In Q&A on Carpet Cleaning, The Clean Trust recommends that frequently used carpets should be professionally cleaned at least once a year, but maybe even more often if you have allergies or respiratory sensitivities. The Carpet and Rug Institute concurs (Q&A on Asthma, Allergies and Carpet), recommending professional carpet cleaning every 12 to 18 months.

 

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But with so many good household carpet cleaners on the market (and new and better models being introduced all the time), do we even need to call a professional carpet cleaner?

Home carpet cleaners are good for spills, touch-ups and in-between cleanings, but there are still reasons to call in the professionals, according to this advice from The Clean Trust in the article Carpet Cleaning ABCs:

• Many professionals use equipment such as a truck-mounted extractor, which offers far greater cleaning power than a portable machine can.

• If your carpet is made of silk, sisal or another unusual fiber, however, you may need a dry extraction cleaning that can only be performed by a trained professional.

The truck-mounted hot-water extractions systems used by many professionals are likely to yield better results, but that isn’t all you need to think about when you hire one.

They also should have extensive knowledge of different types of stains and stain-removal methods, and be able to safely work on your carpet without causing damage. Many professional cleaning companies will also guarantee their work, meaning that if a stain comes back within a certain period of time, the company will come back to your house.

The Carpet and Rug Institute offers some very good advice in the article, Deep Cleaning and Selecting a Carpet Cleaning Professional. If you still need or want to do the job yourself, they give some helpful tips and precautions in the article Deep Carpet Cleaning Secrets.

For more info:
What You Should Expect from a Professional Carpet Cleaner
Carpet Cleaning Tips: Do It Yourself or Professional Cleaning?

(Note: The views expressed in this blog post are those of the author, and do not necessarily represent those of The Housekeeping Channel, LLC.)