The importance of clean carpets in any home cannot be overstated. Not only do they add to the aesthetic value of a home, but they also help keep your family healthy.
But how should you go about getting your carpets clean? While hiring a professional service may be the most efficient way to get your carpets cleaned, doing it yourself can also be an option.
Weighing the pros and cons of each can help you decide which is right for you.
In this article, we’ll go through the advantages and disadvantages of both professional carpet cleaning and DIY so you can make the best decision for your home.
Professional Carpet Cleaning: What Is It & Why Choose It?
Professional carpet cleaning is a service that uses special machines and detergents to clean carpets. It is typically done by a company that specializes in carpet cleaning.
The technicians have experience with the types of carpets and stains that can occur, so they are able to use the correct equipment and solutions for your specific needs.
Because of their experience alone, it is in your best interest to hire a professional carpet cleaning service 1-3 times per year.
Doing so ensures that your carpets remain clean and stain-free for a longer period of time, saving you money in the long run.
Furthermore, the machinery of professional carpet cleaners has greater extraction power than the standard home vacuum cleaner.
This allows them to remove more dirt, dust, and debris from the carpet fibers than you can do yourself.
Here are some of the other advantages of professional carpet cleaning:
1. Better Equipment
Carpet cleaning experts obviously have more powerful tools for carpet cleaning since they have access to better-quality machines. This makes their job faster and more efficient.
Additionally, the quality and power of their machines are such that they will get deep into the fibers of your carpets, removing dirt and debris that regular vacuuming won’t get to.
Professionals invest thousands of dollars in their tools and equipment, making them more reliable than DIY tools.
2. Less Drying Time
When you hire specialists to clean your carpets, they usually have a better understanding of how to do the job.
These experts are also equipped with the right industrial-grade machinery for the work, thus completing the task much faster than if you did it yourself.
Long drying times are a major issue with DIY carpet cleaning, especially when you have pets, but professional cleaners know exactly how to minimize drying times.
Using the right detergents and machines, they’re able to get the job done quickly and effectively, leaving your carpets dry in a couple of hours.
3. Convenient
Cleaning carpets on your own can be a labor-intensive task. This is because thoroughly cleaning your entire carpet can take several hours of hard work.
And when you’re done, there’s always the chance that you didn’t get everything out of your carpets.
When you hire a professional carpet cleaning service, you’re paying for the ease of having everything done for you.
The professionals will operate their machinery, move the equipment back and forth, and remove the dirt, leaving you with a clean carpet without lifting a finger.
4. Maintain Your Carpet’s Appearance
If you want your carpet’s appearance to remain vibrant, you’re going to need professional help.
For example, the high-traffic areas in your home, such as hallways and entryways, have a higher tendency to collect dirt and trash at a more rapid rate.
In addition, if you have children or pets, dirt can become absorbed in carpets much more quickly.
Professional cleaners are knowledgeable when it comes to identifying stains and cleaning them properly.
They also have the right chemical solutions and equipment to ensure that your carpet looks spotless with minimal effort.
5. Know Exactly What To Expect
When you clean your carpets yourself, you never really know what you will get out of the experience. Your equipment could be outdated, and you might not have the right cleaning solutions for certain stains.
On the other hand, when you hire a professional carpet cleaner, you know exactly what to expect and how much it will cost.
A professional carpet cleaning service will be able to give you a detailed breakdown of the services they offer and provide an estimate based on your needs.
This will give you a sense of relief while preventing you from engaging in any guesswork.
DIY Carpet Cleaning: What Is It & Why Choose It?
DIY carpet cleaning is essentially a process by which you clean your carpets without professional help. It involves using household cleaning agents, a vacuum cleaner, and occasionally a steam cleaner.
The advantages of DIY carpet cleaning are numerous, the most prominent being its cost savings. You don’t have to pay for someone else’s services or equipment, saving you money in the long run.
Here’s a closer look at why you may want to consider DIY carpet cleaning:
1. Follow Your Schedule
Finding the time to clean your carpet can be hard if you are either a stay-at-home parent or a working individual.
If this is your situation, hiring a professional carpet cleaning can be beneficial, but doing so requires you to work around their schedule and make do with their resources.
On the other hand, the beauty of DIY carpet cleaning is that you can schedule it whenever it best fits your needs. This is because you are in control of the cleaning process.
Whether you want to clean your carpets on a random Wednesday afternoon or a Sunday morning, you can do so without having to factor in someone else’s availability.
2. Save Money
If you hire a professional carpet cleaning, they will often charge you based on the square footage of your home. This means that the cost will increase proportionately with the size of your home, and it can definitely add up.
According to Costimates, the average cost of professional carpet cleaning is around $0.33 per square foot, depending on the extent and type of cleaning needed.
This means that if you have a 3,000-square-foot home, your carpet cleaning bill could be over $1,000.
Renting carpet cleaning equipment is your best option if you do not have enough money to pay for the services of a professional cleaning company.
This will also save you money in the long run as you can continue to use this equipment whenever you need it.
3. Suitable for Small Stains
Do-it-yourself carpet cleaning is the best option if your house is frequently subjected to messes and regular spills.
While it is suggested that you have your carpets cleaned by a professional at least once per year, this does not mean that you should also DIY-clean your carpets just once per year.
In fact, you can do this more often in order to prevent dirt and stains from accumulating on your carpets.
This way, all you have to do is clean up small messes as they occur and your carpet will stay looking nice and fresh.
Professional Carpet Cleaning Vs. DIY: What Is The Difference?
Now that you know the advantages of both professional and DIY carpet cleaning, it is time to compare the two.
Here are the main differences between the two:
1. The People Involved
The people involved in the two processes are the first big difference between professional and DIY carpet cleaning.
With professional carpet cleaning, you are paying for the services of a qualified technician who will come to your home and clean your carpets.
With DIY carpet cleaning, you are doing the job yourself with either a rented or purchased machine.
This means that with professional carpet cleaning, you can be assured of a high-quality job as the technician is experienced in the field.
Whereas with DIY carpet cleaning, it all boils down to your own skill level and the quality of the machine you are using.
2. Time Required
The second big difference between professional and DIY carpet cleaning is the amount of time required.
Professional carpet cleaning is often a much quicker process than DIY, as the technician has all the necessary tools and equipment on hand, reducing any setup or learning time.
However, this will depend on how large your space is and how dirty your carpets may be.
Generally, professional carpet cleaning takes around 30-45 minutes per room.
DIY carpet cleaning, on the other hand, requires a much longer time investment. Not only do you need to set up the machine and learn how to use it, but you must also factor in the time it takes for your carpets to dry.
This can range from several hours (for smaller spaces) to a full day for larger ones.
3. Cost
The final big difference between professional and DIY carpet cleaning is the cost.
Professional carpet cleaning can be expensive, with the average rate being around $0.33 per square foot. This can add up quickly if you are cleaning multiple rooms or have a larger space to cover.
DIY carpet cleaning, on the other hand, is much more affordable. According to Forbes, the rental cost of a conventional carpet cleaner machine ranges from $30-$90 for 24 hours.
The cost of cleaning products isn’t that much either and can be as low as $5-$10 per bottle.
However, whether you’re saving money with DIY depends on the frequency of use. If you only plan to clean your carpets once, paying for a professional service may be worth the investment.
Bottom Line
Both professional and DIY carpet cleaning have their own pros and cons. Professional carpet cleaning can be expensive but is often the better option.
On the other hand, DIY carpet cleaning is a cheaper option that allows you to keep up with everyday messes.
The ideal solution is to hire professional carpet cleaners once or twice a year and go the DIY route for regular maintenance.
This way, you get the benefits of both approaches, and your carpets will remain clean and fresh for a long time to come.
References:
Carpet Cleaning Costs, Pro and DIY | 2022 Costimates.com
Carpet Cleaner Rental Cost Guide – Forbes Home
7 Benefits of Professional Carpet Cleaning – OKSR Pro
Advantages And Disadvantages Of DIY Carpet Cleaning
Daleyza knows a lot about carpets! She has worked with carpets for over 7 years and can help with things like putting them in, keeping them clean, and replacing them. She really likes carpets and spends most of her time learning about new ways to work with them. When she’s not learning about carpets, she enjoys reading books. She’s really good at helping people choose the right carpet for their homes and making sure they’re happy with it. If you want to know more about carpets, Daleyza is the person to talk to!