Regular vacuuming is one of the
best ways to keep your carpet looking fresh and clean, but
if you have kids and pets, you already know that stains and
dirt are a big problem that vacuuming can't solve. Luckily,
there are ways to clean your carpets so they'll look like
new throughout the years.
First, consider forking over a little extra moola to
purchase a special carpet-cleaning system to keep up with
accumulating dirt on a regular basis. Although these devices
are on the expensive side, ranging from $75 to $425, they
will actually save you money over the years because you
won't be forced to hire a professional carpet cleaner every
time your carpet needs an extensive cleaning. Although a
home cleaner doesn't possess the same power as a
professional model, using it to clean the carpets more often
means they won't be as dirty anyways.
Most industrial carpet cleaners are water extraction units
(or steam cleaners) that clean the carpets by injecting a
cleaning solution into the pile, which is then sucked back
into the machine with all the dirt and grime from the
fibers. If you want to avoid the inconvenience of lugging a
heavy hose around the house, choose a unit that doesn't
require a water hookup. Also look for machines with powerful
motors. A tip: if you steam clean, don't put too much water
into the carpet, as this can damage the carpet backing and
underlayment causing shrinkage, discoloration, and odor.
For 'dry' cleaning your carpets, using dry extraction
methods, you will need to spread a dry absorbent compound
all over the surface before vacuuming with the machine. Dry
units that use chemicals have one drawback - they are more
expensive than water-based machines.
If you don't want to purchase an expensive cleaning machine,
rent one instead. Many grocery stores and home centers rent
out such machines, which are even more powerful than home
units. You will have to buy cleaning solutions on top of the
rental, but overall, the cost is quite affordable.
In the end, if you need professional help, go for it. This
way you won't have to worry about doing any of the manual
labor yourself and you can rest easy that your carpets have
been cleaned thoroughly. |
