Should You Hire Professional Carpet Cleaners or DIY?

The Pros And Cons of DIY Carpet Cleaning

Here are some of the advantages and disadvantages of choosing to clean your carpet on your own:

Pros

• • Having your own machine at home makes quick cleanups easier and more convenient. This is especially true if you have small kids or pets at home that are prone to accidents and spills. A carpet cleaning machine can be a good investment, so you can clean up right away and avoid stains.
    
    
  • If you don’t want to purchase a carpet cleaning machine, there are plenty of local rental shops where you can rent industrial-grade machines. They have enough vacuum power to ensure that the carpet is clean and dry within 12 hours.
    
    
  • If you already have the equipment and cleaning solutions on hand, DIY carpet cleaning can cost less than hiring a carpet cleaner. This is especially true if you have a lot of carpeted rooms. Most professional cleaners charge per square foot of carpet cleaned, and if you have a big home, the costs can quickly add up.

Cons

• • In a comparison done by Home Advisor, consumer-grade carpet cleaning machines and vacuum cleaners tend to have the worst results. They have low water pressure or weak vacuums that can’t get rid of dirt and debris deeply embedded in carpet fibers.
    
    
  • Industrial-grade machines often have a learning curve. It might take you a while to get used to the equipment and learn how to use it properly without damaging your carpets.
    
    
  • DIY carpet cleaning methods rarely get rid of sticky or oily substances built up in the carpet fibers.
    
    
  • Drying your carpets is one of the most important but often neglected aspects of carpet cleaning. Improper equipment use can make your carpets too wet and soak into the flooring underneath. Prolonged dampness can then lead to the growth of mold and mildew—something you definitely want to avoid if you want to keep your loved ones safe and healthy.
    
    
  • If you have a stain-resistant carpet, you’ll need to find and use cleaning products that are made specifically for this type of carpet. Otherwise, you run the risk of permanently damaging the material.
    
    
  • If you’re renting your home, check your lease first. Your landlord may have specific rules about who’s allowed to clean the carpets. Most landlords, in fact, prefer to hire professional carpet cleaners. Even if you think you’ve done a good job, your landlord may still insist on re-cleaning and hiring a pro (and send you the bill after).
    
    
  • DIY carpet cleaning takes time. You’ll need to allocate a significant portion of the day to clean and dry your carpets properly.

The Pros And Cons Of Hiring Professional Carpet Cleaners

Below are some of the benefits and drawbacks of hiring professional carpet cleaners:

Pros

• • Professional carpet cleaners have the experience, know-how, and equipment to do the job safely and quickly.
    
    
  • Their equipment, tools, and cleaning products ensure a quick and effective cleaning process. They use powerful machines and cleaning solutions that you can’t easily buy or rent at local stores. They can ensure a much more thorough cleaning than any average homeowner can do on their own with store-bought products, equipment, and tools.
    
    
  • It can be difficult to maneuver machinery around closets and heavy furniture. Carpet cleaning experts can easily navigate small and hard-to-reach spaces. A pro will ensure a thorough and even cleaning.
    
    
  • Professional carpet cleaners can guarantee a quicker drying time. At SaniClean Dry Carpet Cleaning, for example, we can guarantee that your carpets are completely dry the moment we walk out your door. 
    
    
  • DIY carpet cleaning is time-consuming. It might take several hours to an entire day, depending on the size of your home. If you don’t have the time to dedicate to deep carpet cleaning, hiring a professional is a great option.
    
    
  • Some carpet cleaners can customize their cleaning process to match your specific needs. For instance, at SaniClean Dry Carpet Cleaning, we don’t use traditional shampoo or steam cleaning methods. Instead, we use an alcohol-based cleaning product that guarantees a thorough carpet cleaning. These products are baby-safe, eco-friendly, and non-toxic—features that most of our clients prefer.

Cons

• • You have to follow their schedule. Sometimes they may only be available on certain days or at certain time slots, which may mean that you have to take time off work to let them in your home and supervise their work.
    
    
  • It can be tough to find reliable and trustworthy people that you can let into your home. It’s impractical to do a background check on every professional that comes into your home.
    
    
  • Hiring a professional will cost you money. Most professional carpet cleaners, as mentioned above, charge based on the total carpet area they clean. However, some of them may also charge you more for difficult areas. However, not all companies will do this, so it’s important to research as much as you can about the company you’re hiring and get everything in writing.

DIY vs. Professional Carpet Cleaning

It’s definitely possible to rent or buy carpet cleaning products and equipment and turn the process into a DIY project. It will probably cost you less money. Plus, you can work on your own schedule. 

However, if you’re looking for a deeper, more intensive clean, it’s best to leave things in the hands of trained and qualified experts. They may cost you a little more, but they also offer better safer outcomes. 

How To Find The Right Carpet Cleaning Service

SaniClean recommends getting your carpet professionally cleaned at least once or twice a year. To ensure the best results, make sure you’re working with a trustworthy and reliable professional who offers reasonable rates and guarantees good results. 

When looking for the right carpet cleaning service for your home, here are some of the most important considerations to keep in mind:

• Choose a local carpet cleaning service. This will make it easier for you to check their references and find out what other people in your community have to say about their services. If you have friends or family members who have hired them before, you can also check out the results of their work first-hand before you decide to hire them.
  
  
• Check their credentials and qualifications. Make sure that you’re working with a professional carpet cleaner that is licensed, bonded, and insured. Working with a qualified and registered business should definitely be one of your top priorities. This will also protect you from liability in case of accidents occurring during the course of their work.
  
  
• How long have they been in the business? Experience matters. When a carpet cleaner has been in the industry for a long time, it means that they’ve spent years perfecting their processes, investing in the best equipment and tools, and developing high standards of service that’ll keep their clients coming back.
  
  
• How do they train their technicians? Do they have certifications or accreditations from reliable organizations in the state?
  
  
• Request a complimentary quote online or over the phone. You can also request one of their representatives to inspect the state of your carpet so they can give a more accurate figure. To reiterate one of the points mentioned above, make sure you get things in writing. Some disreputable carpet cleaning services may charge you more after their work. And remember to be careful of rates that are too good to be true.
• Carefully check the contract or quote they send to you. If they offer any guarantees about their service, make sure that they are also included in the contract terms.
  
  
• Check what cleaning method or technology they use. This will most of the time affect how much you need to pay and how much time they’ll spend cleaning and drying your carpets. 

Contact A Reliable Carpet Cleaning Service Today

If you’re looking for a local carpet cleaning service that uses a non-toxic and environmentally friendly cleaning solution and process, we’re here to help.

SaniClean Dry Carpet Cleaning’s proprietary waterless dry carpet cleaning technology doesn’t use harmful chemicals. Our cleaning solutions are also organic, biodegradable, safe for your pets and loved ones, and do not require any drying time.

Call us at (206) 590-7174 or fill out our contact form. Our carpet cleaning experts will be happy to answer any questions or concerns that you may have.