How to Protect Your Carpet from Four Legged Friends

As much as you may love your family pet, there’s no denying they can make quite a bit of mess – especially where carpets are concerned!

Carpets and rugs undergo substantial wear and tear with pets in the home, but there are some steps you can take to help reduce the damage. From pre-treatments and professional steam cleaning, to DIY stain removal; we reveal some of the best ways to combat dirt, dust, odours and pet hair in your carpets.

What’s Hidden Under the Surface?

Pets can walk in dirt from outdoors, and although it may not be visible, it can still be a cause of allergies and discomfort in the home. According to Allergy UK, pet dander (the skin of animals) is often the most common cause of pet allergies. Dust can also be brought into carpets by pets, and spreads easily throughout the home, causing asthma as well as skin conditions such as dermatitis and rhinitis.

When it comes to choosing a carpet for your pet-friendly home, some options stack up better than others. Opting for a carpet made from nylon fibres can help, as it’s stain-resistant and more durable than other fabrics, making it an affordable and smart choice for pet owners. You should also consider the vacuum cleaner as well; models with a high ‘HEPA’ filtration rating don’t allow allergens to escape from the exhaust, making it a great option for homes with pets and carpets. If someone in your home is particularly prone to allergies, you may want to select a vacuum that holds the British Allergy Foundation Seal of Approval.

Allergies aside, having pet dirt in your carpets can be unsightly and unwelcoming in any home. Here are some more tips to combat common troubles and keep your carpets looking and feeling fresh.

How to Keep Carpets Clean

A clean pet means clean carpets! Regularly bathing and grooming will help eliminate dirt and odours that can be transferred to carpets or rugs. Having a rag or dog towel by the door is a great incentive to clean their paws before they come in, eliminating even the smallest particles of dirt that will build up over time.

Moulting is a common complaint with pets in the home. It’s important to remember that shedding increases over the summer months as many pets lose their ‘winter’ coat, so you may want to be more diligent about grooming as the weather heats up to evade constant carpet cleaning. Depending on your breed, trimming your pet’s coat can help reduce moulting.

Even house-broken pets can have an accident indoors, and cleaning it up quickly and thoroughly is key to ensuring the problem doesn’t become a recurring one. If your pet has an accident on your carpet, you can enlist professional help through steam cleaning. Local area experts can provide affordable, thorough services to take care of the stain and scent, which if not removed can cause your pet to become a repeat offender! If you’re on a budget and would rather take care of the issue yourself, invest in a carpet cleaner and deodorizer that contains ingredients to eradicate any left-behind smell (you can seek out the help of your local pet specialist to source these products), or you can create your own with household items like white vinegar and baking soda.

Your pet is a part of the family, but you shouldn’t have to worry about what’s lurking in your carpet. Use some of these easy steps to reduce dirt, accidents, dust, mud and hair, so you can enjoy both your family pet as well as clean, fresh carpets.

If your carpet is past help and cleaning just won’t do, then it may be time to admit defeat and lay a new one. If you’re based in South Wales then there are a few options for buying a new carpet with Cardiff having plenty of outlets! Be sure to follow our advice when visiting carpet store & wholesalers, Cardiff, and choose a new carpet that will work with your four-legged friends.

Image credits: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pam_smiles1/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/eiriknewth/

The 5 most stubborn carpet stains and how to remove them

So you’ve just brought a nice new carpet home, fresh from a carpet warehouse or similar outlet. You want it kept clean … but accidents happen! There’s nothing like a little drop of red wine to put the spoilers on that pristine look!

These stains can leave an ugly and obvious mark, not great for impressing house guests … nor for you to have to look at day in, day out, cursing your clumsy wine-holding hands.

Here are 5 of the top culprits and ways to deal with them:

1. Red wine

One of the worst and somewhat of a cliché when it comes to carpet stains. Nothing will bring on a trip back to the carpet warehouse like this chief offender. Red wine is particularly acidic and deeply coloured. This potent combination of seriously staining liquid and it’s klutz-inducing capabilities make red wine one of the worst stains ever!

2. Coffee

Similar to red wine in its acidity and deep colour. It is also a very common spillage so requires the same attention. Clumsy, half-asleep morning hands and accidental lie-ins equal a significant likelihood of spills – and not much time to clear them up!

3. Blood

Even just a minor cut can draw blood and it’s so very easy for that to get over furniture and your carpet. Blood is thick and protein based so makes removal a little tricky, this one needs to be tackled instantly.

4. Wax and oil

Lipsticks, candle wax, motor oil and more fall into this category. The oil in these types of stains bonds to the carpet and enhances its staining effect. Nasty.

5. Bleach

Bleach is very fast acting and can permanently ruin a carpet if not treated immediately.

How to combat them

A good carpet supplier will be able to offer great advice. Below are some of the basics.

One of the first points is to act fast. The quicker you can respond, the more chance you have of saving the day.

Here’s what you do:

●    Blot up any excess spillage. Use a towel or similar and be sure to dab the area. It is important to resist the temptation to scrub the stain or be too aggressive. This will only rub it deeper into the carpet
●    If the stain is more solid, scrape up any excess with a blunt knife
●    Use a detergent solution – which you can buy from a carpet warehouse or shop – use a little at a time and continue to dab with a dry cloth
●    Ensure you work from the outer edge of the stain inwards
●    Continue to blot dry

On top of that you can go through a final procedure to make sure you’ve properly seen off the stain for good:

●    Mix one-part white vinegar and four-parts water
●    Pour mixture into a spray bottle and spray over the stained area
●    Blot dampened area (do not rub) to remove excess moisture
●    Spread kitchen towel (stacked several sheets deep) or absorbent cloth over the affected area and place a weight, such as a telephone directory, on top
●    Leave overnight and repeat if necessary

Anything over and above that and for more serious stain removals, you may need to get in the professionals – or a new carpet.

Image credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/75976921@N00/