Why DIY carpet cleaning can cost you more than calling a professional

With the easy availability of DIY carpet cleaners for rent at your local store it is tempting to put some time aside on the weekend when your carpets are getting a bit grubby and do the carpet cleaning yourself. After all, it’s cheaper and easier, isn’t it?

The first hint that this may not be the case is when you almost put your back out lifting the huge machine into the back of your car. You return to the shop for all of the chemicals you need for the clean and whilst the professional cleaning machine is heavy, your wallet is a lot lighter after paying for everything.

You persist and struggle with the cleaner until you are inside your home. You read the instructions and sink to the floor, this is not going to be as easy as you first thought. You scan your rooms and calculate the time it will take just to move the furniture before you get started, then the water has to be at the right temperature and the cleaner is a monster to drag around the house.

For the uninitiated, DIY steam cleaning is a much bigger job than you may think with hidden costs that can bump the price up over that of professionals if you had chosen to call them in the first place.

How DIY Carpet Cleaning Can Cause Problems

It is a good idea to think about the potential problems and weigh up the costs before you spend money renting a DIY carpet cleaner. It’s easy to decide to hire one on impulse but doing your research can save you time, money and stress.

The things that can go wrong when trying to clean your own carpets include:

• Water seepage through to the backing of you carpet can cause discoloration – a potentially expensive problem to fix;
• If you use too much heat with a DIY carpet cleaner you may burn your carpets;
• When too much water is used with one of these machines, mould or mildew can be the result. If not fixed this is a real health risk for you and your family.

When you clean your carpets yourself, they can stay wet for a long time. This makes living in your home awkward and carpets can possibly end up dirtier than before you started.

Even when you use the recommended amount of water sometimes it is days before your carpets are properly dry and the foot traffic from your family has time to add new dirt that seeps in due to the dampness of the carpet.

The Hidden Cost of DIY Carpet Cleaning

Saving money is generally the reason why people attempt to clean carpets themselves instead of engaging professionals. This can be a false economy when you add up all of the costs involved.

There is the initial rental fee, the cleaning solutions that you need and the cost for your time. If there is any damage to your carpet that has to be replaced or maybe you need professional cleaners to come in afterwards to remedy a job not well done.

Often you will find that employing professionals in the first place is the most economical, and stress free, solution.

Try Professional Carpet Cleaning for the Results You Want

Professional carpet cleaners know what they are doing. They understand carpet, the different methods they should use for various fibres and how to get out significant stains without too much fuss.

Low traffic households should get carpets professionally cleaned about once a year, if there are pets and children in the house you may need to consider having them cleaned every six months to keep them looking fresh.