A sisal carpet can look stunning along with your other natural décor, and it's certainly an eco-friendly choice. However, many homeowners are not sure what to do when it comes to cleaning and caring for their sisal carpets. The fibers do need to be treated differently than artificial carpet fibers, after all. Here are a few tips to help you care for your sisal carpet properly.

Wipe up spills immediately.

This is important with any type of carpet, but even more so with sisal, since it absorbs liquids so quickly. You might want to keep a spare cloth or towel in the room with the sisal carpet, so that if you do spill, you have something handy to soak it up. Better yet, avoid bringing liquids into the room so you don't ever have a spill, because chances are good that it will leave at least a slight stain.

Use a mild vinegar and water mixture to clean up stains.

Most commercial carpet stain removers will leave marks on your sisal. To wipe up stains, prepare a mixture of 1 part white vinegar and 1 part water in a spray bottle. Spray it very lightly (don't use too much) on the stain, and then blot it up. Don't rub. Repeat this process several times, and the stain should fade considerably.

Don't vacuum with a brush.

A brush attachment will cause too much friction with the fibers and will cause your sisal carpet to start looking worn prematurely. Only vacuum your carpet with a brushless floor attachment. Do make sure you vacuum it often, too, as any dirt on the carpet has the ability to slowly work its way into the fibers and make them look discolored.

Never steam clean the carpet.

When your carpet starts to look a bit dirty, it's time to call a professional and have it deep cleaned. However, you never want the cleaning company to steam clean your carpet as they would an artificial fiber carpet. You want them to dry clean it. Dry cleaning will do a good job of removing the deeper dirt and stains without discoloring your carpet like exposure to water would. Not all carpet cleaning companies offer dry cleaning, so you might have to do a little shopping around to find one that does. For more information, speak with professionals like Southwest Chem-Dry.

If you follow the tips above, you should find that your sisal carpet stays looking new and fresh for years to come.

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