Shampooing Your Own Carpet? Avoid These Common Mistakes

If you need your carpet cleaned in a hurry or don't have the money for a professional cleaning service, shampooing it yourself with a home carpet shampooer is a good solution. It may not remove the deepest, most ground-in dirt like a professional steam cleaning will, but it will make your carpet look and feel cleaner for a while. In order to make sure you get the most out of your shampooing session, avoid these common mistakes.

Mistake #1: Using the wrong brand or type of carpet shampoo.

Most brands of carpet shampooers are designed only to work with particular products. Use the wrong product, and you risk clogging or ruining the machine. Pay attention to the directions manual, and only put the recommended shampoo products into your carpet shampooer. Natural cleaning solutions such as vinegar and lemon juice are also not usually safe for carpet shampooers.

Mistake #2: Not vacuuming first.

Many homeowners assume that since they're shampooing the carpet, they might as well not waste time vacuuming. However, vacuuming first makes carpet shampooing a lot more effective. Vacuuming removes the top layer of dirt and debris from your carpet, so your shampooer can reach the deeper debris. If you have a pet, vacuuming also removes the hair, which is not so easily sucked up by some carpet shampooers.

Mistake #3: Getting the carpet too wet.

There are many types of carpet shampooers out there, but most have a button or trigger you push to eject water onto the carpet, and another that you push to suck the water back up. Don't go overboard when it comes to wetting your carpet. Eject too much water, and your carpet will take too long to dry and may even get mold. Release just enough water to get the carpet damp, and then suck it up immediately. Treat one small space at a time, so that the water does not have time to leech down into the padding beneath the carpet.

Before you start shampooing your carpet, make sure you have everything you need, including time. It may take you a couple of hours to clean a large room, especially if the carpet is very dirty and you need to empty the dirty water container several times. Remember that it will take two or three days for your carpet to dry after shampooing, too. You don't want to walk on it or put your furniture back in place until it's entirely dry. As long as you keep these tips in mind and avoid the mistakes above, you can have a cleaner, fresher-smelling carpet in just a few short days.

For more information, contact Ringstad Carpet Cleaning & Restoration or a similar company.