Hey guys, your carpet cleaning mentor Gustavo is here.

I know that some of you provide cleaning services, and some of you purchase said services (either for your home or your company).

So, let me speak about the situation when people book carpet cleaners. What do they know? What do they need? If I can put it this way, a bit of perspective from the customer’s point of view.

OK, here goes my advice to potential customers.

There are different carpet designs and textures. Some of them are expensive and hand-made with flawless skills and tools. Others are cheap, mass-produced, and easy to make. Different materials are used in the manufacturing process of synthetic and natural materials. Both types, however, need regular cleaning. An important thing to note here is that the wrong/unsuitable product or technique may damage your beautiful carpet or rug.

Typically, there are two major carpet cleaning methods. These are wet and dry cleaning techniques. The first one, also called hot water extraction cleaning, is the most widely used, mainly due to the superior results. Dry cleaning is used when your carpet fibers cannot take excessive amounts of water i.e., wool, sisal, seagrass, jute, etc. This method is also called low moisture cleaning. It uses encapsulation carpet cleaning method. Due to the lack of water, this carpet cleaning method does not achieve great results with hard-to-remove stains.

Stains are the main reason carpet owners look to carpet cleaners for help. While most stains can be removed if wiped clean immediately, some of the more stubborn stains need professional cleaning services.

Professional cleaners know which cleaning products to use on the carpet to remove the stain without hampering the carpet much. Too harsh cleaning products only wear out the carpet.

Most people are apprehensive about hiring carpet technicians to clean their carpets as they think hiring them is a waste of money. However, little do they know that periodical cleaning of carpets by professional prolong their life and thus saves the need to spend money to buy a new carpet to replace a worn-out carpet.

So while regular vacuuming of the carpet and immediate removal of stains can keep your carpet clean, it’s always better to hire professional cleaners who use the right equipment and cleaning products to clean your carpet.

In London, carpet cleaning prices vary greatly from one company to another. Moreover, there seems to be no consistent cost system for these companies. Some charge by square footage, some by room, while others seem to charge higher prices. Winters are quite slow months for carpet cleaners in London businesses, implying that it’s the best time to look around for good deals.

Most companies will send free advice via email or even over the phone. This is the best way to ensure you avoid invisible charges or expenses, and you can evaluate what they offer without wasting too much time and money. However, you should not choose a company just because it is the cheapest, quality matters as well.

Most professional cleaners post images on social media (Instagram, Facebook, TikTok) to showcase the concept of their company’s performance. This is a great way of figuring out who they are and what they can do with their cleaning wands and portable extractor machines. On top of that, you will be able to compare the quality of work provided by different companies. When you find the right carpet cleaners, what’s even better is to contact them and find out whether they are insured for public liability.

Choosing the floor covering types of your home is one of the most important long-term decisions you will do when you move in or re-decorate your residence. It is an expression of your tastes and preferences, but beyond the emotional pick, you should also consider the practical dimensions of the selection. Which of the floor covering types requires the most upkeep? Which one is likely to last longer without repairs? Should you make a uniform choice for the whole place or go room by room? 

Before I share my thoughts, a quick disclaimer – they are entirely based on practical, not esthetical considerations. I have been into the carpet cleaning industry for almost two decades and have treated hundreds of home and office floors of various types. My personal preference is for the convenient and comfortable rather than the beautiful – the latter is entirely subjective anyway. First, I will make a quick commentary on the most common floor covering types and then share my recommendations for each room of your house or flat. 

1. Let’s start with one of the most prefered choices for home floors – carpets. They have more than a couple of advantages on their side – carpets are great warmth and sound insulators, they are arguably the safest floor covering of all because you can hardly slip on them, which makes them the perfect option if you have toddlers or small children in the family. Carpeting, however, requires constant and regular sanitary upkeep – vacuum cleaning at least twice per week, more thorough washing is highly recommended twice per year, even better if you do it more often. It is more prone to damage and moulding and suffers the wear and tear of the everyday foot traffic worse than almost any other floor covering alternative. Do not also forget that the carpet stains are much more difficult to remove, so they might not be the best choice for certain rooms at home.
2. You can look at rugs as a very close alternative to carpets, but I prefer to put them in a separate category. The differences are significant – I often think of rugs as the more expensive, more challenging to maintain, more aristocratic cousins of carpets. Do not get me wrong – I recognise their esthetic value and the unquestionable class they bring to the interior design of any space. From a purely practical point of view, however, they might be a nightmare to maintain. Be advised before you buy a thousand-pound piece for your living room and then spill some tea on it. 
3. Wooden floors. They look classy and warm, especially if you get a high-quality contractor to do the fitting. Wood planks are a relatively good heat insulator (though not as good as carpets) and are easy to maintain from a cleaning point of view. They are significantly more durable and long-lasting than carpets – I would say a wooden floor is likely to last at least two if not three times more than a carpet with the proper care. The number one negative is that they are slippery, and pose risk health, especially for older people. If you live in a multi-floor apartment building, you should also consider the sound factor – this type of floor covering is arguably the noisiest you can pick. 
4. Tile floors. In the interest of full disclosure, I will admit tiles are my personal favourite. They are by far the easiest to clean and maintain, and also the most durable. From a hygienic point of view, they are the best floor covering type, and I do not think it is particularly close. I will readily admit, however, that they have their deficiencies – compared to the three alternatives mentioned above, they are the worst sound and heat insulators, and the most slippery surface (although it is a close call between tiles and wooden floors). From numerous conversations with homeowners, I know that many people find them too sterile and cold – almost creating a hospital-like atmosphere and they do not want to reproduce at home. 

Now that I have covered the different types, what would be the most suitable choice for each room of your home? 

Let’s start with the bedroom. Since you do not move that much around and you are not likely to bring in too many beverages or dishes (unless you like the occasional snack in bed), the best choice would be carpets. They will create the requisite warmth and comfort and will be relatively easy to maintain. You can add a small rug or two for extra comfort and a nice personal touch if you feel like it. (The same, obviously, applies to all guest rooms.)

I would go for nothing else but a tile floor in the kitchen. Listen, if you frequently cook or eat there, the last thing you want on your mind is the multiple stains that will inevitably appear on the floor. You want a floor that is easy to clean and maintain, that you can sweep and polish in a minute if you spill some wine or olive oil on it. Can you imagine the pandemonium if you spill a pack of flour all over the place? No, thank you!

Tiles are also the obvious choice for the bathroom, but for a different reason. The consideration here is humidity – it will lead to mould on carpets and cracks on wooden planking. If you are worried about slippage, throw in a bath rug close to the tub or shower cabin – it should do the trick.

I left the most difficult choice for last – what should you do with the living room? Well, enough with the reason! How about you listen to your heart for a change? I think each of the floor covering options has its pros and cons, so you should choose the one that feels the best!

Everybody has spilt some water on their carpets – it happens at least once per year, I’ve done it twice already! It is not such a big deal – after all, it’s just water, it will dry out without a stain. Or will it? Here are a few reasons never to underestimate the seemingly harmless spills and to deal with them as quickly as possible. 

Reason number one – do not give mould any foothold in your home. You will be surprised how quickly mould can appear on carpets, especially if the weather is humid and hot. 

Reason number two – if not treated, water spills loosen the fabrics of the carpet. It happens slowly, and you will not notice it at first, but when you do, it will be too late to react.

Reason number three – humidity is the perfect condition for germs and bacteria to thrive. Water in itself is harmless, but it is the best possible environment for these microparticles, which are attracted to it like a magnet.

Now that you now just the most common dangers, here is a short video to help you deal with the problem whenever it appears.