embedded in the carpet fibers. So get the vacuum out, give it some TLC, and get going — your carpet will be just fine!

Myth 2: I don’t need to clean my “new” carpet.

Well, what’s “new?” Time flies, and your “new” carpet may actually be several years old. At Intek, we recommend having your carpets professionally cleaned on an annual basis — beginning with one year after installation.

Even if your carpet looks clean, it likely isn’t. Keeping your carpet clean is good for your family’s health and will save you money in the long run.

Myth 3: I can just use dish soap or ammonia to clean my carpets.

Yikes! Please don’t.

First of all, dish soap was created to clean dishes. It fights grease and food, and then the water rinses it away. If you use it on your carpet, how will you rinse it? In fact, using dish soap may make the stain worse than before.

Regarding ammonia, this can be harmful to your respiratory system due to its fumes and harmful to your carpet due to the high alkaline. For small spots and spills, we have some risk-free tips for cleaning, but for bigger messes, consider a professional cleaning.

Myth 4: Baking soda will remove odors from my carpet.

Actually, baking soda can mask an odor — maybe – but it won’t attack the source of the odor. For example, if your pets have accidents, the urine can seep down into the carpet padding. The only way to truly remove this is to replace it.

Sprinkling a deodorizer like baking soda will only absorb the moisture in the carpet fibers. Plus, the powder eventually causes friction and wear, causing permanent damage to your carpet. 

What should you do then if you have smelly carpets? Skip the baking soda and hire a professional cleaner or replace it, depending on the severity of the problem.

Myth 5: My carpets will get mildew from hot water cleaning.

Effective hot water cleaning requires special training and a professional-grade machine. Our hot water extraction method is perfect for modern carpets, and our expert team will allow your carpets to dry thoroughly.

Here’s why we encourage you to hire Intek rather than renting a steam cleaner and doing it yourself:

  1. The rented machine may not be quality.
  2. You aren’t a professional, and you could oversaturate an area if you linger for too long, which can lead to mildew growth.

We know exactly how to clean your carpets, so you’ll have nothing to worry about!

Myths Busted!

Hopefully you learned a thing or two about the actual best way to care for your carpets. The best thing you can do for you carpets is to vacuum regularly and get them professionally cleaned annually. Let us know when you’re ready!