Professional carpet cleaning extends the life of your carpet by removing dirt that can wear out the fibers. When done with high pressure hot water (steam cleaning) it also kills many things that live in your flooring. This isn’t usually possible with rented do-it-yourself cleaning machines, because they don’t generate enough heat and don’t inject it deep enough into the fibers.
Unfortunately a good cleaner can also be expensive. Most people just pay whatever the going rate is for professional carpet cleaning. The good news is that you won’t have to after you read the following tips.
Eight Ways To Save Money On Carpet Cleaning
1. Vacuum more often. More vacuuming means you’ll need professional cleaning less often.
2. Measure the rooms yourself. Measure first, then ask how much per square foot. If their measurement is significantly different from yours, measure together.
3. Move things yourself. Ask if you can get a discount if you move the furniture yourself before they arrive.
4. Just clean “traffic” areas. Ask if they will discount for just doing the “traffic” areas. This means they won’t move anything, but just clean the visible areas (that’s where the dirt is anyhow). They will charge for the full square footage of the room if you don’t ask.
5. Discount for empty space. If you are having an empty house or apartment cleaned, the square footage rate should be a little less than for a house full of things to move and work around.
6. Rent a machine and clean it yourself. You’ll never get it as clean, but it will be cheaper. Use hot water, and dry the carpet with fans.
7. Clean off-season, when carpet cleaners are desperate for business, and often lower prices or offer special deals on multi-room jobs. You can really save money in this way.
8. Get free tips on stain removal by searching “how to remove carpet stains” online.
Filed under Home Improvement Tips by on Jan 6th, 2009. Comment. 
People often take their fine items of clothing into a dry cleaning establishment to have the garments cleaned professionally, in order to try to keep them in the best possible condition and to extend their useful life. However, not many people think about using the process of dry cleaning when it comes to the rugs and carpets in their home. But, the same idea of cleaning, preserving and maintaining something of value, whether it is designer clothing or expensive Persian carpets, applies to both situations.
In fact, while many people spend a great deal of money on their wardrobe in order to look professional or to impress others, the carpets and rugs in a home are an expense that usually equals a few years worth of clothing purchases, at least. Those who invest in lush Oriental rugs or luxuriant Persian carpets might have spent tens of thousands of dollars just for one area rug to serve as a decorative accent to a room, not to mention the expense of carpeting the entire abode.
Dry cleaning rugs and carpets is acknowledged as being the best approach to cleaning expensive or exotic types of carpeting, as well as for wool floor coverings. For many years, wool has been thought of as being the material that sets the standard for floor coverings that are tufted or woven. Today, wool is still popular with those who prefer natural fibers for their homes and also want their new carpets to be long lasting.
Wool has proven to be one of the safest materials to use for area rugs and carpeting because it is naturally much more fire resistant than other types of fibers. This means that Persian and Oriental carpets made from wool do not need to be treated with chemicals in order for the family that owns them to feel confident that their carpeting is safe in the case of fire. This is especially important for families in which one or more members have sensitivities to chemicals.
Another great thing about wool carpets and rugs is that they are extremely durable. A quality wool carpet that is regularly vacuumed and maintained by professional carpet cleaning services can last longer than just about any other type of carpeting. It may still look and feel great when the toddler who learned to walk across it walks to the podium to receive his diploma.
Carpeting made of wool can look great for so many years because wool is also naturally stain-resistant. The wool fibers actually repel stains, keeping them from penetrating into the fibers of the wool. This factor also makes wool floor coverings easier to clean if something is spilled or drips onto the carpeting. In addition, wool naturally resists dirt, grime, soil and debris, and is also non-allergenic, non-toxic and it does not encourage bacterial growth.
When you consider all of these various benefits, it is quite evident why rugs and carpets made of wool continue to be among the best sellers of new carpets. When you have wool carpeting, the best way to care for it long-term is to have it dry cleaned by a professional carpet cleaning service that can make sure your carpets stay looking fresh and attractive for years to come.
Filed under Home Improvement Tips by on Oct 23rd, 2008. Comment.
Cleaning your carpets is a job that seems endless, probably because it is. In order to keep your rugs and carpets in good condition, looking attractive, smelling great and feeling good under bare feet, it is important to routinely vacuum and clean them. Carpets can also be a breading ground for bacteria and microorganisms, providing yet another reason to know how to clean a carpet properly.
Homes that have a couple of children running around, a pet or two, and lots of visitors coming and going will need carpet cleaning more often. On the other hand, a home with just one or two people who don’t stir things up much or drop food or spill drinks on the flooring will not need to clean the carpet as often.
One of the first tips for how to clean a carpet and maintain it well is to try to minimize the “dirty traffic” that tends to bring a lot of dust, grime and debris into the carpeted area from outside. Area rugs and carpets can help to protect high-traffic areas and in some homes, it might be better to use vinyl or tile instead of carpeting, at least in some areas.
There is another thing to keep in mind if you are considering new carpets. The lighter the color of the rugs and carpets you install, the more frequently the carpets will need to be cleaned. This is true both in terms of regular vacuuming and how often the light colored carpeting will need steam cleaning or shampooing with special carpet cleaning equipment.
Another basic tip for cleaning a carpet is to vacuum at least once a week or more if you can see debris starting to collect. You should think of vacuuming as being the first line of defense for keeping carpets looking new and pristine for as long as possible. With frequent vacuuming you will help keep dust, crumbs, dirt and other debris from becoming ground into the fibers of the carpet as foot traffic passes over the area.
The vacuums that do the best job at cleaning carpets are those that have strong suction and that also have an agitator or brush roller. A machine that has a lot of suction can pull dirt from deep inside the fibers and the brush roller will help to make it easier to detach debris from the surface of the carpet where it can sometimes become entangled with the looser fibers at the top.
In homes where the rugs and carpets are light colored and also get a lot of heavy foot traffic, it is best to add carpet steam cleaning or shampooing to your vacuuming routine quarterly. Areas with lighter traffic and darker colored floor coverings can often go a year in between these deep cleanings. The easiest answer to the question of how to clean a carpet properly is to hire the services of a professional carpet cleaning business that will bring experience and expertise to the job and save you a great deal of work.
Filed under Home Improvement Tips by on Oct 15th, 2008. Comment.
Buying and installing new carpets for your home can be one of the best ways to turn a cold and ordinary house into a home that you feel reflects your personality and that welcomes your visitors. Rugs and carpets can also add a great deal of design and style to a room and can really set the tone for both your visitors and your family members. Good quality carpeting also represents a sizeable investment, and as such, it is a good idea to hire commercial cleaning services to help keep your floor coverings clean and pristine for as long as possible.
Making use of professional carpet cleaning service companies is the best way to clean your carpets and keep them looking unsoiled and attractive for many years to come. At the same time, these professional services can also be extremely helpful when there are spots and stains on the carpeting that you just cannot seem to get out no matter what you try.
Some people shy away from using commercial cleaning services because they can be fairly expensive. But, if you consider that you could get many more years of use out of your rugs and carpets by having them professionally cleaned on a regular basis, it begins to make more economic sense, especially if you have invested in high end carpeting.
Another reason why people sometimes don’t use a commercial cleaning service is that they are not sure how often they should have professional carpet cleaning done and they don’t know how to go about choosing the best service for their needs. In most instances, they will only need to do professional cleaning once every six months to once a year, depending on the wear and tear on the carpet and the kind of traffic the carpets gets. However, if there are pets, children and high traffic, then cleaning carpets every three months might be called for.
It is easy enough to find at least a few commercial carpet cleaning service companies in your area just by looking in the yellow pages, checking the advertising section of your newspaper, or doing a search online. The next step is to learn a bit more about each of the professional carpet cleaning companies you are considering so that you will feel confident that you have chosen the right one. Following are some tips to help you decide.
One of the most important things to learn about carpet cleaning services is what kind of reputation they have in the market. You want to be sure that the company you hire will take measures to treat your carpet and your home with care. You should ask for references and a list of customers that you can contact and also call the Better Business Bureau or other agencies that oversee this type of enterprise. It is always a good idea to ask people you know and trust for recommendations as well, because a reference list can be made up of friends and relatives of the company owner.
In addition to reputation, you also need to find out how long each of the professional carpet cleaning services has been in business. The length of time in business is a good indicator of how experienced they are. If they have been in business less than two years, then you might want to find another company. There is no need for you to be a guinea pig, so seek out a company that has plenty of experience for the best results.
The last thing you should check on before hiring a carpet cleaning company is they type of carpet cleaning equipment and methods that they use and if they specialize in any one particular type of service. You also need to ask if they are familiar with your specific type of rugs and carpets and if they will use the right method of cleaning for what you have. The last thing you want is for your Oriental carpets or Persian carpets to be ruined because a company used the wrong carpet cleaning process or chemicals.
Trustworthy and established commercial cleaning services will not hesitate to fully and completely answer any questions you have. If you call on a service that does not have the patience or that “cops an attitude” with you about your inquiries, then you should quickly strike them from your list and call the next one. Even though taking the time to research and call various companies can be time consuming, it will be worthwhile when you have found the right carpet cleaning service to take care of your floor coverings.
Filed under Home Improvement Tips by on Oct 14th, 2008. Comment.
When spring arrives it seems to be the perfect time to dig into the house that has been closed up all winter to do some extensive spring cleaning. One of the most effective ways of really getting all of the dust, dirt, particulates and allergens out of your home is to do carpet and upholstery cleaning. All kinds of dirt, grime, bacteria and microorganisms can collect in the fibers of your rugs and carpets and your upholstered furniture.
Professional carpet cleaning services and upholstery cleaners can do a very effective job at removing that minute, particulate material that falls out of the air and into your carpeting and furniture, as well as the dirt that gets tracked in from the outdoors by people coming into your home. You are probably already aware of the fact that the more foot traffic, people and pets that are in your house on a regular basis, the more you need to be on top of cleaning carpets and upholstery.
It is a well-known fact that people who are prone to suffer with allergies have a particularly difficult time during the spring because of the high levels of pollen in the air. But, their symptoms can often be lessened and they can get some degree of relief by living in a home that regularly has carpet and upholstery cleaning done.
Carpeting and upholstery will collect much more that just dust and dirt. The fibers that are used in upholstery materials and rugs and carpets are a perfect breeding ground for dust mites, mildew, mold, fungi and other microorganisms that can all be serious allergens for everyone; especially for those who have particular sensitivities already. If a person who suffers from allergies comes into a house where carpet cleaning and upholstery cleaning has recently taken place, then they stand a much better chance of getting some relief from their allergies than if they have to live in a house that is filled with carpets and furniture that are teeming with unseen allergens.
Upholstered furniture and rugs and carpets that have not been cleaned recently will release the built up dust and particulates that has settled into the fibers every time someone walks across the carpeting or sits on a couch or chair. But when the flooring and the furniture is kept as clean as possible through carpet cleaning upholstery services, you can ensure that the environment in your home is much healthier and that everyone will be happier as a result of not having as many allergy problems.
In addition to the health benefits, when carpet and upholstery cleaning is done on a regular basis, it will also help your rugs and carpets and your upholstered pieces of furniture stay looking new and attractive. On top of that, regularly using upholstery and carpet cleaning services will also help your carpets and furniture to last for many more years, which can save you a great deal of money in the long run.
Filed under Home Improvement Tips by on Sep 18th, 2008. Comment.