Carpets – we love having them in our homes, but keeping them clean is often a chore. When searching for a more thorough cleaning solution than our vacuums, we need to decide whether to hire a professional or to tackle the dirt ourselves. This blog post will look at professional carpet cleaning vs DIY and what to consider when comparing between the two.
To keep your carpets looking healthy and performing well, manufacturers recommend giving your carpets a deep clean every 12 to 18 months. This can change depending on the amount of traffic in your home (or businesses premises) and frequent cleaning is a condition of many warranties – so be sure to carefully read over your warranty!
When choosing your method of cleaning, you will want a solution that is cost effective and causes the least amount of hassle. Renting a carpet cleaning machine can seem like a good deal. Available at most leading hardware stores and supermarkets, they’re advertised as being a cheap and accessible solution for cleaning your carpets. However, as many of our customers have realised before contacting us, it does not guarantee the best results or always leads to lower costs.
Here are some points to consider when thinking about professional carpet cleaning vs DIY
Equipment Effectiveness
Whether bought or rented, domestic carpet cleaning machines are unable to match the capabilities of professional machinery, which has a superior steam injection, heat and suction. Renting or bought carpet cleaning machines also require water to operate. It may not be clear how much water you need to use or how much of the chemicals to mix. Oversoaking carpet is a common mistake people make when cleaning their carpets.
Avoid Dampness
Soaked carpets take a long time to dry. The drying out process can result in your carpet shrinking as it pulls away from the walls and backing, as well as leaving waves in the carpet. If left untreated, the dampness can facilitate mould and fungus growth (find out more here). The freshness you associate with a recently cleaned carpet will be covered up by the smell of moisture and damp. By hiring a professional, your carpets are guaranteed to dry faster (often as quick as one hour after cleaning), leaving them smelling fresh and avoiding any permanent damage that can occur from poor or incorrectly used machinery.
Save Time
In addition to saving time on the drying process, contacting a professional carpet cleaner takes away the hassle of finding a solution yourself. Think about the time you would have to spend researching risky home remedies online (we have encountered many horror stories where customers have unwittingly caused permanent damage to their carpets after using a DIY stain removal), or choosing a suitable carpet cleaning machine and learning how to use it. Many carpet cleaning machines advertised do not include the cost of running it – we recommend that customers looking to clean just one room for as cheap as possible should contact us, as our service for one room costs around the same as hiring a machine.
One Last Thing…
When searching for a professional carpet cleaner that services your area, please ensure that the company you hire has a good reputation and is certified for a guaranteed great service. In addition to reviews posted on websites like Google, Yell and Bark, carpet cleaners who are members of the National Carpet Cleaners Association (NCCA) have completed an industry-recognised qualification.
