Granule spills are some of the worst to clean out of carpets and upholstery. There’s nothing worse than tiny pieces of grit crunching under your shoes and hands – except when the crumbs are larger and sharper like pieces of crushed tortilla chip. If your carpet crunches, cuts bare feet, or is unpleasantly gritty to the touch but no matter how much you vacuum, the grit won’t come up; we have the answers.

Cleaning a persistently gritty carpet can be hard to do when the shards, granules, or crumbs cling to the carpet and become tiny carpet shrapnel wherever a crumb-spill occurs. If vacuuming just doesn’t do the trick, it’s because the suction is not strong enough to fight the bond between rough crumb and carpet fibre. Fortunately, there are ways.

Here is a helpful step-by-step guide on how to remove sharp crumbs from your carpet when vacuuming doesn’t work.

Step 1: Clean Your Vacuum Cleaner

The first step if this process is to clean your vacuum cleaner. As we just mentioned, your problem is primarily with suction vs friction. The cling is too strong and the suction isn’t pulling the crumbs from the carpet. But what if it’s the fault of your vacuum? A vacuum clog can start anywhere in the machine, from the intake on the floor to packing dust into the canister too tightly.

Empty the canister or bag for your vacuum. Then flip it over and examine the head of the vacuum. Cut hair off the rollers and scoop dust bunnies out of the intake to increase suction. Check for small items trapped in the tubes in-between. If you find any clogs along the way, you know you’re headed in the right direction.

Step 2: Sweep the Carpet with a Sturdy Broom

Get a sturdy broom, one whose bristles will stay firm against the floor and some friction. This may sound strange; take the broom and sweep your carpet. Use fast, strong, alternating strokes and watch the crumbs in your carpet go flying Granules that wouldn’t move with vacuum after vacuum will detach and become loose when using the broom sweep method. The faster and firmer you sweep, the more you can break up off the carpet fibres, freeing up those granules and crumbs to be vacuumed properly.

Step 3: Vacuum Slowly Over the Crumbs

The last step is to vacuum slowly. You may not know this, but vacuums have an ideal suction speed. Move the vacuum over the carpet too fast, and the suction won’t have time to work. So be patient and slowly run your vacuum over the entire area you have just broken up with the broom. Freshly dislodged crumbs and granules, along with a fair amount of dust and loose carpet fibre, are easy to pickup once they have been broken loose from the carpet weave into which they fell.

Use long, slow movements to cover the area you swept and enjoy the look of a truly clean, crumb-free carpet below.

Step 4: Deal with Future Crumbs Post-Haste

For many remote workers and even on-premise professionals, crumbs at the desk are going to happen from eating and doing projects at your desk. But the next time there is a spill of chips or salt on your carpet, grab the vacuum before those granules are walked into the fibres to become a permanent fixture.

Professional Cleaning in London with Regional Services

Does your office or business need professional cleaning services? Regional Services can provide maintenance and daily, weekly, or monthly cleaning services or just one if you need to tackle a big cleaning job. We know all about the little details – like sharp crumbs in the carpet that won’t vacuum up – and how to deal with them in a quick 1, 2, 3 fashion. For more great cleaning tips or to book your local cleaning service, contact us today.