5 Tips on How to Keep Your Carpet Clean
It’s hard enough to keep your house and your carpet clean as it is, so when you add a house full of kids into the mix, it can seem nearly impossible! The good news is that if you stay on top of your cleaning and use a little creativity, keeping your carpet clean and protected from your kids can be a breeze. Here are some great tips on how to keep your carpet clean with kids:
Play in a kiddie pool
Now we know what you must be thinking. Kiddie pool!? Yes! These inflatable pools are not only great for playing in outside during the summer, they can also be a great way to keep your kids’ mess in a confined space, therefore helping to keep your carpet clean. Not only are these kiddie pools made of a waterproof, easy-to-clean material, they also help restrict the mess. Let’s say your kid spills their juice. If they’re sitting on some kind of mat, there’s a good chance that spill will make it over the edge and onto your carpet. This, however, cannot happen with a kiddie pool. Spills will be no problem! Better yet, you can have your kids keep their toys in the pool as well so that they’re organized and in one place, rather than spread out all over the whole house.
Use a shower curtain on the floor
Not every house is conducive to having a kiddie pool out on the floor. What might be a less imposing and more realistic option is to use a shower curtain on the carpeted area where your kids like to play. A shower curtain can easily be folded up when you’re not using it, yet it’s still waterproof and easy to clean. You can even get a fun design that will ensure your kids are excited about making this their play area.
Teach your kids not to eat in any room but the kitchen
This is a habit that will save you so many spills and future cleanups. Yes, it’s fun to have a snack or drink while relaxing on the couch watching a movie or having family time, however, allowing your kids to bring food outside of the kitchen is pretty much just asking for a mess. Once they know the rule and are in the habit of keeping their meals and snacks restricted to the kitchen area, it won’t be a big deal and it will save you a lot of hassle and worry about your precious carpeting!
No shoes in the house
Now that we’re on the topic of rules, another great one to impose is a no shoes inside rule. Keep a mat or a shoe rack right outside the door and make sure your kids (and everyone, for that matter) take off their shoes before entering the house. Not only will this keep your carpet clean, it will also keep germs and bacteria outside of your house. According to the Huffington Post, “A study conducted at the University of Arizona examined germs on shoes and found an average of 421,000 bacteria on the outside of shoes, with nine different strains of bacteria. Some of the harmful strains found on shoes included Escherichia coli, otherwise known as E coli, which can give you intestinal infections, diarrhea and in rare cases, meningitis; Klebsiella pneumoniae, which can cause urinary tract infections; and Serratia ficaria, which can cause respiratory infections. Yuck.” Yuck, indeed!
Clean regularly and have your carpet professionally cleaned once in a while
No matter how diligent you are in protecting your carpet from your kids, stains and messes still do happen. If there’s a spill, make sure to clean it up as soon as possible. The greatest chance you have of getting rid of stains is to treat them ASAP. You should also be sure to vacuum regularly. A great tip is to sprinkle baking soda on your carpet prior to vacuuming to keep it smelling nice and fresh. Finally, you should try to have your carpet professionally cleaned twice a year, as this will help maintain it for longer.