If you’ve just moved into a home with carpeting, a deep carpet cleaning is probably in order. Carpets Cleaning London trap all sorts of things you don’t want in your new home, including dust mites, dirt, bacteria, and a host of other allergens.
If you suffer from allergies or respiratory problems, dirty carpets can be a big problem for your health. And even if you don’t, a dirty carpet doesn’t exactly inspire you to settle in and get comfortable.
As a homeowner, you have several options here, including professional carpet cleaning or DIY. Either way, though, it’s a good idea to tackle carpet cleaning as soon as possible, and even better to do it before you move in, as it’s much easier to clean carpet when it’s not. and furniture around.
To help you plan your next steps, we’ve put together this quick guide to carpet cleaning, including what you can expect from the pros and some tips for cleaning your carpets yourself. This is what you need to know.
Why Is Carpet Cleaning Necessary?
You just moved into your new home and can’t wait to make it your own. But before you can do that, you need to tackle the deep cleaning of the new home, and that should include a deep cleaning of any installed carpeting.
As mentioned above, rugs tend to trap a wide variety of potentially harmful allergens, as well as dust, dirt, bugs, and other things you don’t want to breathe or step on.
They can also retain stains and odors long after the previous owner is gone, including pet urine and mold caused by water damage.
In addition to completely removing these substances, carpet cleaning also benefits your new home in other ways, including:
- Improve air flow and quality.
- Enhance the overall appearance of your space
- Get rid of some lingering odors
According to the Carpet and Rug Institute, carpets make up a little more than half of the US flooring market, which means there’s a good chance that at least some of the rooms in your new home are carpeted.
And now that you know why cleaning them is so important, here are your options to get the job done.
What Do Professional Carpet Cleaners Do?
Getting a professional carpet cleaning is a popular option among homeowners, and it’s a fairly inexpensive way to get your carpets looking like new.
Professionals have access to many special tools that can get your carpets as clean as possible, including ultraviolet lights to identify the source of odors. However, most of what they do is steam cleaning, a technique that uses hot water to pull dirt and stains out of carpet fibers.
Although you can rent steam cleaning equipment at many home improvement stores, professional carpet cleaners have access to commercial steam cleaners that offer better results than doing it yourself.
In most cases, professional Carpet Cleaning Richmond begins with a special chemical treatment to remove stains and dirt.
This is followed by a thorough steam cleaning and then a vacuum to pick up any residue left behind. Once finished, the rugs are left to dry on their own, a process that usually takes several hours.
Cost of Professional Carpet Cleaning
According to Angie’s List, the average cost of professional carpet cleaning is $51 per piece, although many companies charge per square foot rather than per piece.
Factors that can increase the cost include if you need to clean specialized areas like stairs, as well as if you have particularly stubborn stains or odors that need to be removed.
Quick Tips for DIY Carpet Cleaning
A professional carpet cleaning is the best, and often the most effective, way to thoroughly clean the carpets in your new home. However, you have several options for cleaning your carpets yourself.
Rent A Steam Cleaner
It costs about $87 on average to steam clean your carpets yourself, which includes the cost of renting a steam cleaner, cleaning solution, and pre-treatment solution.
Keep in mind, however, that the water in consumer steam cleaners doesn’t get as hot as that in commercial cleaners, so you won’t be able to remove as much dirt, debris, and allergens as you would with a professional.
However, this may be enough if the carpets in your new home are relatively new, the previous owners did not have pets, and you do not have allergies or other respiratory illnesses.
Deep Vacuum Your Carpets
There’s vacuuming, then vacuuming, and the latter is the way to go when it comes to getting your carpets as clean as possible. To do this, start by making your own pretreatment solution of ¼ cup salt, ¼ cup borax, and ¼ cup white vinegar.
Mix until the solution becomes a paste, then put on a pair of rubber gloves and apply liberally where you see a stain. Let the solution sit for several hours (be sure to keep pets away), then vacuum the entire room, including the solution.
As you vacuum, going in three different directions instead of going back and forth will help you vacuum as much as possible.
Make A Homemade Air Freshener
Carpet odors are no joke. To get rid of it, create a natural solution using a gallon of warm water and a half cup of white vinegar.
You can also add a few drops of your favorite essential oil, if you like. Put the solution in a spray bottle, mix it up, and spray it all over the carpet, then let the area dry completely.
Since carpet cleaning is a lot of work, also be sure to follow best practices to keep carpets now clean in your new home. This includes your family and all guests removing their shoes when entering your home and cleaning your pet’s paws when leaving.
If it’s within your budget, plan to have your carpet professionally cleaned once a year in addition to spot cleaning as needed. This will help prevent build-up and ensure your rugs always look their best.
