The cause of the problem is a man made fibre called polyester and it has a secret that no-one tells you about. In the trade we call it an oleophillic or oil bonding fibre and bond it does….. instantly, permanently and forever more! This is especially the case with faux suede or micro suede fabrics that now dominate the market because they are principally made of…..you guessed it, polyester. The problem is that fabrics made from polyester will bond instantly with oily soils and no matter how quickly you get to it with your spot cleaner you won’t succeed. You will always be left with an ugly black mark at best, and if you persist with cleaning potions you may cause more physical damage to the fabric itself.

So the lesson here is to avoid oily soils by either covering your precious fabric before the guests arrive, which is not a good look, or invest in a fabric that has a genuine mill applied fabric protector applied to it. If not call an ACCI member to apply a reputable brand of fabric protection.

NB  Fabric protectors are actually designed to prevent oily soils from bonding to the fabric.  Contrary to popular belief they were never designed to be a stain proofing agent at all.

The trick with spot and stain removal is speed.

First and foremost the quicker you blot up the bulk of the spill the better chance you have of complete success.

Once you let the area dry out it’s usually a hard ask to get great results and expect an off the shelf spot cleaner to work any magic. 

However there is an answer to simple and effective spot removal thanks to some new technology in cleaning chemistry and we at the Australian Carpet Cleaning Institute are pleased to launch a consumer friendly spot remover that will, quite frankly, leave everything else on the market in its wake.

Our NO Rinse Spotter is just that…..you simply spray it on and wipe off the offending mark and there’s No need to rinse off at all because the new technology will simply dry out and leave absolutely no sticky residue.  Try it you’ll be amazed  http://www.accii.com.au/consumers/no-rinse-spotter/

Look for this logo

While the whole planet is now focused on saving the environment, the carpet cleaning industry has its part to play as well

Radical new advances in detergent chemistry have now given us a revolutionary new carpet cleaning system. It’s called Sustainable Carpet Cleaning System and is sweeping the global carpet cleaning scene. This amazing technology means that we can now do away with noisy, expensive, fuel guzzling machines that consume enormous amounts of drinking water and create huge amounts of toxic waste water that has to be pumped back into the environment.

Incredibly this new system is 95% water efficient and not only uses a fraction of energy compared to other systems but creates no toxic waste, no polluting exhaust fumes and no sticky residues that would otherwise cause carpets to resoil quickly.

The best part is carpets are not only left cleaner and drier than ever before but actually stay cleaner, softer and brighter for longer.

Traditional carpet cleaning methods cannot compete with the combined cleaning efficiency and eco friendliness of Sustainable Carpet Cleaning. If you want the best clean you’ve ever seen and do your part for the environment at the same time, then look for an ACCI certified technician displaying our logo.

In many contemporary homes, polished wooden floors are an essential feature of interior design.  The best way to showcase these floors is with strategically placed rugs.  Oriental and Persian rugs look gorgeous in these proud homes and provide comfort for cold feet.
A quality rug is a valuable asset in the home and easily damaged if not cared for correctly and we recommend that you hire a professional to take care of these for you in order to preserve their quality and beauty.

But if you would like to save some money and do it yourself, here’s how it can be done:

Tools:

Vacuum, Rug beater, mild rug shampoo, soft long-bristled brush, garden hose, window squeegee

Steps:

1:  Vacuum both sides of your rug. Then hand your rug and beat out any remaining dirt/dust. Remember, 80% of the soil in rugs can be vacuumed/beaten out

2:  Move your rug to a clean, flat space outside for washing.

3:  Wet your rug with cool water and test a small area with a white cloth for colour run with your mild rug shampoo. If the colour doesn’t run, shampoo the entire rug, front and back, using the soft long-bristled brush.

4:  Brush the shampoo gently into the grain of the rug pile, making sure that the area is entirely wet with the hose beforehand.

5:  Clean your rug’s fringes. Using a soft brush and your soapy water, lightly brush your fringe away from the rug. Repeat until clean.

6:  Rinse your rug with a hose running cool water. Make sure you completely rinse out all shampoo from the front, back and fringes.

7:  Remove standing water from your rug using a clean rubber window squeegee. Run the squeegee along the rug’s grain until you’ve removed all excess water.

8:  Lay flat to dry in the shade with plenty of airflow passing over the rug. It is preferable to suspend the rug so that air can pass over both sides for faster drying.

9:  Use an oscillating fan to assist in a rapid dry to avoid watermark stains.

10: Remember, you are required by law not to allow waste water to go down the stormwater drain, and if you can manage that as well as avoid inadvertantly damaging your rug in the whole process then you’ve done well.

Happy DIY!

Red wine is feared in every carpeted household, and rightly so, its highly acidic composition, thick texture and dark tones make it nearly impossible to remove from fabrics after a spill especially if it is allowed to dry. If you make a habit of enjoying a beverage or two in your light-coloured carpeted living room, then you’re bound to encounter an untimely accident that involves red wine clashing with your floor. Here is an old household carpet cleaning tip to help you minimise the damage of red wine to your carpet:
As soon as the spill has occurred, act quickly while it’s still fresh – using white paper towelling make a thick pad of say six or so sections and blot up the bulk of spilt liquid. Repeat as required.  Next, apply a solution of white vinegar and water say 1 table spoon of white vinegar in 500mls of water. Blot as before with absorbent paper or towelling cloth/sponge/microfibre cloth/nappy etc. Avoid using detergent as the alkali will react with the anthcyan (the natural dye that gives wine and berry stains their blue colouring) in the wine and turn it bright pink.

An alternative that also works is to substitute the vinegar/water solution with white wine. It works well but is an expensive exercise and painful for dedicated chardy fans.

Keep in mind that a red wine stain can be extremely tedious to remove so successful removal will require you to take immediate action. Once an untreated spill is allowed to dry your chances of successful removal are significantly diminished. If you are not fully satisfied with the outcome of your stain removal you should look to consult a professional carpet cleaner for further advice or to arrange professional treatment of the affected area.

The carpet cleaning industry in Australia is unregulated

Carpet cleaning is a science that requires skills and expertise that can only be obtained with formal training within the field. Discount carpet cleaners are cheap for a reason – you are getting what you pay for. Their actions are as shady as a backyard knee operation, where the intentions seem to be good but the outcome is inevitably bad.

A review on choice.com.au reiterates the notion of un-certified carpet cleaners and their inept skills in treating carpet and identifies a handy checklist to help you identify credible industry certified carpet cleaners:

1. Is the carpet cleaner a member of an industry trade association and are their qualifications visible?
2. Does the quoted price seem suspiciously low?
3. What guarantees are offered?
4. Does the carpet cleaning business have public liability insurance?

As a consumer, you should be treating your carpet as a long-term asset! A clean carpet does not only improve household hygiene but it also adds value to your house through household presentation. Getting new carpet is a hassle, and can cost up to and including amounts of $6000. Cleaning your carpet once per year is a small price to pay for prolonging the life of an expensive household asset.

If you’re a carpet cleaner running a business without professional industry certification, take an ACCI carpet cleaning course today.