Home Carpet Cleaning Tips

The following home carpet cleaning tips are for those who insist on doing their own carpet cleaning. Honestly, it is almost impossible to get your carpet as clean with a small rental unit as with the large "truck mounted" steam cleaning units used by professionals. Of course, there may be times when the money savings make it necessary, so here we go.

1. Rent a steam-cleaning machine.

In reality, they are hot-water extraction machines. They generally do a better job than the units which use dry absorbent compounds. Machines that "shampoo" the carpet tend to leave residue that attracts dirt later, meaning you may need another cleaning even sooner. The latter also can lead to a sticky carpet if not used right.

2. Vacuum first.

Some professional cleaners will vacuum before cleaning, or ask you to, but it is not as crucial with the big machines. It becomes more important with the small rental units because it reduces the number of "passes" you must make on a given area of carpet. This matters because too many passes can lead to over-wetting of the area, since these machines are not nearly as powerful when it comes to sucking out the moisture.

Over-wetting can cause carpet backing to delaminate, damage which cannot be undone. It can also cause the growth of mold and fungus. Odors may result as well, and deep stains can "wick" back up to the surface of carpet if it is too wet.

3. Use very hot water.

Make sure the water is as hot as you can make it before starting the cleaning. Hotter water cleans better, and is more likely to kill some of the dust mites and other things living in your carpet. It also will speed the drying time somewhat.

4. Pass only twice over an area.

Again, this is to limit over-wetting. If you cannot get an area clean with two passes of the cleaning wand, you probably need to have a professional cleaning done.

5. Dry carpet quickly.

This is one of the more important home carpet cleaning tips for do-it-yourselfers. To prevent some of the problems associated with over-wetting, clean your carpet on a day which isn't too humid. Also, place fans in the cleaned rooms and move them occasionally to speed the drying.

Doing it yourself is not really a great substitute for a professional carpet cleaning, but you might use it for every other cleaning to save some money. Just be sure you know how to operate the machine properly, and be aware that the machines you rent are never as powerful as the big ones.