There are two possible methods for cleaning your carpet: hire a professional cleaning company or do it yourself. But what are the pros and cons to consider and which one is really the best for you?
Below I’ll answers these questions and much more, too.
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Is a Professional Carpet Cleaning Worth It?
Yes, since hiring a professional carpet cleaning company can make the difference your carpet or rug needs.
The type of cleaning services they provide can restore your carpet’s beauty and aesthetics while also improving your home’s indoor air and overall quality. It is essential to hire cleaners who have the necessary training, experience, and equipment to meet your needs.
How is Professional Carpet Cleaning Helpful?
When you hire professional carpet cleaners, they can improve your home’s comfort alongside several other benefits. The following is how professional carpet cleaning companies can help you:
Extend Your Carpet’s Lifespan: The carpet is a high-traffic area that sometimes becomes entrenched with dirt, dust, allergens, bacteria, and other pollutants. As a result of the dirt accumulation, carpet fibers split, and the fibers deteriorate over time. A professional cleaning will help remove the built-up contaminants and effectively protect and extend your carpet’s life.
Improves your room’s aesthetics: Professional carpet cleaners employ several professional methods and high-quality products to remove stubborn dirt from your carpet. After the professional cleaning, your carpets will smell, feel, and, more importantly, look brand new.
Improves your family’s health: Carpets don’t only collect dust and dirt; they can also contain harmful bacteria and allergens that can worsen respiratory health issues like asthma. Professional carpet cleaning methods like hot water extraction kills all allergy-causing microorganisms in your carpet.
What Do Professionals Use to Clean Carpets?
Reputable professional carpet cleaning companies can clean carpets, upholstery, rugs, and other household textiles. Some of these companies go beyond the basics and can clean leather, air ducts, and tiles. Each of these materials comes with its unique problems.
As a result, they clean each material with different methods. The following are the five most typical professional carpet cleaning methods.
Steam Cleaning (Hot Water Extraction): This method is the most commonly used among professional carpet cleaners. Steam cleaning penetrates the carpet fibers using hot water at high pressure. It breaks down bacteria and dirt present in the carpet fiber.
The process begins with adding a cleaning agent to the target area, followed by spreading by a brush to break down the dirt. The process completes when the cleaning agent has successfully done its work. Afterward, the cleaner extracts the hot water via a vacuum; hence, the name “Hot Water Extraction.”
Dry Cleaning (Absorbent Compound): The professional cleaner uses an absorbent compound in this method. The compound binds to dirt and other debris present in the carpet.
The method involves using a mechanical brush to spread the absorbent and break down the dirt in the fibers. The cleaner then uses a professional-strength dry vacuum to remove the compound after successfully separating the carpet fibers from dirt.
Encapsulation: In this method, professionals work synthetic foam detergents into the carpet using a brush machine. The foam detergent turns into powder as it cools. During the turning process, it encapsulates soil particles present in the carpet. Afterward, the cleaner vacuums up the powder along with the dirt.
Many professionals favor carpet encapsulation over other methods because it dries faster, uses less water, and leaves no residue behind.
Carpet Shampooing: Carpet shampooing was popular until the introduction of encapsulation technologies in the 1970s. The method seems to remove heavy dirt effectively but leaves many foam residues behind in the carpet. The residues take a long time to dry and then get sticky because the method does not include rinsing the carpet.
Nowadays, the method is not as popular as others.
Bonnet Cleaning: Bonnet cleaning is among the fastest professional carpet cleaning methods. Hence, it is the most-used cleaning method in commercial businesses and hotels. Bonnet machines have a spinning pad that the cleaner will soak in cleaning solutions. The technique only polishes and removes grime and dirt from the carper’s surface.
How Can I Deep Clean a Carpet Myself?
If you choose to deep clean your carpet yourself, here are some simple steps you can follow to get a similar result to a professional carpet cleaning service.
Step 1: Take everything off the carpet, including toys, baskets, or furniture.
Step 2: Adjust your vacuum to the appropriate height. Gradually lower the vacuum height setting till you can feel a slight forward pull from it.
Step 3: Slowly vacuum the carpet to get rid of ground-in dirt and debris. To loosen anything stuck in the carpet fibers, make two gentle runs over high-density areas from separate directions.
Step 4: Fill your carpet shampooer with your preferred cleaner and warm water according to the assembly specifications. Vacuum the carpet with the carpet shampooer but avoid over-saturating the area with water.
If you don’t have a carpet shampooer, you can fill a bucket with warm water and scrub the carpet with an old brush, towel, toothbrush, or rag.
Step 5: Using your vacuum, make a few drying passes over the shampooed carpet to reduce the drying time. You turn on the fans or open the windows to allow the carpet to dry faster.
Step 6: Wait for the carpet to dry before walking on it or moving your furniture back in.
Is it Worth Steam Cleaning a Carpet?
Steam cleaning gets rid of tough stains in the carpet fibers. Hence, it produces better cleaning results within a shorter period but at a higher price.
Steam cleaning cleans more thoroughly since it uses warm water and chemicals, reaching more than just the carpet’s surface and removing debris stuck deep into the carpet.
In addition, since steam cleaning does not harm your carpet in any way, it is worth all the hype. Your carpet will remain in great shape even after cleaning.
How Much Does Carpet Cleaning Typically Cost?
Professional carpet cleaning typically costs $121 – $234 (average $177). The exact price depends on the carpet material, the cleaning method, whether it involves stain removal, and the size of the carpet area you intend to clean.
