DIY CARPET CLEANING
Does it Really Save Money?

Do-It-Yourself carpet cleaning is a cleaning method that many first-time callers to our office have considered. They ask a very legitimate question... Why should I hire a professional carpet cleaning company to clean my wall-to-wall carpets when I can do-it-myself and save money? 

But can you really get the same results by 'doing-it-yourself' with a rented or purchased carpet cleaning machine? Will you actually save money by DIY carpet cleaning?

THE ANSWER IS BELOW.
BUT FIRST, ANOTHER QUESTION...

What do you think is the most important aspect of the carpet cleaning process?

THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION IS:

The knowledge of the person performing the service!  

A professionally trained technician has knowledge of the fiber being cleaned and the proper chemical usage needed to treat spots and spills, as well as how to use the equipment safely and efficiently.  The technician also knows what NOT to do! 

HIRING A PROFESIONAL
CARPET CLEANING FIRM
HELPS TO AVOID THE FOLLOWING DIY CARPET CLEANING PROBLEMS:

1.  TOO MUCH SOAP

Since most homeowners think about cleaning their carpets only when they are thoroughly saturated with oils, soils, and bacteria, they tend to use a lot more of the carpet shampoo (purchased with the machine) than is necessary.  The resultant suds are very difficult to remove entirely.

2.  WATER NOT HOT ENOUGH

The water in the small cleaning machine cannot stay hot enough to successfully activate the carpet detergent to really get the carpet clean.

3.  VACUUM NOT POWERFUL ENOUGH

The vacuum in the machine does not have enough power to pull out the water and detergent.  The result is over-wetting of the carpet and rapid re-soiling due to the residue that is left in the carpet.

4.  NO FANS OR NOT ENOUGH POWERFUL FANS TO FACILITATE DRYING

Because a carpet area will still be quite wet after cleaning with the machine, a number of fans should be used to facilitate the drying of the carpet.  Most homeowners do not possess enough or powerful enough fans to do the job properly.

5.  HOMEOWNER HAS TO MOVE FURNITURE

The homeowner must move all the furniture, wait until the carpet is dry, and then put it all back. (Wooden or metal furniture put back down on damp carpet can cause permanent furniture stains.) 

6.  ELECTRICITY & WATER PROBLEMS

If the home does not have up-to-date electrical service, the machine could cause fuses to blow or circuits to break.  If the home uses water from a well, it may run dry. 

THE ADVANTAGES OF
HIRING A PROFESSIONAL
CARPET CLEANING FIRM

1.  The trained carpet cleaning technician knows how much and what type of solution, water, pressure, and vacuum will be needed to thoroughly clean the carpet in the home, leaving it as dry as possible with little or no residue.

2.  The technician has the knowledge and the chemicals to treat spots and spills.

3.  Special fans are used on all jobs to start the drying process so that the carpets (in most cases) should be totally dry within 4 to 6 hours. (The majority of the water, with the soils and cleaning solution, will be removed directly following the professional cleaning, leaving the carpets damp, but not saturated.) The carpets will be completely dry in 3 to 5 hours. 

4.  The technician is trained to carefully move, pad, and block furniture and will put everything back in place. 

5.  Our trucks come supplied with ample water and electricity.  

DIY CARPET CLEANING -
GOOD RESULTS AND
MONEY-SAVING?
ABSOLUTELY NOT?

Do-it-yourself carpet cleaning simply cannot provide the same or similar results as professional carpet cleaning.  The DYI carpet cleaning method can easily lead to over-wetting of the carpet (possibly leading to a mold problem) and a residue of carpet shampoo causing rapid re-soiling. 

If the lack of your technical knowledge, the equipment cost, the cost of the shampoo, your time and energy, and the fact that the carpet may have to be re-cleaned sooner are factored in, the DIY carpet cleaning method of cleaning the wall-to-wall carpets in your home will definitely NOT save you money.

ABC RECOMMENDS
THE FOLLOWING...

We recommend having the main traffic areas of the wall-to-wall carpets in your home professionally cleaned once or twice a year (depending on traffic) and the entire area cleaned every 3 to 5 years. 

Please call or text our office at (607)-272-1566 if you have any questions or if you would like to make an appointment to have your wall-to-wall carpet cleaned.

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