Black Gold Carpet Cleaning Melbourne
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How often should I have my carpet steam cleaned?
We often get asked by customers about the recommended frequency for getting carpet steam cleaned. We always say there is lot more involved in carpet maintenance than simply getting carpet steam cleaned once or twice a year. The more maintenance you do, the better your carpet will look and feel. Your carpet will also have a much longer life span too – just like us humans – some carpets are high maintenance and others low maintenance – but all carpets need a little regular help to look their best!
The Three Key Elements For Carpet Maintenance
According to the Australian/New Zealand Standard for Cleaning Maintenance of Residential and Commercial Carpeting (AS/NZS 3733:2018) All carpet in residential and commercial settings will greatly benefit from these three key maintenance measures;
- Frequent dry vacuuming
- Immediate stain/spot removal
- Corrective Cleaning
Frequent Vacuuming
Vacuuming is a very important first step when it comes to carpet maintenance and should always be done prior to getting your carpet steam cleaned. Vacuuming carpet will remove dry soils, dust and debris including dead skin cells which are the main food source for allergy inducing dust mites. According to the Carpet Institute of Australia Limited, 85% of dirt in carpet is dry dirt and can be removed by effective vacuuming. Of course, vacuum cleaning equipment should be maintained in good working order for maximum efficiency.
There are different types of vacuuming, depending on the traffic volumes in your home or business;
- Spot Vacuuming can be carried out in areas with only small amounts of foot traffic and can be used to quickly remove visible soil, dust or debris. However spot vacuuming should be followed up by a full vacuum at least weekly.
- Traffic Area Vacuuming in areas with light to moderate foot traffic such as hallways but not the whole carpeted area. Again this is only an interim measure and a full vacuum should be completed as required.
- Full Vacuuming is a thorough vacuum of all carpeted areas and should be done as regularly as required, depending on the amount of foot traffic.
For residential carpet with light traffic, we recommend vacuuming at least once or twice a week
Commercial carpets can vary greatly in the amount of foot traffic, depending on the type of business and the area usage. For example a business office with light traffic may only need a full vacuum once a week, with spot vacuuming in high use areas 2-3 times a week. Whereas a hotel, school, hospital or retail outlet may require full vacuuming daily.
Spot Cleaning
Time is of the essence when it comes to spot and stain removal! All types of spills, spots and stains should be attended to immediately to prevent permanent staining. If in doubt always contact a professional carpet cleaning service for advice before attempting stain removal. Throwing the entire contents of your kitchen cupboard at a stain usually just makes matters worse!
Please see the following guide for more information on spot and stain removal; How to remove Carpet Stains
Corrective Cleaning - Steam Cleaning
According to the Australian Cleaning Standard, “corrective cleaning includes monthly, seasonal and on occasion programs which use water-based cleaning system that attempt to remove soiling from deep within the pile of the textile floor covering.” Hot water extraction, or steam cleaning, as it is more commonly referred to is one of the best corrective cleaning methods.
Most carpet manufacturers recommend that you get your carpet steam cleaned professionally, every 12-24 months to maintain appearance, however there is more to consider than just the appearance of your carpet.
Carpet acts like a filter and helps trap air borne contaminants, which is great for your air quality. However if you don’t periodically remove these contaminants from your carpet, they can build up and be redistributed by air movement such as foot traffic and vacuuming. The best and most thorough way of removing contaminants and keeping your carpet healthy is to have them professionally steam cleaned as often as required, depending on the amount of foot traffic.
A small household, may only need their carpet steam cleaned once every 12 months, whereas a family home with young children and pets may require having carpet steam cleaned every 3-6 months.
Commercial offices with light foot traffic may only require steam cleaning once every 18-36 months, whereas a school, shop, hospital or hotel will require much more frequent cleaning; probably around every 6-12 months and a restaurant every 3-6 months.
How does steam cleaning remove dirt and contaminants?
Steam cleaning is a process whereby we pre spray a cleaning agent onto the carpet and then use either a portable machine or a truck mounted machine to inject hot water into the carpet and then extract it, along with the dirt and cleaning agent. The wand which is attached the the hot water extraction machine has a high pressure hose which delivers the hot water water to the carpet and a vacuum hose to remove the water, dirt, detergent and other contaminants. The dirty water is stored in a separate tank in the machine and disposed of responsibly after cleaning.
This complete cleaning process removes deeply embedded dirt and debris which is missed by regular vacuuming, along with allergens and other organic compounds, heavy metals found in dust particles, chemicals and pesticides carried in on our shoes from the external environment and the by products of everyday living including smoke particles from cooking, open fires, cigarettes, candles, etc. Using a professional to have your carpet steam cleaned is essential to ensure the cleaning is performed to the Australian Standard.
Other Tips
- Place mats in entrance ways and high traffic areas to prevent soiling and wear and tear.
- Sweep paths and external entrance points regularly.
- Use a good quality vacuum with rotating brushes and preferably a HEPA filter.
- Have a carpet spot cleaning kit handy with items such as clean light coloured cloths/towels, spray bottles for cleaning solutions and rinsing.
To get your carpet steam cleaned or to book any of our Melbourne cleaning services – please contact us here or
call 0403 254 080
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