Keeping your carpets clean usually requires minimal everyday maintenance: Clean up spills as soon as possible, and use a quality vacuum cleaner to remove dirt and keep fibers from getting trodden down. But there are some times when professional carpet cleaning services are in order. Here are three times it’s worth calling the pros:
When You’ve Experienced Water Damage
Water damage can be an overwhelming problem for homeowners. A fast reaction time is critical when it comes to preserving what you can and reducing cleaning costs, so call a carpet cleaning company as soon as you discover any water damage whatsoever.
Avoid walking on the wet carpet as much as you can, and remove furnishings if possible. The company can determine what tools are necessary, since the carpet and the padding underneath may need to be removed for drying. Not having the process completed correctly could lead to even more damage, since the padding under your carpet can hold moisture even when the top of the carpet feels dry.
When You Have Pets
Even the best-trained pets sometimes have accidents that can leave unsightly stains on your carpets. But you may want to consider calling a carpet cleaning company even if it appears that you’ve managed to clean up the mess on your own. One reason for this is similar to concerns about water damage: That pet urine can soak through your carpet and into the padding underneath, damaging the floor below.
Another is that pet owners get used to how their pets smell—to the point that the odor isn’t noticeable to them at all. So no matter how much you Google “how to clean urine from carpets,” you might not even know if you’ve been successful. But the distinctive odors that come with having animals in the house will almost certainly be offensive to visitors and prevent your home from selling when it comes time to put it on the market. Allergy sufferers will thank you, too.
When It’s been 1…2 Years
Even if your carpet isn’t showing signs of wear, you should consider a professional cleaning every year or two. If you’ve had new carpets installed relatively recently, it’s important that you check your warranty paperwork, as many require commercial carpet cleanings at certain intervals (typically a steam cleaning once a year).
Regular professional cleanings can also extend the life of your carpet, even if you don’t make it to the 2,000 years of the famed Pazyryk carpet. Each year, an astonishing several pounds of dirt can accumulate in and under your carpet, and having a carpet cleaning company come in before that dirt gets ground in can add years to your carpet’s lifespan.
Your turn to chime in: Of the three most popular residential carpet types (berber, loop and cut pile), which have you found is the easiest to keep clean between professional visits? Do you have any carpet cleaning tips to share? Let us know in the comments.