Carpet Cleaning Rentals

The Need For Carpet Cleaning
Vacuuming your carpet works wonders for removing dry soil and debris from your carpet. However, it takes more than just a quick vacuum to keep your carpet in top condition. That’s because your carpet gets exposed to things like cooking vapors, air pollution and dirt brought in from outdoor footwear. These pollutants gradually but surely accumulate on your carpet fibers to build up oily soil. With enough time, this oily soil forms a film that covers the carpet, giving it a dull, discolored appearance. This film also attracts and latches on to dry soil, giving your carpet an overall disgusting appearance.

To avoid the aesthetic setbacks of oily soil buildup, clean your carpet once every 12-18 months with a professional hot water extraction system (also known as "steam cleaning", though the machine doesn’t emit any actual steam). To deep-clean your carpets, spritz a water and detergent solution all over your carpet, then use a hot water extraction system to suck the water and the oily soil out of your carpet. Your carpet should be clean and dry within 12 hours of the treatment.

A smaller, less active household may get away with deep cleaning their carpets every 18 months or so. However, large households should turn steam cleaning their carpets into a yearly event.

When the time comes to steam-clean your carpets, you basically have two options: enlist the services of a professional cleaning company, or rent your own hot water extraction system and clean your carpets yourself.

Chances are, if you’re reading this article, you’ve already decided to rent your own equipment. If so, you must keep a few things in mind. First and foremost, many do-it-yourself steam cleaning machines are of a lesser quality than those used by cleaning professionals. While many still do the trick, some may over-wet your carpet, leaving it damp and vulnerable to bacteria and mildew growth. This means you must do lots of research in order to make sure you’re renting equipment that is not only affordable, but will yield good results. Read up online, consult with professionals and ask friends for referrals. You don’t want to gamble on your carpet.

Once you’ve selected your carpet cleaning rental, follow these tips to ensure a top of the line looking carpet:

• Your carpet cleaning rental should possess enough vacuum power to leave the carpet completely dry within 6 to 12 hours following the cleaning. The carpet cleaning rental units found in many retail and grocery stores lack this kind of power, and in some cases may leave cleaning solution in the carpet, leaving it vulnerable to damage.

• Do your best to not over-wet the carpet. The longer your carpet stays damp, the more chance there is for mildew and bacteria to grow. As well, dampness puts the backing of your carpet at risk for separation.

• Utilize a cleaning solution with a pH less than 10, preferably closer to 9, and with a minimum of non-sticky residue.

• If your carpet is made from wool or wool-blend, utilize a cleaning solution that has been specially created for wool and other natural fibers and has a mild pH range of 5 to 8.

• If your carpet is made from stain resistant material or treatments, clean it with products designed specifically for stain resistant carpets. Other types of products might damage the carpet and void your stain resistance warranty. Avoid the use of cleaning or spotting solutions that contain bleaches or optical brighteners; these products can discolor the carpet.

• Avoid the use of silicone-based anti-soil treatments on carpets, other than approved products.

• To reduce drying time, once you have cleaned your carpet using your carpet cleaning rental, turn on multiple fans to push air across the carpet, and turn on a dehumidifier or air conditioner to pull moisture out of the air. Carpet should be dry within a maximum of 12 hours.

Visit the Floors forum to get more advice on carpet cleaning.