10 Reasons To Clean Your Carpet Regularly

By Chuck RobertsSubmitted Content
Print Story | Email Story

Previously, I wrote about why it's a great time to clean during cold-weather months. This time I want to inform you of 10 great reasons why you should clean your carpets (or rugs) on a regular basis.

Extend the wear life: Carpet and fiber manufacturers recommend carpets should be cleaned every 12 to 18 months. This helps remove damaging soils, keeps the appearance looking like new, and helps extend the wear life, maximizing your investment in your floor covering.

Indoor air quality: Carpets act like filters, trapping airborne pollutants. Dust, dander, pollen, pet hair, soils, etc. all contribute to our breathing unhealthy air. These pollutants must be removed to improve your indoor air quality, breathing, and helps protect the carpet and your investment.

Easy to maintain: Cleaning carpets before the spots and stains occur is much easier than afterwards. Most carpet soiling is from dry soils brought into the home. Regular vacuuming will remove approximately 70 percent of dry soils.

Spots and stains: Spots and stains often attract more soiling. This usually happens when homeowners use easy to purchase retail products. Unfortunately, many fail to read the small print and fail to test the product first. Usually this leads to either color loss or the product was not thoroughly rinsed leaving a slight, sticky residue which traps new soils, leading to rapid re-soiling.

Prevent buildup of allergens: If anyone in your family has breathing or allergy problems, a regular cleaning of your carpets can help remove many of the allergens or bacteria that has been hiding in your carpet (don't forget your furniture either!)


Improve appearance: Clean, well-maintained, like-new carpet makes a homeowner feel good about having guests in their home as well as the overall cleanliness of their home or facility.

Morale: Family members, guests, visitors, workers, staff, etc., all feel better about their environment when it's clean. This includes having clean, great-looking carpets, rugs, orientals, furniture.

Family fun: Having clean carpets and rugs invites your children, grandchildren, and others to have fun on the carpet, without having to worry about smelly, dirty, spots, stains, and soils showing.

Dust mites: Yuck! A thorough cleaning of your carpets and other furnishings will help remove dust mites and bedbugs which may have found a home in your home or facility.

Maintaining your carpet warranty: If you don't remember, you may want to review your carpet warranty. Most manufacturers require cleaning be conducted every 12-18 months, or within a specific time frame.

Chuck Roberts is owner of Roberts Carpet & Upholstery Care, an authorized Von Schrader Associate specializing in low-moisture cleaning. For more information, contact him at 413-458-9399 or robertscf@aol.com.

If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

New Ninja Playground Opens in Lee

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff

LEE, Mass. — Hundreds turned out recently at Lee Athletic Field to cut the ribbon on the new Ninja Playground — where generations will come to play, bond, and build the grit to take on anything.
 
The 15 ninja-style obstacles, including cargo nets, rope climbs, cliffhangers, ascending monkey bars, and more set on accessible, cushioned playground turf called Forever Lawn designed to provide a safe landing for falls of up to 15 feet. View photos from the ribbon-cutting here
 
To many community members, this park is more than a collection of obstacles– it's the result of a community coming together and saying, "We want this in Lee, and we're going to make it happen," said Alex Heddinger, Lee Chamber of Commerce executive director.
 
"In true Lee fashion," community members have stepped up in countless ways — contributing financially, donating materials and services, spreading the word, and showing up to help with the build, she said. 
 
For two years, Neighborhood Ninjas has been working with Lee officials to bring the park to life through fundraising efforts and by applying for grant funding. 
 
In addition to donations, the organization secured about $90,000 in state funding, including $50,000 from a supplemental bill signed June 12, secured with the help of state Rep. Leigh Davis. The town also contributed $40,000 towards the project.
 
While the ribbon has been cut, Neighborhood Ninja's work in the community is not complete — the nonprofit will continue through free community programming that focuses on turning obstacles into opportunities, cultivating perseverance.
 
View Full Story

More South Berkshire Stories