Carpet Cleaning Tips

Regular vacuuming is one of the best ways to keep your carpet looking fresh and clean, but if you have kids and pets, you already know that stains and dirt are a big problem that vacuuming can't solve. Luckily, there are ways to clean your carpets so they'll look like new throughout the years.

First, consider forking over a little extra moola to purchase a special carpet-cleaning system to keep up with accumulating dirt on a regular basis. Although these devices are on the expensive side, ranging from $80 to $400, they will actually save you money over the years because you won't be forced to hire a professional carpet cleaner every time your carpet needs an extensive cleaning. Although a home cleaner doesn't possess the same power as a professional model, using it to clean the carpets more often means they won't be as dirty anyways.

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Most industrial carpet cleaners are water extraction units (or steam cleaners) that clean the carpets by injecting a cleaning solution into the pile, which is then sucked back into the machine with all the dirt and grime from the fibers. If you want to avoid the inconvenience of lugging a heavy hose around the house, choose a unit that doesn't require a water hookup. Also look for machines with powerful motors. A tip: if you steam clean, don't put too much water into the carpet, as this can damage the carpet backing and underlayment causing shrinkage, discoloration, and odor.

For 'dry' cleaning your carpets, using dry extraction methods, you will need to spread a dry absorbent compound all over the surface before vacuuming with the machine. Dry units that use chemicals have one drawback - they are more expensive than water-based machines.

If you don't want to purchase an expensive cleaning machine, rent one instead. Many grocery stores and home centers rent out such machines, which are even more powerful than home units. You will have to buy cleaning solutions on top of the rental, but overall, the cost is quite affordable.

In the end, if you need professional help, go for it. This way you won't have to worry about doing any of the manual labor yourself and you can rest easy that your carpets have been cleaned thoroughly.

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