There are many different ways to clean carpets both your self and professionally, although both methods use similar products the tools used can greatly effect the final result of how clean the carpet is. It is now possible to rent out professional equipment for you to use your self.
Below is some information on the different methods used and the products and tools used by professional cleaners;
- Professional carpet cleaning - The different methods of professional cleaning include various types of tool and cleaning products some of these specialised for a particular type of carpet material. Professional carpet cleaning companies tend to use shampooing machines that brush the shampoo and water solution into the carpet as it is pushed along, then sucking up the solution and dirt with a vacuum type tool. It is with these types of machine that the cleaner has to be sure that the cleaning fluid they are using is suitable for the type of carpet they are cleaning. This is so they dont cause any damage to the persons carpet this is especially in the case of the more expensive carpets as they are usually easier to damage and obviously more expensive and harder to replace. There are different cleaners and tools used for various levels of staining on the carpet. For example if the carpet was heavily soiled it may require a couple of the different treatments to get it clean, and also they may require a mite treatment if it is infested, this is usually only the case in carpets that have not been cleaned in a very long time.
- Home cleaning - It is possible for you to clean your own carpet more thoroughly than just hovering it but it takes time to do it properly. Its a fairly simple process but cant always guarantee that the carpet will be as clean as if you got it cleaned professionally. You should take a small amount of detergent (say of a cap) that is not bleach or alkaline based and mix with a gallon of water. Once you have this mixed you should test it on a small discreet area, this is to be sure it wont cause any discolouration. You should then use a soft clean sponge dip the sponge into the solution taking a small amount of the solution and rubbing it into the carpet in small patches at a time. Once the patch is covered use a hard bristled brush to rub in the solution, when it has been rubbed in with the brush take a clean white cloth and blot the area dry. Proceed with this action over the entire carpet. Once dry take a soft bristled brush and brush over the whole carpet to fluff it back up to ensure the quickest drying time.
It is dependant on the level of staining your carpet has as to whether you would be best having a professional carry out the work for you. If it is very dirty then you would be best to have a professional clean it for you to ensure all stains were removed.
