Carpet cleaning has been our business since 1876. That’s when our company was founded by Anna and Melville Bissell, and in the 143 years since then, we’ve heard many myths about carpet cleaning. While some of these popular ideas are innocuous, others can actually harm your carpets. If you want to know fact from fiction, keep reading as we dispel some of the most common carpet cleaning myths. 

Myth: Vinegar Cleans Carpet 

Truth: Vinegar is a great natural cleaner for many things, like countertops, but it’s not an effective solution for removing stains from carpets. Even adding baking soda to the mix won’t get rid of stains, but it will create a paste that will be tough to remove from your carpet. 

Instead of using vinegar, try treating spills as soon as possible with a specially-formulated spot remover, and tackle set-in stains with a Bissell carpet cleaner, like our commercial carpet shampooer or commercial carpet extractor. 

Myth: Vacuuming Often is Bad for Carpet 

Truth: We’ve actually heard this one before!! The truth is that vacuuming your carpet is the single best way to keep it clean. Most areas should be vacuumed at least once a week, but we recommend more frequent cleaning for high-traffic areas. Vacuuming once daily in these spaces will extend the life of your carpet, not harm it. 

Myth: Hair Spray Can Clean Carpet 

Truth: No!! Hair spray is for hair, not carpet!! Not only will it not remove stains or spots, but it will leave behind a residue that can damage your carpet fibers. If you are facing a tough stain, use our commercial carpet extractor to remove it. If you try using hairspray anyway, you’ll need a Bissell carpet cleaner to remove that too! 

Look, we know our way around cleaning equipment, and carpets are our specialty. If you are facing a tough carpet cleaning challenge, don’t give into myths — instead contact our team of experts here at Bissell at 1-800-242-1378. We’ll be happy to recommend the best equipment to get the job done right while preserving your carpets. That’s the truth!