In this article we’re going to look at the main methods of carpet cleaning ranging all the way from do-it-yourself to hiring professional service providers. There are lots of choices available to today’s consumers when it comes time for your carpet to be cleaned. The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of what is available to you. In future posts, we’ll go into more detail in each area so you have the information you need to make the most appropriate choice for your situation.

First is the do-it-yourself approach. We’ve all seen the carpet cleaning rental displays in our local supermarkets. Simply pick up a rental machine and a bottle of carpet shampoo along with your groceries and you’re all set. Right? Wrong, wrong wrong!! The only benefit these machines are going to give is to the store when you pay your good money to rent one. Retailers are smart business-minded folks with an eye on the bottom line. When you think of it, who most often shops for the family groceries? That’s right. Women do.

And therefore, the rental machines are designed to be lightweight units that a woman is easily able to wheel it out to her car. However, in order to keep the weight down, the power of these machines is significantly compromised. Therefore, the quality of the carpet cleaning is mediocre at best. The lightweight motors tend to lack the waterlift capability of larger, heavier units with the result that it’s very difficult to remove the water laden soil from the carpet. It can take hours, even days for the carpet to be dry again. And when it is dry, there may be hardly any noticeable improvement in the appearance of the carpet.

If you want to rent a do-it-yourself machine, avoid the supermarket ones and go to a place where you can rent a more powerful machine with superior water lift capabilities. The equipment rental stores or big box stores like Home Depot and Rona offer a better option that will give you far better results for your rental dollar.

The key is not to over wet your carpet. For every wet pass, go back over the same area with two or three dry passes. In other words, use only the vacuum to remove as much of the soil laden water from your carpet as you can. This will greatly reduce the time for your carpet to be completely dry again and may also avoid wetting the floor underneath.

Next, is the option of hiring a professional carpet cleaning service. Of these, the most familiar is that of carpet steam cleaning, otherwise known as hot water extraction. The equipment consists of a wand with hose leading back to either a powerful portable base unit or outside to a truck mounted system. In the hands of an experienced carpet cleaner, either system will perform an effective deep cleaning of your carpet. In selecting a carpet cleaner, first start by asking for referrals among your network of friends.

Chances are good that someone you know can recommend someone. Generally the smaller owner/operator businesses are a safe choice as the owner himself/herself will be doing the actual work. Ask if they will include a thorough pre-vacuum of your carpet at no extra cost. This is a sign that they are willing to take the extra time to do a detailed cleaning for you. Also, ask if they have a written guarantee of satisfaction as additional assurance before committing to set the appointment.

Professional carpet cleaners often offer a low moisture option in addition to the hot water extraction method. The benefit of using low moisture is that your carpet is dry and ready for use again in as little as one hour following cleaning. Low moisture cleaning uses more agitation and less water to accomplish the same results as hot water extraction. In cases of extremely heavy soil, the carpet may first need to be flushed with hot water and extracted and then followed up with a low moisture cleaning. A professional will know best what is the most appropriate way to restore your carpet to a beautiful, clean appearance again.

Richard Watters