Rosie on the House: Best practices for window and carpet cleaning

Q: When is a good time to clean windows and carpet?

A: To answer that question, look around your home at your carpets and windows. If the backyard activities of summer led to dirty indoor carpets and your windows are cloudy with the dust and rain of the monsoons, then the answer is soon.

The monsoons are waning, and it is a great time to clean house for the next set of fall activities. Clean windows and carpets are a great way to prepare for gatherings like football games, kid’s birthday parties and holidays.

Q: What are the best practices for carpet cleaning?

A: The first step in caring for your carpet is to vacuum it regularly and clean up spills as quickly as possible. Carpet can be a harbor for dirt, food, pet accidents and germs. Check the warranty and care instructions for your carpets. Generally, vacuuming a couple of times a week in heavy-traffic areas is suggested. Deep steam cleaning every 12-18 months is recommended and often required to be covered by the warranty — be sure to keep your receipts. Cleaning and vacuuming more often than every 12 months might be called for in homes with lots of traffic.

Steam cleaning 101

Steam cleaning is the best way to clean a carpet. This process requires heavy duty equipment to heat and pressurize the cleaning solution as well as extract it. There can be challenges to this process as people don’t want to be exposed to chemicals used in the cleaning process and the carpet should not be walked on while it is wet.

One way to avoid the excessive use of chemicals is to look for a company that uses purified, highly filtered water. Purified water requires less cleaning product to get the carpet clean because of the natural properties of H20. By removing all the total dissolved solids in the water, the solution will attract more of the dirt and product used, making it very easy to extract and leave your carpets residue free.

The process

Best practices of carpet cleaning should also include:

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• A counter-rotating brush should be applied to the carpet to agitate the carpet fibers and loosen the dirty stuff.
• Heated water (125 degrees) and pressure are essential for the system to break up unwanted foreign debris.
• Powerful suction extracts the solution and ensures no debris is left behind and allows for faster drying times.
• A high-pressure rotary tool helps to deep clean high-traffic areas.

Don’t forget to include walk-off mats and area rugs in the cleaning.

Prepping carpet

• Start with a thorough vacuuming to remove loose dirt and debris from the fibers. Take extra time vacuuming the high-traffic areas.
• Make a plan to move furniture. If you want a thorough cleaning, locate the couches and beds in another area. Ask your cleaning company if they move furniture or if you need to move it before they arrive.
• After cleaning, the carpets need between three to six hours to dry. Find a time that would work for the family to be off the carpet for that amount of time. Run ceiling fans to help speed up the process.

Q: What are the best practices for window cleaning?

A: Cleaning windows can certainly be a DIY project. Having windows done professionally offers a good place to start and can look fresh longer with a little touch up.

• Look for a professional who uses purified water. As with the purified water used for carpets, less chemicals are required when pure water is used. Without hard water minerals, windows are left without streaks or spots.
• First story windows are cleaned in the traditional bucket and squeegee method. Professionals should be equipped with brushes on poles to reach second and third story windows. The brushes are fed pressurized cleaning solution that agitate and extract the dirt leaving the windows to dry spot free.

Q: I like clean windows but are there other reasons to have my windows cleaned?

A: There are several reasons to have your windows cleaned regularly.

• Clean windows protect the seals around the window from the build-up of dirt and dust, which can dry them out, causing them to crack and rendering dual pane windows effectively useless.
• Window frames benefit from regular cleaning, which makes them look better and last longer.
• Cleaning your window screens is important, too. They are filters for air coming into your home. We recommend cleaning screens quarterly. Cleaning may be required more or less often, depending on the weather in your area and how often you open your windows.