It takes diligent vacuuming, and spot cleaning when unexpected spills happen, to keep your carpet smelling fresh and looking clean. Even with regular vacuuming and spill containment, traffic on the rugs mean that it will eventually need to be shampooed. Carpet care professionals recommend shampooing your carpet every 12 to 18 months. You can try the do-it-yourself method, or hire a professional who knows exactly what they are doing.
Do-it-Yourself
Cleaning the carpet yourself can save you a lot of money. Lots of people have their own carpet shampooing machines; the trick is knowing what chemicals to use. Always use shampoos recommended for that machine–never use laundry detergents. Carpet care machines purchased in department stores are pretty good for quick-fix jobs, but renting a carpet shampooer will do a slightly better job. These two types of cleaners are at the bottom of the carpet care totem pole—hiring a carpet care professional will guarantee a clean carpet and pleasant fragrance with minimal damage done to your flooring.
Finding a Professional
So, you’ve decided to eliminate the headache of shampooing the carpet yourself and you need to find a carpet care professional. Where do you start and what questions should you ask? Because word-of-mouth recommendations are always the best, begin by asking friends and family if they know a reputable carpet care professional. If you have no luck, start looking in your local phone book. Locally-owned carpet cleaners often have a reputation to uphold, plus you’ll help the environment by saving on fuel. Searching online for carpet care professionals in your area may work just as well.
Before calling carpet cleaning companies, make a list of questions to ask. For example:
• Do they give free estimates?
• Are they licensed and certified?
• What payment options do they have?
• Do they treat pet-damaged carpets?
• Do they use eco-friendly cleaning products?
Types of Professional Carpet Cleaning
Dry foam carpet cleaning is not actually dry, as its name implies. By carpet professional standards, the moisture content using this method is so low–ten percent liquid and 90 percent air—that it can be called dry. A compressor turns a water and shampoo solution into foam, which is applied to the carpet. A revolving brush thoroughly cleans each carpet fiber. The carpet is vacuumed when dry, removing dirt and dried crystals.
The hot water extraction method (steam cleaning) works by spraying a cleaning solution, mixed with hot water, onto the carpet. While spraying, the dirty water is simultaneously vacuumed up. Most carpet care companies will arrive at your home with the necessary equipment loaded in their vehicle. Although this method is referred to as steam cleaning, the water is never hot enough to generate any steam.
The absorbent pad cleaning method for carpet care is an inexpensive solution for quick cleaning. The absorbent pad method will dry faster, but is recommended for use in between deep carpet cleanings. This carpet care method won’t remove deep-down dirt and is not intended to replace the recommended yearly carpet cleaning. Make sure this cleaning method will not nullify your carpet warranty, if you have one.
Whatever carpet cleaning decision you make, cleaning up spills immediately and keeping the carpet vacuumed will make the shampooing job easier. If your carpet is under warranty, make sure the carpet care methods mentioned above are covered.