There is nothing to compare to the pleasure of beautiful carpet throughout a home. It gives the atmosphere a cozy feel and seems more luxurious than wooden floors or tile. During the winter, it is much easier to get out of bed and face a chilly day knowing your feet will touch carpet rather than cold wood. The best way to maintain a carpet’s look and extend its lifespan is through periodic cleaning.
Carpet cleaning has moved far beyond the days when great grandmother hung her rugs outside and tackled them with a broom, beating the out dirt and debris. It is easy to rent a machine or better yet leave cleaning in the hands of experts. A clean carpet looks great, reduces allergens and dust that can trigger health issues, and makes a home inviting. The most common methods of carpet cleaning are steam cleaning or using extraction machines.
The three big nasties in a dirty carpet, other than dirt, are mold, fungus, and bacteria. Using a steam cleaner can eliminate these concerns and leave the carpet looking and smelling better. Steam cleaning means the machine heats the water to the point of turning into a vapor and pushes it into the carpet. This loosens the offending debris and allows it to be vacuumed up and out of the fibers. The machines available to rent will heat water up to 360 degrees Fahrenheit. Some units use shampoo or cleaner in addition to steam.
The terms steam cleaning machines and extraction machines refer to the same cleaning method but there are some differences. A professional carpet cleaning company may use an extraction machine mounted on a truck and will have a great deal more power behind the vacuum. In addition, the water may be heated up to 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit. More power means that more of the mold, fungus, and bacteria is going to be drawn from the carpet than is possible using a home or rental machine.
What is the most expensive item in a home? It is not the electronics or the latest kitchen appliance. It’s the carpet. Great carpeting is a costly initial investment to a home, however, kept clean and in good shape is it the backdrop that adds comfort and value for many years. It just makes sense to keep it clean.