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28.05.2021

Professional Carpet Cleaning vs DIY

Midsection of woman carrying basket of cleaning supplies

Carpet cleaning is essential to keep your home environment hygienic and healthy. Dirty carpets are the ideal breeding ground for mites and bacteria resulting in health problems, with dirt and grime penetrating deep into the carpet fibres making them look grubby and smell unpleasant.
Clean carpets actually increase air quality, and regular cleaning ensures long life and durability. So, what is the best way to clean your carpet? Look at professional carpet cleaning vs DIY here…

Professional carpet cleaning

It’s recommended that you have your carpet professionally cleaned every 12 to 18 months but this estimate may need to be adjusted depending on carpet use and warranty conditions. Twice a year is possibly what you need to be looking at.

A reputable carpet cleaning company will offer you an initial assessment. A technician will come to your home and determine the best type of cleaning that’s suitable for your carpet type. Delicate fabrics will need dry cleaning options to prevent any damage or shrinkage. Any stains will be pre-treated. This covers oil, grease, blood, and many other types of soiling.

The method of carpet cleaning is typically a hot water extraction technique. This involves the use of a machine where extremely hot water and a detergent solution are powerfully injected deep within the carpet fibres. Agitation causes disruption that allows the dirt and bacteria to be sucked out along with almost all of the dirty water.

This low moisture process means that following the cleaning process your carpets will be dry in just a few hours – and you may be provided with overshoes so that you can walk on them if absolutely necessary. Anti-static odour control may also be offered as part of the service.

DIY carpet cleaning

Hiring a professional carpet steam cleaner is a popular option to steam clean your carpets. Problems may arise due to the temperature achieved by these machines not being high enough which results in less effective cleaning.

Stains and pet urine that can saturate the carpet padding need specialised solutions to remove them. This may not be totally achievable when you clean the carpet yourself. Bear in mind you should never use cleaning or spotting solutions that contain bleach as these will cause discolouration.
Self carpet cleaning machines often have low water pressure which means that the carpet fibres may not be rinsed properly following the clean. Residues will cause the carpet to smell, and risk the growth of mould or mildew.

There’s also a possibility of the carpet remaining wet after the clean which means that the machine isn’t powerful enough to do the job properly. You won’t be able to walk on your carpet until it’s completely dry, so you may have to use a fan, a dehumidifier, or open windows to speed up the drying process.
DIY carpet cleaning may also cause damage to your carpet as some can be extremely harsh, leading to faster wear and tear. You need to pay particular attention to your carpet type and decide if this is a suitable cleaning method. Sensitive fabrics such as wool may shrink and need to be dry cleaned or washed by hand.
Carpet cleaning by hand is an alternative. You can wash the carpet with a brush and recommended carpet cleaning solutions, and rinse before leaving to dry. This does however cause a potential problem with residue detergent and excess water left in the carpet which can lead to mould growth and unpleasant smells.

Need carpet cleaning in Enfield?

You can rely on expert care from a local carpet cleaning specialist. Your carpet will be pre-treated with the appropriate solutions to make stains and heavy traffic areas easier to clean. Advanced cleaning techniques using hot water extraction – also known as steam cleaning – will eliminate microscopic organisms, dissolve dirt, and leave carpets smelling fresh. All solutions are safe for children and pets and are extremely effective.
If you need commercial carpet cleaning this will also be provided. You can schedule a convenient appointment time that won’t disrupt your business, and arrange it on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. A rug cleaning service can also be organised – oriental, Persian, wool, and acrylic rugs will all be sympathetically cleaned with the appropriate solutions and techniques.