Just imagine you step on the carpet bare feet expecting a soft and warm feel, but instead, it feels like residue on your feet from a crunchy surface.
Once smooth, soft, warm, clean, and inviting carpet can become crunchy at times because of inappropriate cleaning, residue chemicals after cleaning, or some other reasons.
So, let’s talk about what causes crunchy carpets and how you can fix a crunchy carpet irrespective of the reason that made it crunchy.
What Causes Crunchy Carpet Post-Cleanup?
Carpets get crunchy due to improper cleaning. When you deep clean your carpet but fail to rinse it well, it leaves behind the soapy residue in its fibers. When this residue dries, it makes your carpet stiff and crunchy. That’s also a reason why carpet stains reappear after cleaning.
Moreover, overwetting, improper suction, using too much solution, and inadequate drying are all culprits behind this crunchiness from residue.
However, your carpet can also feel crunchy after cleaning if it's a moisture-sensitive one and you've cleaned it with water. Additionally, cleaning carpets with hard water can also leave behind mineral deposits, again leading to the crunchiness.
5 Ways To Fix Crunchy Carpet After Cleaning
Whatever has made your carpet crunchy, the solution is to re-rinse. It is to remove the soapy residue, including soap, detergent, or cleaning solution particles that remain after cleaning. Here are some ways you can fix it.
[Caution: Properly read your carpet’s care label before using the below methods. These methods use water-based cleaning. And if your carpet is made up of natural fiber, which is sensitive to moisture or heat, professional cleaning would be the ideal option here.]qqqq
1. Re-Rinse With Plain Water
The basic and easiest method for fixing crunchy carpet is to re-rinse your carpet with plain water. Use your carpet cleaning machine with plain water and rinse your carpet thoroughly with it. The idea is to clean away the residue thoroughly with water alone.
Make sure you extract all the moisture at the end and dry it well. Repeat the cycle until all the residue is removed and water comes out clear. However, if you have a hard water supply, prefer rinsing it with distilled water instead.
2. Use Fabric Softener Solution
This tip is when you have a carpet shampooer or steam cleaner. To create the solution, add a cup of fabric softener per gallon of hot water in your carpet cleaner’s tank.
Rinse your carpet like you normally do. The rinsing will remove the residue and the fabric softener will make the carpet soft again.
However, make sure to provide enough time for drying else, it may leave your carpet rippling and lumpy after cleaning.
3. Vinegar-Water Rinse
If mere water isn’t working or if you need an alternative for fabric softener, vinegar solution is another great way to solve the crunchy carpet problem.
To use vinegar to get rid of residue, use a carpet shampooer with plain water and 8 ounces of vinegar in place of the cleaning solution in its tank.
Run the cycle over the crunchy surface and the vinegar will break the residue down effectively. Make sure to clean it thoroughly without leaving any moisture behind. Give it a plain-water rinse thereafter.
4. Steam Clean The Carpet
Another more effective option to fix the crunchiness of carpet is to use steam cleaning to remove residue from the carpet. The hot water steam will dilute the sticky residue and make the hard fibers soft again.
However, use a quality steam cleaner with a high suction to ensure all the moisture is extracted well. And if your carpet material can’t bear too much heat (e.g., cleaning an olefin carpet), prefer skipping this method.
5. Opt For Professional Deep Cleaning
Despite rinsing with water, re-cleaning with vinegar or fabric softener, if the crunchiness of your carpet isn’t getting resolved, professional help is the best way to fix crunchy carpets.
Experts know better how to dilute cleaning solutions that are stuck in your carpet fibers. They use proper techniques, solutions, and machinery required for removing the crunchiness of the carpet.
At Magic Steam Carpet Cleaning, we use truck-mounted steam cleaning machinery to ensure thorough cleaning of your carpet without leaving any residue behind.
We won’t just resolve the crunchy carpet issue but also help remove stains and dirt to rejuvenate it completely, returning a soft and fluffy carpet back.