Carpet Cleaning – The value of using a professional

1) Cleaning agent

Not only is it important to remove the stains and abrasive pollutants but it is just as important to remove the cleaning agents. Alkali cleaner residues are corrosive to natural fibres and if left can damage natural fibres and cause a re-soiling problem. Not the best plan for ensuring the longevity of your carpets.

2) Hoovering

Some people say carpets look as good as cleaned after a professional hoover, so using a robust upright twin motor style hoover will always be better than any lightweight portable style bagless hoover. This is because in order to agitate the carpet fibres when hoovering you need some downward pressure and twin motors for soil and dirt pickup. Whether you hoover before a clean, or your carpet cleaners do it, make sure they do a thorough job before getting the wet-clean equipment out.

3) Shampoo

Applying a shampoo through a hire machine without rinsing with fresh water will leave residues in the carpet that will attract soil. Without rinsing, your carpet may look clean but for how long?

4) Shop-bought stain removers

Supermarket shelves are packed with products that promise “stain removal” or put detergent in your carpet. These products can actually set stains permanently, rather than remove them. Worse still, they can leave residues in the carpet that may look good for a few days, but much worse over time. Take care when using shop bought products and always read the label. Also, if you have used them before hiring a pro cleaner, be sure to tell them what you have used before they perform the clean.

5) Residue

When booking a carpet cleaner ask for details on how they are going to clean you carpets. Some carpet cleaners may only spray and recover detergent through their machines, removing the soils but leaving detergent residues behind. This is a particularly useful thing to look out for to ensure you’re getting a truly professional service and value for money.

6) Acid rinse

A little knowledge could save you a fair amount in damage and early replacement. Ensure your carpet cleaner is applying the cleaner directly to the carpet followed by rinsing out the soil and cleaning agent with a stabilising acidic rinse.

I think what all this proves is that whether you’re looking for a commercial or domestic carpet cleaning service, don’t always go straight for the cheapest price. If it looks too good to be true, it probably is. And, as the famous oil rig fire fighter once said, “If you think it’s expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur.”

Professional carpet cleaning companies like Perfectly Maintained specialise in professional carpet cleaning. Their trained technicians have experience in using multiple cleaning methods to suit each carpet type and can remove a wide range of stains that most would find difficult to remove without potentially damaging the fibres.

If you’re about to hire a carpet cleaning company, make sure they’re equipped with specialist professional carpet cleaning chemicals and carpet cleaning machines, like we are.