How to Clean Carpet Carpet has many merits and advantages as a flooring material, but spills can leave stains and daily traffic takes its toll. Learn how to clean carpet with methods for vacuuming, deep cleaning, and stain removal to help your carpets look better and last longer. Share your take on this idea!Upload your photo here. Carpets warm a home by adding color, pattern, and texture. Regular vacuuming provides the first line of defense against dirt and grit that damages carpet fibers. But carpets also need regular cleaning to keep them looking their best. Plan to thoroughly wash carpet every 12 to 18 months, more often in high-traffic areas. If you have light-color carpet and/or kids or pets, clean your carpets two or three times a year. Always follow the carpet manufacturer's cleaning guidelines. Colorfast carpet will not bleed, fade, or change when you are cleaning it or removing stains. Whether or not it is colorfast may change the cleaning method or products you choose.

Here's how to pretest your carpet to find out if it is colorfast. First find a carpet scrap or an inconspicuous spot, such as carpet inside a closet. Dampen a cloth with the cleaner or stain remover you want to use. Lay the cloth on the carpet for an hour, and then blot the damp area with a dry white cloth. If the cloth is stained with carpet dyes, test other carpet cleaning products until you find one that does not make the carpet sample bleed. How to Clean Carpet Always protect your furniture, carpet padding, and subfloor when cleaning carpets. Grab a partner to help you remove furniture from the room where the carpet is being cleaned. Thoroughly vacuum the carpet. Use a rental cleaner -- if recommended by the carpet manufacturer -- or have it professionally cleaned. If you choose a wet extraction method (see below), make sure the carpet dries completely within 24 hours to prevent mold or mildew growth in the carpet or padding and to stop moisture from damaging the floor underneath.

Owning a Carpet Cleaning System If you have light-color carpets and/or a house full of kids or pets, you might want to buy your own professional-style model designed for home use. Home carpet cleaners can save you money over the long haul when compared with hiring a pro several times a year. Keep in mind, though, that the unit you buy may not have the carpet cleaning power that professional models do. Most home carpet cleaning systems are water extraction units that are also known as steam cleaners. They work to wash carpet by injecting a solution into the carpet pile, then pulling the dirty solution back into the machine. To avoid the hassle of dragging a hose around the house, opt for a model that does not require a clean-water hookup. Also, choose the most powerful carpet cleaning machine you can afford to ease the burden of water extraction. Caution: When using a steam cleaner, do not get the carpets overly wet. Overwetting can damage the carpet backing and underlayment, causing shrinkage, discoloration, and odor.

Other home cleaning systems use a dry extraction method to wash carpet. First you spread a dry absorbent compound over the carpet being cleaned, then you vacuum it with the cleaning machine. Although they usually work better than steam cleaners, dry machines and chemicals are more expensive than steamers and wet extraction solutions.best professional carpet cleaning machine uk Renting a Carpet Cleaneraverage cost to change sand in pool filter You may want to rent a professional-quality steam cleaner from a grocery store or rental center because of the additional power. pool party las vegas october 2011With rental fees and the price of cleaning solutions (shampoo, defoamer, spot removers, odor removers, and more), a rental machine can quickly strain your household budget. carpet cleaning companies red deer

But it may be a better value if your carpets don't show dirt, your kids are grown, or you don't own four-legged pets. Hiring a Cleaning Pro When you hire professionals, you'll get to choose between steam cleaning and dry extraction cleaning. carpet cleaners liverpool pricesEach method -- if handled by a qualified pro -- will do wonders for dirty carpets. carpet steam cleaning castle hillNot only do professionals have far more powerful carpet cleaning equipment than you're likely to buy or rent, they have far more experience getting stains out of carpet. Prices may vary widely for essentially the same service, so shop carefully. More: How to Clean Rugs Carpet Stain Removal: What Not to DoKeeping the carpets of one's home clean provides a variety of benefits. The floors look and smell better.

They contain fewer contaminants to aggravate allergies. They maintain the integrity of the carpet by minimizing fraying and long term stains. When deciding whether to rent a carpet cleaner and shampooer or buy one there are several things to consider. Although renting a carpet steamer is less expensive if one is only planning to use it once, by considering the benefits of regularly cleaning, one can easily determine that buying the equipment is a better option. With the convenience of owning the items, one can save money and time while maintaining clean floors. These can be purchased from a variety of places, including home improvement stores, department stores, discount stores, big box stores, and online marketplaces such as eBay. Buying a carpet cleaner can help one save money. A one time purchase is, obviously, more expensive than a one time rental fee. To maintain clean carpets, however, owning a cleaner proves to be less expensive than renting one over time. Buying a cleaner that has the accessories that one requires is an investment that is overall less costly than renting all of the extras each time.

Cleaning fluids can also be bought in bulk to save money. When a floor is seriously soiled, it often requires more than one treatment. When a person is renting, he or she may not account for that. The rental period may need to be extended in order to repeat the process. Additional cleaning solutions may need to be purchased to accommodate the extra treatment. This would double the initial cost. If the equipment is owned, the second treatment is included in the investment and the solutions would likely be purchased in bulk quantities. Renting a carpet cleaner can be inconvenient and often includes additional costs for which one does not account. Each time the equipment is to be used, one must spend the gas money and time to pick it up and then drop it back off. These sometimes bulky machines do not easily fit into all vehicles and extra transportation cost may be required. Additional insurance expenses may be expected and, when purchasing carpet cleaning solution, one typically buys a small quantity, which is not the most economical method of purchase.

One can save time when using his or her carpet cleaner by being thoroughly familiar with the machine being used. Since each shampooer is different, when a person rents a carpet cleaner, there is typically a period of acclimating oneself to the equipment. When one owns his or her own steamer, the user can simply retrieve it from its storage place and run through the steps automatically to enjoy fresh, clean carpets as often as desired. This eliminates the "getting to know you" phase each time one cleans. Renting a carpet shampooer is a less efficient option than buying one for a few reasons. When one chooses to rent the equipment, one is restricted to the options available for rent. That means that your options are restricted to the brands, sizes, and accessories available for rent, with the accompanying cleaning solutions. This can become a problem. A cleaner that is too small can make the chore take much longer than necessary because it takes a greater quantity of passes to cover the space.

A cleaner that is too large takes more power and water to run. This makes usage more expensive. Since they use more water, the drying time often takes longer as well. This means that the floors are wet for a longer period and one's furniture is out of place longer, unless the owner wishes to run the risk of water damage to furniture being replaced too early. A larger machine may be difficult to maneuver around a small space and could cause damage to the corners of walls and furniture. When a carpet cleaner is purchased rather than rented, one is more likely to regularly clean the carpets. This provides a variety of benefits. Aside from the obvious result of having cleaner carpets, this can also prolong the newness of the floor treatments and reduce allergens present in the home. Extend the life of the carpet by regularly cleaning it. When dust, grime, and debris remains on carpet, it can be ground into the pile. The carpet fibers can become frayed and the carpet thins. By regular cleaning, this can be prevented.

When accidental messes occur, stains can quickly occur. If a carpet shampooer is handy, they can be quickly cleaned, thereby avoiding stains. The carpet can remain in like new condition for a longer period of time. When one owns a carpet cleaner, he or she can use it whenever desired. Improve the cleanliness of the home by using the carpet cleaner frequently. Since they see so much action, carpets can become a breeding ground for contaminants. These unwanted pollutants include dirt, refuse, or fecal matter introduced on the shoes of children or guests. They can include mold resulting from spills and humidity. They can come from beloved pets by way of hair shedding, dander, and potty training calamities. Pollen from plants, mold, fungi, and dust from outside can become caught in the carpet and cause problems for the inhabitants. The following table lists a few of the primary culprits along with the symptoms they typically cause. Nasal irritation such as runny nose, sneezing, and congestion;

lung irritation like coughing, wheezing, and difficulty breathing; skin irritation like rashes and hivesrespiratory issues like wheezing, coughing, burning in lungs, and shortness of breath; Difficulty breathing along with congestion and coughing; nasal and lung irritation; sinus and ear infections; By owning a carpet cleaner, one can minimize the effects of common allergens. Although the symptoms can, arguably, be treated with over the counter treatments, prevention is a safer, healthier, and less expensive method. By thoroughly cleaning the carpets once a week, one can reduce any problems. Buying the equipment makes this a much easier option than occasionally renting it. With a piece of equipment as necessary as a carpet cleaner, renting is hardly an option. Most people would not consider living in a home that features carpet without owning a vacuum cleaner; owning a shampooer is the next logical step. When one owns the cleaner, he or she has options. Doing a thorough cleaning of the carpets can happen on a whim.

When a spill occurs, it can be addressed immediately. If one wants to loan or rent the equipment to his or her friends or relatives, that is an option. If at some point the cleaner becomes unnecessary, the owner needs or wants a few extra dollars, or wishes to upgrade, the equipment can be sold. That is the freedom of ownership. Shopping for a carpet cleaner can be an enjoyable and convenient endeavor. Make the process easy by merely typing a few descriptive terms into the search bar on eBay to be automatically directed to products that match those phrases. For example, enter something like "carpet shampooer," "carpet cleaning solutions," or "steam cleaners." To conduct a more precise search, use more specific prompts like "Bissell carpet shampooer" or "Rug Doctor Mighty Pro carpet cleaner." To choose a cleaner that satisfies your carpet cleaning needs, first determine what those needs are. Ascertain what size steamer would be optimal for the size of the spaces being cleaned, as well as which accessories may be desired.

Determine approximately how much you plan to spend on the equipment. Take some time to thoroughly examine your options before choosing a carpet shampooer to buy. Look closely at the pictures of all of the products that match your preferences. Read all the accompanying information that the vendor has provided about the product. Determine the condition, the size, the price, and any accessories that are included with the cleaner. Spend some time comparing carpet cleaners to ensure that you get the features you want at a price you want. Ultimately, buying a carpet cleaner provides benefits that renting one does not. By personally owning the equipment, one can enjoy the benefits of regular use. By frequently cleaning one's carpets, one can minimize allergens, reduce the persistence of stains, and avoid smells that remain from pets or undesirables tracked in from the outside. With the reduced long term cost and the convenience of personal ownership, one can extend the life of the household carpets by reducing the wear and tear caused by everyday dust and grit.