CARPET CLEANING • TUNBRIDGE WELLS • SOUTHBOROUGH

Residents of the charming Kent town of Tunbridge Wells are, by and large, a house-proud bunch. And at the heart of any fastidiously kept home are clean carpets.

Whilst wood and laminate flooring has risen in popularity over the past ten years or so, carpets still have a unique appeal. They have sound damping and insulation properties far superior to wood and laminate. They're also less prone to skids, which is particularly reassuring when young children are about. Crucially, they've also got the all-important 'comfort factor' which is absent from hard floorings.

Carpets are a significant investment for any homeowner and they will naturally receive a lot of use. Therefore, keeping them clean can be a challenge. But in most cases, you can quite comfortably remove stains from your carpet with some off-the-shelf detergent and a little elbow grease.

Tips for a cleaner carpet

The old adage goes that prevention is better than cure. This statement rings particularly true when it comes to your carpets, so taking extra care in the maintenance and upkeep is key to an easy cleaning process. Vacuum thoroughly and often and never underestimate the importance of welcome mats to help with the prevention of walked-in dirt and grime to the home.

Attacking a potential stain early is also key to maintaining a clean carpet. But avoid any overzealous rubbing as this may cause it to stain permanently and spread the soiling around. Make sure that you treat it well at the risk of it returning. A good way to do this is put a damp cloth on it with a weight on overnight. You should never use a hair dryer or iron on the stain at risk of making it permanent.

When it comes to stubborn annoyances like mildew and mould, you could use a non-chlorinated bleach, or a combination of lemon juice and water. Hydrogen peroxide is also effective. It's can also be risky as it can permanently damage the carpet.

Whilst it's tempting to want to use a heavy-duty detergent, it's best to not to unless in the case of seriously spillage. A mild cleaner is always the best option.

However, there are some cases when even a really vigorous scrubbing won't do the trick. This is where calling in a professional carpet cleaner is advisable.

Professional cleaners, have stacks of experience in getting carpets back to looking their best: however bad you think that your stains are, the chances are that they've seen much worse and got rid of them. They'll also have a much better idea of what detergents to use and what ones will could have disastrous results for your carpet.

Professional cleaners, such as Core Carpet Care of Tunbridge Wells, don't just have experience on their side: they'll have a special array of products and tools purpose built for the job.

And if you have damaged your carpet beyond rescue and you have home insurance, you might not even have to shell out yourself, as it will be covered by your insurer. Check with your insurance company if your carpets are covered for accidental damage.

If so, you could make a real saving. Just remember to always shop around for cheap home insurance when the time comes to renew your policy.