Locate the stained areas. Often the stained areas are also home to odors caused by uric acid, bacteria and yeast colonies, so that is the place you need to concentrate your cleaning effort. To achieve a finished appearance that is uniform and odor-free, though, you will need to clean the whole carpet methodically, expending just a bit more time and effort in the badly stained areas.
Vacuum the area thoroughly. Be sure to remove as much loose debris as possible.
Pre-treat the badly stained areas. Do this just before you start the steam cleaning process. Use a single commercial degreaser/cleaning agent that will not discolor the carpet. If you are unsure of the action of the selected cleaner, test it in an inconspicuous place, say in a closet or under a couch. A carpet remnant is a perfect test ground. It is best to use a pre-treatment that is formulated to work with the cleaning solution you will use in the steam vac. The pretreatments and cleaning solutions will have been thoroughly tested to ensure that no untoward chemical reactions between the two will occur. Gently work the chemicals into the badly stained spots using a moderately stiff bristle brush. Work the chemicals down into the carpet fibers, but do not overdo the scrubbing to the point that the strands start to fray or unravel. Do not let the spot-treated carpet dry out. Instead, proceed directly to the steam cleaning step. Stick to one pretreatment chemical. If you mix chemicals, you may get unexpected results: generation of dangerous or lethal gases, creation of harmful acids, generation of harsh caustic solutions.
Steam clean the area. Steam cleaners for the home are a good investment, especially if you are a pet owner. If you do not have a machine, rent one from a local hardware store, a grocery store or home improvement center.
Fill the solution compartment with the cleaning solution. Most cleaning formulations will contain a surfactant which serves to break the stain-carpet fiber and odor-carpet fiber bonds and lift the offending chemicals to the surface. In addition to removing stains and odors, the cleansing agents kill bacteria and other micro-organisms and bind chemicals that are the source of odors. A properly formulated cleanser will act to loosen existing bonds by replacing them with strong bonds which float the offending chemicals to the surface where they are picked up by the vacuum action of the steam cleaner.
Fill the water compartment with hot water.
Select the CLEAN setting on your machine. The steam vac cleaner draws the solution from the tank and mixes it with water as you slowly run the machine over the carpet.
Follow the instructions that were provided with your cleaner. Typically, you will use methodical, overlapping strokes. Many will specify a forward and return stroke dispensing the cleanser/water mixture and a complete forward and return stroke over the same area to pick up the loosened stain and odor particles. Make sure to take your time in the cleaning process and do not get in a big hurry. It takes a while to loosen and pick up particles that have been in place for a long time. Allow the machine to do its work by moving slowly and methodically in the recommended pattern. For odor-filled carpet, dispense additional liquid so that the pad becomes saturated. This will require that you spend additional time removing the moisture from the carpet and pad. Extra drying time will also be required. It is best to plan on using air conditioning and strong fans to ensure that drying is completed as quickly as possible. Any moisture that is left will create the perfect environment for mold growth.
Let the carpet sit for about 15-20 minutes. This will allow the solution to get deep into the carpet, break down all the stains, and deodorize the carpet and padding.
Rinse the carpet using only hot water. Do not add any more cleaning solution at this time. By rinsing, you are flushing the carpet of everything that has been loosened. Rinse until the return water begins to come back clean. Be patient. It may take as many as eight or ten rinse passes. You are pulling up everything that has been trapped below the carpet.
Let the carpet dry completely. Use your air conditioner in conjunction with available dehumidifiers and fans to assist the drying.
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