Vacuuming your rugs and carpets regularly can keep them neat and clean for some time. But when the stains are severe, doing it yourself might not be a good idea. Though there are rug cleaning and storage tips you can follow at home to keep your rugs in pristine condition, carpets are more complicated since they’re usually larger and attached to the floor. The carpet fabric may also get damaged if you use the wrong cleaning methods or fluids.
To protect your investment, it’s best to hire professional carpet cleaners. Still not convinced? Read on to discover the advantages.
Professional cleaners know a lot about carpets
Are you familiar with the different carpet fabrics? If not, let the experts do the cleaning for you. Professional cleaners are trained to identify the material of each carpet and know the right procedures and products for each type (wool and synthetic materials may require different procedures and products to clean).
Experienced professionals also know the proper amount of soap to use and how crucial it is to keep the moisture balanced. If that wasn’t enough, you’ll get the chance to learn more about carpets, and how to care for them properly, if you hire a professional carpet cleaner.
2. Professional cleaners know how to remove stains properly
Keeping your carpets stain-free is nearly impossible, especially if you have kids or pets around the house. Coffee, ink, and another kind of liquid spills can happen. Carpets are also vulnerable to dirt that may cause discoloration, as well as allergens, which get lodged into your carpet and are detrimental to your health.
Carpet cleaning professionals know all about removing carpet stains and pollutants. They’re properly trained and will use cleaning products with approved chemicals to protect your carpet and safeguard your family’s health.
3. Professional cleaners have better equipment
While there are many types of vacuums that can help you clean your carpet, some stains require more powerful deep-cleaning equipment to remove. And these professional-grade carpet cleaning machines are expensive. Besides the price, they’re also inconvenient to store away since they take up a lot of space. Carpet cleaning professionals have the industry-standard equipment, such as industrial vacuums and steam cleaning tools, for removing major stains.
4. Professional cleaners save you time.
Cleaning a carpet takes time and effort. Vacuuming and steam cleaning requires patience to do and must not be done hastily if you wish to remove individual stains properly. Moving furniture is also labor-intensive and time-consuming. Besides these, vacuums need maintenance to function properly, such as emptying the dust cups, unclogging the filters, and cleaning the brushes.
If you have a tight schedule but want great results, then hire a professional carpet cleaning service. As mentioned above, professionals have all the appropriate tools to clean your carpets effectively. But their equipment is also designed to reduce the duration of the cleaning and drying.
Three pointers to remember before hiring a professional carpet cleaning service
Choosing a carpet cleaning company can be daunting since there are so many. There are over 50,000 janitorial and carpet cleaning establishments in the United States, according to a report by First Research. More and more companies are also entering the industry, as it’s highly lucrative. According to a report from Statista, by 2022, the revenue generated by the carpet and upholstery cleaning industry is projected to hit $4bn.
Due to the market saturation, the sad reality is that some carpet cleaners will offer low rates but won’t deliver quality results. Remember these three-pointers before hiring professionals to help you find the right contractor and avoid wasting your money:
1. Research the different cleaning companies
It’s important to know as much about the business as possible before hiring any professional carpet cleaners. Inquire about the company’s history and research their background. Look for client feedback and ratings on their social media channels or online directories.
Ask the following standard questions before hiring any company to do your carpet cleaning:
- How long have you been in the carpet cleaning industry?
- Are your contractors IICRC certified?
- What are your treatment methods?
- Do your cleaning tools and solutions have the Carpet and Rug Institute Seal of Approval?
2. Determine if carpet cleaners are IICRC certified
Hiring certified cleaning professionals assure you that they know how to treat specific types of carpets. The Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) establishes a contractor’s legitimacy for several reasons:
- All IICRC-certified technicians have undergone training to perform specific tasks and have passed all the required exams
- Companies with IICRC contractors are required to undergo continuous training to stay abreast with industry changes
- IICRC professionals work with leading fiber mills and producers
- IICRC allows companies to use their logo only when they have met the standards of the organization
3. Know their rates and treatments
Special treatments may affect the price so assist the contractor around the carpet to see if there are stains that require specific cleaning methods. High-traffic treatments for certain areas, the application of carpet protection, and certain chemicals for pet stains will entail additional costs.
According to the IICRC, there are five main principles for professional carpet cleaning:
- Dry soil removal: Before any cleaning agents are applied, professionals use high-grade vacuums to eliminate 70% of soil from the carpet in its dry state.
- Soil suspension: Pro carpet cleaners apply pre-treatment agents on the carpet to break up soil from the fiber (these include chemical application, use of temperature for faster reaction, stirring fiber for balanced distribution of chemicals, and dwell time to achieve a chemical reaction).
- Soil extraction: Steam cleaning is the most common method of extracting the remaining soil from the fiber, which is done by a specialized extraction unit that rinses hot water onto the carpet.
- Carpet Grooming: Professionals groom the carpet pile to even out its appearance, prevent it from looking swirly, and speed up the drying time.
- Carpet Drying: Outdoor temperatures and fans help speed up the drying time of the carpet. The IICRC standard drying time is six to eight hours, but the process must not exceed 24 hours.
Efficient cleaning and maintenance by professionals are bound to improve the health, hygiene, and longevity of your carpet. Building trust with your local cleaners is the first step to ensuring the longevity of your carpet.
