Many homeowners struggle with the decision of whether to hire a carpet cleaning professional or not.
Of course, your carpets need to be cleaned no matter what. This is not just about removing stains. By cleaning a carpet on a regular basis, you’ll improve its quality and prolong its lifespan.
Now, should you hire a professional for this task? That depends on a number of factors. Here’s what you need to know about cleaning your carpets.
When to Do It
Most manufacturers agree that you should have your carpet cleaned every 12-18 months, depending on the foot traffic in your home.
As a matter of fact, many warranties include frequent cleaning as an actual condition. Read your warranty information to determine the exact details.
Regular maintenance is particularly important if you have nylon carpets. Nylon fibers contain hydrogen molecules, and cleaning the carpet will reactivate them. This will cause the fibers to bounce back — in a very literal way.
How to Do It
These days, hot water extraction is the number one method of cleaning your carpet.
This process consists of spraying hot water on the carpet and then sucking it back into the machine. Along with water, the machine will absorb any dirt and debris that was in the carpet. Most of the time, a cleaning solution will be combined with the water.
This method is also known as steam cleaning. It’s important to note, however, that there’s a slight difference between hot water extraction and true steam cleaning. After all, the former method produces no actual steam.
Professional vs. DIY
A carpet cleaning professional may use a portable machine or a truck-mounted unit. Portable machines are often more versatile, but truck-mounted units are usually more powerful.
If you’re often dealing with spills or accidents, you can also buy your own steam cleaning machine. There are plenty of these machines on the market, so you won’t have problems finding one. However, the DIY method does carry some risks.
Risks of DIY
Simply put, most DIY machines are not as powerful as the ones used by professional carpet cleaners.
The main problem is that DIY machines can’t extract as much water (and dirt) from the carpet. Additionally, they can’t heat the water up to the same temperature as professional machines. Both of these disadvantages will result in less effective cleaning.
Want to know whether the cleaning job was successful? After a thorough cleaning, the carpet should be just a little damp. If the carpet is wet (or very wet), your machine is simply not powerful enough.
With the DIY method, you also need to pay attention to the other variables. How much cleaning solution will you need? How quickly should you move across the carpet?
Hiring a Carpet Cleaning Professional
If you’re concerned about the costs of hiring a professional, you can opt to clean only the traffic areas.
This doesn’t involve moving your big furniture pieces; rather, the cleaner will simply work around them. Areas under the furniture don’t see much air or light, so they don’t need to be cleaned as often.
Need your carpet cleaned quickly and efficiently? If you live in Warren, Royal Oak, or Rochester, you can contact us right here. We’ll get back to you as soon as possible!
