While professional carpet cleaning really is the best way to ensure all of the dirt and ground-in grime is removed from your carpet fibers, a home carpet shampooer can do a pretty good job. Using one between professional carpet cleaning appointments can save you money and help extend the time between these professional cleanings. However, a lot of homeowners make mistakes when using a carpet shampooer. Avoid these mistakes, and your results will be much better.
Mistake: Moving too quickly.
You're not meant to fly over the carpet at lightning speed. Take your time to slowly drag the carpet shampooer over the carpet, giving it more time to eject the shampoo solution and then suck it up again. Moving too quickly may result in a carpet that barely gets damp – or worse yet – one that stays damp for too long and develops mold.
Mistake: Using the wrong shampoo.
Carpet shampoo comes in varying concentrations. Your shampooer dilutes it with water so it's the proper concentration to remove dirt and oils. If you purchase the wrong shampoo, it may end up being diluted to the wrong final concentration, which may lead to either a dirty carpet or a shampoo residue when you're finished. Only use shampoo recommended for your brand and model of shampooer. Your shampooer's user's manual should list shampoos that are acceptable.
Mistake: Ejecting too much water.
Many carpet shampooers automatically eject a certain amount of water, but they also have a button you can push to eject more water. Don't go over the entire carpet while holding down the "extra water" or "boost" button. Your carpet will end up far too wet, and you'll struggle to get it dry without it molding. Use this button very judiciously on areas that are extra soiled. Keep track of where those areas are so that you can go back and pay extra attention to drying them out when you're finished.
Mistake: Using cold water.
If you read your carpet shampooer's manual, it probably says to fill the compartment with warm or hot water. Many homeowners just assume that since the shampooer heats the water, using cold water is fine. But, your shampooer may not be powerful enough to take the water all of the way from chilly to hot. Starting with hot water ensues the water that gets ejected onto your carpet really is hot – and this increases the effectiveness of your cleaning session.
For more information, contact Easy Clean Carpet Care or a similar company.
