Surprisingly, a few household products can work as well as expensive
chemicals on stains.  For example, hydrogen peroxide reacts chemically to
bubble away blood and other substances and will not lighten the carpet if
cleaned away quickly afterward.  Pour some hydrogen peroxide in a spray
bottle; you may want to dilute it half-and-half with tap water.  Spritz it
onto the stain and let it bubble for sixty seconds.  Then wipe the stain
gently away.  Follow by spritzing with water, wiping, and repeating a few
times.  Another common household product helpful to carpet is baking soda,
an inexpensive, safe deodorizer.  To freshen carpet, sprinkle baking soda
over the carpet and let it settle for at least an hour.  Then simply
vacuum it up.  Repeat, or use more baking soda, on areas that need more
help (for example, the corner where the dog likes to sleep).

You may find it worthwhile to invest in a steaming carpet cleaner for home
use.  Priced similarly to vacuums, these are a great way to deeply clean
your carpet.  Professional cleaning is expensive because you must pay
every time you get your carpet cleaned; when you buy a steam cleaner, you
are paying once for a product you can use over and over yourself.  These
are convenient because you can use them on demand for an unexpected mess
(a spilled drink or a pet accident) as well as for a planned monthly
cleaning of the entire floor.

Even families that put a lot of stress on their carpet by having pets and
children can maintain their carpet in a clean, presentable state with the
use of a few common cleaners and regular steam cleaning.

Deciding to clean your carpets yourself can save you money.  However,
before you clean them, you will want to take the time to research the best
cleaning solutions to use on the type of material your carpet is made
with.  Certain solutions should not be used on many materials.   For
example, bleach products can not be used on carpets containing wool.   Do
the research required or you may cause permanent damage with your home
carpet cleaning techniques.

You will also want to consider the type of stains in the carpet.  Is it
simply dirt build up?  Or is your child or animal prone to accidents?
Urine stains, juice stains, and other cruddy matter may require a
different type of solution.   The solution must be able to break down the
matter and pull it up out of the carpet without doing any damage.   Using
the wrong solutions on stains can actually set them further and make them
a permanent fixture in the material.

When you hire a professional carpet cleaning company, you will find they
will be knowledgeable about all of the available solutions that can be
used on the type of carpet you own.  The stains that haunt your dreams
will be able to be removed by them quickly and efficiently.   Just make
certain you are honest about what the stains actually are, as this will
help them choose the right solution to clean them.

The big questions is whether you want to spend money to hire a carpet cleaning company to get your carpets looking new or do you want to take a
chance and try to figure it out for yourself?  By hiring a professional to
do the job, you can be certain that the job will get done in the most
efficient and effective manner as possible.

Professional carpet cleaning companies using foam will use a machine to
apply the foam solution onto the carpet fibers.  Once treated, the carpet
is vacuumed with a special extraction wand to pick up dirt and moisture
from the carpet.  Before the cleaning foam is applied, it is recommended
to vacuum the area completely to avoid wasting the foam treatment on loose
particles and instead have the foam work on the grime deep in the carpet
fibers.

An alternative method is to shampoo carpets or rugs by using a machine
that pushes the cleaning solution into the carpet and then brushes on the
machine work the cleaning agents into the carpet fibers.  The rotating
motion of the brushes helps drive the solution into the fibers and helps
loosen soil to wash away stains.

Bonneting carpets requires a low speed rotary machine similar to the
familiar buffer used to polish hard floors.  Bonnets are round and
commonly made out of rayon or cotton and once washed can be reused.  With
the bonnet method, a cleaning solution can be sprayed onto the carpet and
allowed to settle into the fibers which drive soil and dirt to the surface
of the carpet.  After letting the solution work, a bonnet, is attached to
the rotary machine and operated over the carpet to allow the bonnet to
absorb the dirt and grime.

As far as dry cleaning methods go, they do not use water or moisture at
all but a powder solution of detergents that are brushed into the carpet
with a special machine.  Once in the carpet, this powder detergent
attracts dirt that is then vacuumed from the carpet.

Finally, steam cleaning is good way to deep clean without necessarily
depending on chemicals.  Before steam cleaning it is important to vacuum
the carpet as thoroughly as possible to remove loose dirt which helps
minimize the sludgy mess that will eventually be discarded from the steam
cleaner.  Once the carpet is vacuumed well, the steam cleaner will eject
steam onto the carpet which gets deep into the fibers to loosen dirt,
soil, and other grime.  Since steam cleaning uses large amounts of water,
carpets are likely to be thoroughly wet after the cleaning is complete.
Once dry, however, carpet fibers will be clean and loose and vacuuming
will be more effective.

In many cases, if the carpet is not too dirty, you may be able to use a
home carpet cleaning product in order to clean your carpet. There are a
variety of different carpet cleaning products which can be purchased at
your local supermarket for cleaning carpets. Typical examples include
foams and dry powders that can be applied to the carpet. These products
are usually intended to be applied to stains and spots or high traffic
areas of the carpet rather than the entire carpet. In most cases, the
product will need to be applied and then allowed to sit before wiping or
scrubbing. The carpet should then be allowed to dry thoroughly before
proceeding with vacuuming.

If your entire carpet needs to be cleaned you might consider using a steam
cleaner. You can either purchase a carpet steam cleaner or consider
renting a steam cleaner. The cost of renting a steam cleaner is usually
rather inexpensive and allows you the benefit of being able to keep the
cleaner for a whole day or even a weekend. Using this carpet cleaning
tool, you could easily clean all of the carpets in your house for a small
cost. Keep in mind that you will need to purchase the product that is
placed in the steam cleaner, so you should include this in your carpet
cleaning budget.

In order to obtain a more professional look or to clean carpets that are
far dirtier, you might consider hiring a professional carpet cleaning
service. Such carpet cleaning services exist in most metropolitan areas.
When choosing carpet cleaning companies, there are a few things you should
take into consideration in order to choose the best carpet cleaning
business. For example, find out how long they have been in business and if
there have been any complaints filed with the Better Business Bureau.
Also, find out how much the company charges per square foot or whether
they charge per room. Many carpet cleaning companies often run specials
where they will offer to clean a certain number of rooms in the home or a
certain amount of square footage for a specific price. Finally, always
make sure you compare the rates of at least two or three carpet cleaning
companies before you make your final decision in order to make sure you
are getting the best price possible.

To remove spots and stains between professional cleanings, an absorbent
cleaning powder or foam can be spread over stains, and scrubbed in with a
soft brush or clean towel. Spot cleaners work by attracting dirt, which
can then be vacuumed up, leaving the carpet clean and dry. While spot
cleaning can be effective at removing surface stains, it does not replace
regular professional cleaning. Over-the-counter cleaners can only
penetrate the top third of your household’s carpet.

For deeper cleaning, there are two main professional carpet cleaning
methods, steam cleaning – the most popular and widely used method, and dry
cleaning – a newer method that is gaining in popularity for its quick
application and fast drying time.

Steam Cleaning, also known as hot water extraction, is the traditional
method of professional carpet cleaning. Detergents are applied to carpets
and left to soak in. Pressurized wands are then used to rinse out all the
carpets, removing dirt and residue. The downside of this cleaning method
is that carpets are wet for up 24 to 48 hours after the cleaning process
is completed, particularly in humid climates like Dallas. During the
drying time, traffic on the wet surfaces should be minimized and furniture
should not be replaced until the carpets have completely dried.

Dry carpet cleaning systems use newer technology and are considered “very
low moisture” (VLM) systems. Instead of using water to rinse the carpets,
dry carpet cleaning systems use dry cleaning compounds and solutions. Dry
carpet cleaning is becoming very popular due to its fast drying time. In
climates like Dallas, dry carpet cleaning has quickly become the industry
standard due to the rapid dry time and the faster and less labor intensive
application process, making dry cleaning more user friendly than steam
cleaning systems.

As the most popular method of carpet cleaning, you have probably heard of carpet steam cleaning before.  Sometimes carpet steam cleaning will also be referred to as deep cleaning or hot water extraction.  Most carpet manufacturers recommend carpet steam cleaning for their carpets.  Nearly all carpet fibers respond best to carpet steam cleaning.  Regardless of the term being used, this is most likely the type of carpet cleaning you will want to have performed in your home.

Homeowners enjoy the benefits of carpet steam cleaning.  Having your carpets regularly cleaned with this method will help to remove the dirt and soil embedded in your carpets.  Carpet steam cleaning will also remove fungi, dust mites and viruses lurking in your carpet fibers.  If you have family members who suffer from chronic allergies, regular carpet steam cleaning is a must.  Most carpet manufacturers recommend thorough carpet cleaning is done at least once per year.  If you have children and/or pets, twice yearly carpet steam cleaning is beneficial.

You can purchase do it yourself carpet cleaning systems.  While these systems do provide you with the ability to clean carpets on a more regular basis, you do need to be careful with them.  Making sure you are using the right cleaning solutions, getting your carpets dry enough and are not damaging your carpets is essential if you plan to use an at home carpet cleaning system.

Most homeowners will find that working with a professional carpet steam cleaning service will provide the cleanest carpets at the best price.  Working with a professional service will also ensure that stains and high traffic areas are pre-treated and that your carpets will look their best for the longest time.  To find a professional carpet steam cleaning service in your area, visit www.carpetcleaning.org.