Introduction: Using a Quality Carpet Steam Cleaner Has Many Benefits

There are times when a conventional vacuum cleaner simply cannot get out everything that a homeowner would like. Carpets, especially those in heavily trafficked areas of the home, need regular care and maintenance in order for them to look good and last a long time. For those stain which are set in and for hard to reach dirt down deep in carpets, the use of a good carpet steam cleaner is necessary.

While there are many professional carpet cleaning companies out there, they often charge a premium for their convenience. Because of this rather steep price tag, many homeowners choose to either buy their own carpet cleaners or rent them. While there is a bit of a learning curve to using a machine, many find that once they get the hang of it the results are worth the effort.

After either buying or renting a machine, the first thing home owners need to do is decide which areas need the cleaning. Because it is best to just get everything done at once, it is a good idea to devote some time to the process. While carpets can certainly be spot cleaned with steam cleaners, to avoid any color differences or missed spots, it is usually just best to do an entire room at a time, which also ensures a home is all that cleaner.

To start, all the furniture and items on the floor should either be removed entirely or pushed to the side of the room. This helps ensure that no furniture it damaged or stained with cleaning solution and also makes the cleaning process easier. Before steam cleaning, carpets need to be very thoroughly vacuumed so as to remove all big surface dust and debris.

The tank on the steam cleaner must be filled with warm water and a special solution. This solution usually comes with rented machined but is easily purchased at hardware store and grocery stores. Reading the instructions before starting to clean helps insure that the cleaning solution was added correctly and, therefore, will not do any damage to the carpets or the machine.

To start cleaning the carpets, the user should begin in the far corner of a room and work backwards. The best method to cleaning is in long, straight lines, which helps ensure no spots are missed. Beginning at the corner farthest from the door or entry to the next room leaves an exit point so the user does not have to walk on wet carpets.

After the whole space has been cleaned, the carpets must be left to dry completely. Once carpets are dry to the touch, the furniture can be moved back into place and they can be walked on again. Water in the tank on the machine should be replaced often as well as the cleaning soap, this is especially true when going from one space to another.

Even though a quality carpet steam cleaner would be very safe, some people find that the strong aroma of the cleanser is overpowering. It is best to keep windows open or a fan going to avoid this problem. Taking breaks in between cleaning spaces also helps with this problem as well as makes the whole process easier on the person doing it.