Carpets probably don’t need as much maintenance as other flooring types that required daily sweeping, but they still require regular maintenance. You should be vacuuming regularly, especially if you have pets so that no dirt or debris stays in the fibers for too long. However, it’s crucial to do a deep carpet cleaning at least once a year. It’s usually best to let a professional handle it for you. Having your carpet cleaned professionally can help with the air quality in your home, which can help prevent allergic reactions and respiratory illness. Some people decide to handle carpet cleaning on their own, often to save money. If you try to go it alone, make sure to avoid these mistake or else risk not getting the results you want or even damaging your carpet.
While it’s true that cleaning the carpet yourself will save you money, it does have its drawbacks. Even if you don’t make any of the mistakes listed below, you will not get the results that a professional could. Plus, while it doesn’t cost as much money, it does cost you in time that could be spent doing something else.
Over-shampooing
This is one of the most common mistakes DIY carpet cleaners make. There is almost no way to know how much shampoo to use when cleaning your carpet. Most often, people use too much thinking that there’s no harm. They are wrong, however. If there is too much shampoo, then it will not be properly rinsed away. The residue that is left is slightly gummy, meaning that dirt will stick to it. So not only are you not properly cleaning your carpet, but you’re making it dirtier in the long run.
Over-Wetting When Carpet Cleaning
This one is a close cousin of using too much shampoo. It is also very difficult to know how much water to apply, and when you have used too much. If you use too much, then it can soak into the bottom of the carpet where it may not dry. This can cause a whole host of problems. For one, if the backing is too wet on some carpets, the fibers can start to discolor. In other cases, the carpet may shrink, and even a little shrinking can cause it to pull away from the floor. We haven’t even mentioned the potential problems with mold and mildew. It’s not safe to think that excess water will just dry up over time.
Not Protecting a Wet Carpet from Furniture
This may seem like a strange one. What kind of problems could furniture cause to a wet carpet? Well, it can cause serious damage, in fact. If you place your furniture back on a wet carpet that has not had time to properly dry, then you may be at risk of causing discoloration. With some furniture, if it is left to sit in moisture, the dyes will start to run. These dyes can then stain the carpet when they come into contact with it. If a piece of furniture has metal on the bottom of its feet, then that metal can rust, which will also stain the carpet.
As you can see, there are many possible pitfalls if you try to clean your carpet yourself. If you are in San Antonio, Cibolo, Schertz, New Braunfels, or Boerne, contact Steamers for all your carpet cleaning needs.
