Fish Tank Cleaning: How To Remove Dirty Water From Your Carpet
Cleaning your aquarium is a tough job, especially if you spill dirty water on your carpet. Getting the soiled carpet clean isn't enough. You also need to sanitize it to prevent bacterial growth in the carpet's fibers. In addition, the dirty water can leave your home smelling like fish. Here are tips to remove the dirty water from your carpet without harming your fish.
Secure the Fish Tank
Before you use any cleaning supplies around your fish tank, secure it to protect your fish. The chemical odors and droplets produced by cleaning solutions can accidentally get into and on the tank and kill your fish. Keep in mind that even safe cleansers, such as vinegar, can still endanger your fish because the cleansers change the pH level of the tank's water.
The best thing you can do is cover the surfaces of the tank's glass with a protective cloth before you clean the carpet. Be sure to keep the cover or lid over the tank locked securely as well. You don't want to bump into the tank and knock the cover off. Now, you're ready to move on to the next step.
Clean the Carpet
You should avoid using a loud vacuum near the fish tank during the cleaning. Fish are skittish around loud sounds. Instead, put on a pair of utility gloves and use an absorbent towel to remove the contaminated water from the carpet. You can also place paper towels over the damp carpet to soak up the excess water.
After you remove most of the water from the carpet, mix 1/4 cup of white vinegar with 4 cups of cold water together in a large spray bottle. Vinegar cleans away bacteria and is safe to use on most carpets. However, do a preliminary color-fading test on an area of the carpet, such as in the corner of the room, then wait at least one day to see if the fibers fade. If the carpet's color remains intact, go ahead and use the vinegar and water mixture.
You want to lightly dampen the carpet with the cleaning solution to avoid saturating it. Give the solution at least 15 minutes to clean away the germs. After the allotted time passes, towel blot the carpet fibers, then place a fan in front of the damp carpet to dry it for another 2 hours or so.
To improve the scent in the room, sprinkle baking soda over the dry carpet. Be sure to double-check the lid and glass to see they're still secure. You don't want residue to contaminate the tank. After you complete this step, you carpet is clean and safe.
If you have other concerns about your carpet, or if the carpet is very damaged from water, contact a cleaning service provider (like Superior Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning Inc).
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