Having your carpets cleaned is a chore that usually falls into the same category as spring cleaning. It is not very fun to do, but necessary and should occur at the same level of frequency.  Most carpet owners will have their carpets cleaned once every few years thinking that if it looks clean it is fine.  Cleaning your carpet is not just important for removing stains, it also helps improve your carpet’s performance and prolong its life, not to mention the air quality in your home.  If you are not up to the task, hiring professional carpet cleaners in Tallahassee, FL, and the surrounding areas, can help lighten your housework load.

To keep your carpet looking and performing well, manufacturers recommend having your carpet cleaned at a minimum of once every 6-12 months, depending on the amount of traffic in your home and your individual warranty (many people are unaware that such frequent cleaning is a condition of some warranties).  Always make sure to read your warranty information carefully.

While regular cleaning is important for all types of carpet, it is especially true in the case of nylon carpeting.  Nylon contains a hydrogen molecule, which is the primary source of nylon’s resiliency.  When the fibers have been flattened down, cleaning reactivates the hydrogen molecule causing the fibers to bounce back.  The cleaning will revive the carpet and enhance performance.

The method of carpet cleaning recommended by most carpet manufacturers is hot water extraction.  While slightly incorrect, this is more commonly known as steam cleaning.  In the hot water extraction method, hot water is sprayed on the carpet and then sucked back into the machine, along with any dirt that was on the carpet.  There is usually a cleaning solution added to the water to assist the removal of stains and soiling.  (Beware of carpet cleaners whose prices seem too good to be true. They often charge extra to add anything at all to the hot water).  This is different from the process of true steam cleaning.  Today it is widely accepted that the term steam cleaning refers to hot water extraction, the most common carpet cleaning process.

There is an abundance of do-it-yourself (DIY) carpet cleaning machines available for either rent or purchase.  With so many different machines on the market, it can lead you to wonder if you should skip calling in the professionals and just tackle the job yourself. 

If your household is highly prone to spills or accidents that are difficult to clean, a small cleaner may be helpful to have on hand.  For more general and thorough cleaning of your entire carpeted surface, it is highly recommended to have a professional come to do it, especially if you want to keep your carpet warranty valid.

Generally, DIY carpet cleaning machines are not as powerful as the ones professionals’ use, which means they are not able to extract as much of the water and dirt from the carpet.

When properly done, the carpet should be only slightly damp after it has been thoroughly cleaned.  Wet carpet indicates that the machine was not powerful enough to do the job effectively.  If your carpet is very wet after steam cleaning, use fans to speed up the drying and be sure to stay off it until it is dry.  Do not replace the furniture before the carpet is completely dry.

Other variables such as the amount of cleaner added to the carpet cleaning machine and the technique for using the machine (i.e. how fast/slow to move across the carpet) present several opportunities for things to go wrong with DIY machines.  They simply do not work as well as professional cleaners who are trained, experienced, and in many cases, have seen it all.

If you are concerned about the cost of having professional carpet cleaners come to clean your carpets, consider having only the traffic areas cleaned. This means that your big pieces of furniture such as the sofa, bed, etc., are left in place and the carpet cleaners simply go around them. Not only do you not see the carpet under these large pieces of furniture, but it is not exposed to the air, light, and foot traffic the way that the rest of your carpet is so it does not require cleaning as often. It’s important not to confuse “actual traffic areas” with “high traffic areas”. Under no circumstances do you want to only clean “high traffic areas”, as this will make the surrounding carpet look dull, dirty, even dingy in comparison.

If you frequently move your furniture around, it would probably be best to have the entire surface cleaned anyway.