Kids and Carpets: Keeping One From Dirtying the Other

What’s harder to keep clean? Your kids or your carpets? It takes some TLC — and some luck! — to keep your carpets clean and unstained. Throw children (not literally) into the mix and it can be even harder. Muddy boots, finger painting paws and picnic-style snacks all lend themselves perfectly to spills and stains, but there are things you can do to protect your carpet. Here are some tips:

Protect it

First thing’s first protect your carpet as best you can. Cover the high traffic areas, by the front and back doors in particular, with rugs. This pre-empts those muddy footprints that dig into the carpet and you won’t have to whip out the carpet cleaner as much.

Rugs can certainly add to the aesthetics of a room as well, introducing a splash of color or design to an otherwise standard looking sitting room. They can double as a story spot as well, so gather your kids’ favorite books and stories and start a mid-morning story circle.

Clean regularly

The benefits of regular cleaning are twofold. Your carpets will look clean and tidy and will last longer as well. Follow the carpet manufacturer’s instructions for how — and how often — to clean your carpet. In general, you should hoover your carpets two to three times a week with a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter.

Act fast

One of the best strategies for tackling carpet stains is to get at them fast. As soon as the juice or — gasp! — red wine hits the carpet, bring out the cleaning supplies. Blot the stain with water and washing-up liquid, making sure not to rub in. Many stains can actually be removed with just water, so try that first. Complete several water and blotting sessions before resorting to stronger cleaning products. When you do feel the time has come to use chemical cleaners, test the product on a carpet sample first, if possible, to make sure there are no adverse effects. Steam cleaners can also be utilised for carpet cleaning.

Know when to call in the professionals

Finally, know when to hold and when to fold. When stains are aplenty or it’s been months since you’ve cleaned the carpets yourself, call in the professionals. The stains might be tough, but the professionals can be even tougher. To keep your carpets clean, you should call in some professionals once a year. So, with a little care and consideration, kids and clean carpets can go hand in hand! Who’d have thought it!

Carpets clean enough for your kids to sleep on

* Disclaimer: This is a guest post on behalf of Tesco Direct.