subject: Is Professional Carpet Cleaning For Me? [print this page] When we buy a home, it is a significant investment. With that investment comes responsibility and with responsibility comes the maintenance of your property. With such a long to-do list, one might wonder when they will ever have the time or money for professional carpet cleaning.
When you hire a professional carpet cleaner they can get the job done in quick time. A qualified professional can clean several hundred square feet of carpet in just a few hours. One might wonder if the time saved is worth the investment.
The price of professional carpet cleaning is really quite low. At just cents per square foot, customers find that their carpets are significantly cleaned. The quality of professional cleaning is much different than when you attempt to clean your carpets yourself. Whether renting a supermarket steam cleaner or using a spot cleaner, if you attempt to do it yourself you are destined to be disappointed.
Both spot cleaners and home steam cleaners typically make your carpets look much cleaner than when you started. The problem is that they primarily clean only the top fibers of the carpet. With professional carpet cleaning, your carpet will be cleaned from top to bottom. Professional carpet services have the equipment and the knowledge to get the job done. Not only will the pile of the carpet be clean, your carpets will be cleaned clear down to the pad.
There are many styles of professional carpet cleaning on the market. Some of the more frequently used ones are dry cleaning, carpet shampooing and steam cleaning.
Steam cleaning is the process of heating water and injecting it into the carpet under pressure along with a detergent. The water is then extracted along with the soil that is found in the carpet and pad. The process is usually very effective and results in quite clean carpets. Drying time can be the down side, however since it can take much longer to dry than other processes.
Shampooing carpets is a process that is just as it sounds. A shampoo is applied to the carpet and rubbed in or agitated with a hand held device. The shampoo is then removed from the carpet with a vacuum type machine. This process is followed by a rinse and extraction. Again, drying time can be problematic as the carpet and pad are often thoroughly wet.
The final, and most popular method of cleaning is dry cleaning. In this process a powder is applied to the carpet and agitated. The powder is such that dirt is attracted to the powder and vacuumed away. The upside to this method, of course, is that there is not waiting for the carpets to dry!
Whatever method of cleaning you choose, the bottom line is that you will extend the life of your carpet by keeping it free of soil and build up. Additionally, allergens will be removed and quality of life, for many, will improve. Is professional carpet cleaning worth it? Without question, it is.