Tucson Carpet Cleaning & Home Care by Legendary - DIY Resource for carpet cleaning and complete home care upkeep.

How Often Does Carpet Need to Be Replaced?

As carpets don’t expire per se, it’s common not to be certain about when to replace carpets. So how often does carpet need to be replaced? How often should you replace carpets in your home? Well, there are some signs you can look for to answer “how long should carpet last in your home?”.

Lifespan

How often does carpet need to be replaced? Although carpets shouldn’t be replaced just because they’re old, 5 – 15 years is the general lifespan of modern carpeting, but this may vary depending on its quality and its regular use. Therefore, a carpet in a bedroom will last longer than another in the hallway because the foot traffic they receive isn’t the same. Besides, the padding beneath the carpet will eventually deteriorate, and if it’s not high quality, it’ll occur even sooner. When the carpet doesn’t feel as comfortable as it used to, it tends to wear out even faster.

Stains and Odors

It’s possible that your carpet keeps smelling terrible even after cleaning it, which is commonly why people clean their carpets over and over without any success. How long does carpet last after this happens? Not too long. Keep in mind that carpets trap dust, debris, dirt, allergens, and many other things that become an issue for people with allergies or asthma. You may be able to learn how to get black mold out of carpet but if you can't, you will need to replace your carpet.

The best bet for cleaning your carpet would be to clean your carpet by hand. Sometimes cleaning by hand can get into the stains a bit deeper than using a carpet cleaner.

Over time, it becomes more and more difficult to clean your carpet. Some stains reappear on your carpet, while others can’t be removed even after professional cleaning. Therefore, under these circumstances, it might be necessary to consider getting a new carpet.

Noticeable Wear

How often does carpet need to be replaced considering its fibers? Although several carpets are designed to last for several years, it’ll be the right time to replace your carpet if you’re able to see horizontal threads of the backing material through the top or if you see thinning areas. Commonly, this type of wear can be seen in carpets located in areas as stairs, hallways, and footpath between rooms. You are able to prevent your carpet edges from fraying, but you’ll have to get a new carpet after a while.

Flattened Fibers

No matter how hard you try to fix those flattened fibers in your carpet, they won’t stand tall again. Keep in mind that materials like olefin and polyester tend to mat, so if you’ve tried to make your old carpet look all fluffy again without any success, you should consider replacing it. So how often should carpet be replaced when it comes to its shape or fibers? Consider that you have to replace your carpet every time it creates warps or seems to be stretched beyond its original shape.

Some may even notice when going to replace their carpet that the flooring is uneven. If this is the case, you may be better off finding the best flooring for uneven floors before replacing altogether.

Color Variation

How often to replace carpet in terms of color quality? If you spot different color shades in your carpet or if the whole carpet appears to be in a different color tone than when you bought it, chances are the fibers have faded due to sunlight exposure, cleaning materials, and age. Although the color might not seem a good reason to replace your carpet when it still keeps its shape, you may feel like replacing it if the color seems uneven.

Why Do Stains Reappear on Carpet? – Permanently Get Rid of Them

When a carpet is cleaned, many people notice that the stain seems to come back. This then leads to the question, why do stains reappear on carpet?

Why Do Stains Reappear on Carpet?

There are two main reasons why a carpet will show a stain after being cleaned. Wicking refers to stains that are coming from below the carpet fibers and either originate in the carpet backing or pad. Residue refers to stains that are present in the fibers of the carpet.

Wicking Related Stains

Stains that are present in this scenario originated below the actual fibers of the carpet. This is a type of deeper stain where the carpet files are not only soiled but also the backing and the carpet pad are also stained. After a carpet has been cleaned, it may have had too much water saturating the area. While the water is extracted during the cleaning process, it’s likely that this did not remove all of the moisture present. As the carpet dried, the dirty water eventually wicked up the carpet fibers where it appeared again as a stain.

This is likely the cause of the stain if it reappears as soon as the carpet dries from cleaning. In general, wicking is caused by over-wetting the carpet during cleaning when shampooing or steam cleaning your carpet.

Residue Related Stains

Stains that reappear after a cleaning as a result of residue come from the fibers of the carpet. This means that the soap or shampoo used during the cleaning process were not fully removed. Even after the carpet is completely dried, the stain still appears.

Shampoo and soap are sticky materials and they attract dirt. This is especially noticeable in areas of the carpet that are highly trafficked. Every time that a person walks over the carpet, the soil from their shoes will stick to the soap residue that’s been left in the fibers. Additionally, even undisturbed areas of the carpet will pick up stains as dust settles there.

Residue is the reason that carpets cleaned with the traditional shampooing method usually become dirty again rapidly. Although many people are careful to vacuum their carpet regularly, this won’t get rid of the soil that’s stuck to the residue. The same stains appear to be coming back but the cause is actually new dirt and grime that are adhering to the soap left on the carpet fibers.

Trying Alternate Methods

The good news for homeowners tired of dirty carpets is that there are new methods of cleaning available today. These methods use new tools and methods that thoroughly remove stains without oversaturating the carpet or leaving behind soap residue. It’s highly recommended to do a deep clean of a carpet periodically, especially carpets that see high use. You can even reach out to professionals who are experts in carpet stain removal. If you still can’t get rid of stain residue from your carpet, it might be best to start looking into dying your carpet.

Bottom Line

For anyone who’s ever noticed, why do stains reappear on carpet after being cleaned, these are the two primary causes. The good news is that it’s fairly easy to determine the cause and avoid this from happening again in the future. Using superior cleaning methods than the old shampoo and extraction method works better and will keep carpets stain-free. Knowing this sort of information will help you in the long run since it is important to clean your carpets from time to time.

How to Clean an Area Rug on Hardwood Floor – Tips from the Pros

Just like carpets, area rugs are like magnets for stains. You will try to be careful, but you cannot avoid staining your rugs. It is best to stay prepared with the knowledge of how to clean an area rug on hardwood floor. Most of the time, it is recommended to only focus on the area of the stain rather than cleaning the entire rug.

How to Clean an Area Rug on Hardwood Floor

In this post, you will learn how to clean your area rug on hardwood floor. It will teach you how to get rid of stains, dust, and other debris. You will also know how to take care of your hardwood floors.

Cleaning the Area Rug

Why clean carpets in the first place? First of all, you do not just use any method or products to clean the rugs. You should test-clean a small portion to see how it goes. If there is no damage to your rug, you can proceed with the cleaning.

Using Sodium Bicarbonate

Scoop a good amount of sodium bicarbonate and spread it over the stain area. Use a damp cloth to clean the stains. Make sure that you do not pour any water directly onto the rug. Alternatively, create a sodium bicarbonate paste by adding little water to it. Stir it to bond. Use an old, clean toothbrush to apply it on the stain. When you are satisfied with cleaning, leave the paste to dry. Vacuum it later and you will have your rug clean and spotless.

Steam Cleaning

Whether you rent or buy a steam cleaner, make sure you follow the instructions. Steam cleaning is very fast and effective, but it will cost you more than the other methods. When you are done with steam cleaning, leave the carpet to dry for hours. It is advisable to open the windows to allow the flow of hot air from outside. Finally, vacuum your carpet to straighten the rug’s fabric. You can even compare the differences between steam cleaning and shampooing your carpet.

Shampoo Cleaning

Get shampoo that is appropriate for your carpet material. If you are dealing with oily stains, you can use everyday dishwashing detergent.

Put water in a bucket and get a carpet brush. Use it to spread the shampoo or detergent. Be careful not to soak the carpet. Move the brush in one direction at all times. When the stain is fully removed, make a solution of water and white vinegar in equal parts. Spray the mixture over the rug. Get another brush and scrub with it in the opposite direction to when you were spreading shampoo. Use clean rags or towels to absorb as much water as possible from your carpet. Leave it to dry in open air. This is a good method to use if you’re trying to clean a really dirty carpet.

Protecting Your Hardwood Floors

Hardwood floors are not water-friendly. You should protect them fiercely any time you are using water to clean your carpet. Use waterproof materials between the carpet and the floor when you are going to use a lot of water to clean the stains.

Bottom Line

There are several methods on how to clean an area rug on hardwood floor. You can use shampoo, steam clean, or sodium bicarbonate. As you remove the stains, remember to protect the floor from water. From there on out, you can make your own homemade dry carpet shampoo to keep your area rug clean.

How to Get Drywall Mud Off Carpet – Pro Tips

You might have spent a lot of money, time and effort in preparing your living room. However, as you are about to enter it, you certainly would love to have the right answers to the question how to get drywall mud off carpet. It is quite common to see construction workers tracking drywall compound over the entire living room. Hence, you would like to get the right solution to the problem and that is what we are going to do over the next few lines.

How to Get Drywall Mud Off Carpet

It does not make much sense to have great looking walls as far your living room is concerned. So why clean your carpets too? You also need your carpets to look clean and neat again.

Drywall Compound Is Water Based

Drywall compound is water-based and it is not very tough to get it off your carpets. It does not leave any permanent of lasting damage. Some mud might get entrenched firmly and with some time, patience and elbow grease, you also can remove it quite easily. At times, you may have to go through different approaches for completely removing drywall mud off carpets. If you are handling wet drywall mud, you must try and scrap as much as possible from the surface because this will make the job of cleaning easier and thorough. You could even stomp dry paste and then you could sweep it up. This could be useful for breaking up dry mud. You also could make use of spatula, ruler and other such surfaces that are hard. Ensure that you sweep in the opposite directions. Also make use of blotting because it will help remove any leftover that could have been stuck in drywall. You could use a damp rag for this purpose. Change the rugs if they become dirty.

A Few More Tips

It would be wrong to rub because this will result in the compound getting stuck to the carpet fabric and you will have a bigger and tougher mess to handle. Once you are sure that most of the drywall mud has been removed, it would be a good idea to allow the carpet to dry. You could use a vacuuming machine to suck out any leftover debris. Use a brush attachment on your vacuum cleaner for this purpose. You can also try out different carpet cleaning machines to make sure that you’re trying out all possible options. In case these steps do not give the desired results, you could try the following.

Allow To Dry And Then Clean

It would not be a bad idea to allow the drywall to dry after the first cleaning. You could then use heavy boots to stomp. This will break up any excess deposits of mud compound. The steps have to be repeated again to get the desired results. You also could use a spray bottle filled with clean water. This could moisten the area thoroughly. It also will allow the mud to coagulate more and pulling it off will become easier. Paint scrapers could come in handy for loosening dry and wet mud from carpets. If you have large chunks of drywall mud, you can soften the same by placing a soaking wet towel on it. However, ensure that you leave it for around 20 -30 minutes. This will make sure that the chunks are loosened a bit and it will make cleaning that much easier and simpler. To enjoy clean carpets all the time, you can look into regular carpet cleaning to enjoy the benefits of it.

Concluding Statement

Unless you are able to get the right answer to the question how to get drywall mud off carpet you will not be able to make much headway. The above are simple steps and it should be able to take care of even the toughest drywall mud problem from your carpet and help bring back the shine and sheen into your expensive carpets and rugs. Worst comes to worst, you can always reach out to professionals so that you can truly enjoy the benefits of carpet cleaning.

Reasons to Dye Carpet

When we discover some stubborn stain on our carpet or notice that the color has already faded, the first option that comes to mind is to replace it. While it is not a bad idea, it can cost you a significant amount of money. Why not go for the less popular solution, but one that is generally more affordable – dyeing your carpet! We have discovered several reasons to dye carpet, and we would love to share them with you.

Reasons to Dye Carpet

Before giving it a go, it is important to note that not all carpets are created equal. Carpet dyeing might not be the right fit for you, so make sure to consider other factors that can affect the quality of your carpet. Nonetheless, the following scenarios are perfect for carpet dyeing!

You Are Planning to Sell Your Home

Of course, you want our home to look as good as possible, especially if you are selling it. However, remember that there is a thin line between improving it and making it more appealing and shelling out more than you should. If the carpet has spot stains or faded parts, consider dyeing it instead of getting a replacement for a more affordable solution.

Professional Cleaning Won’t Remove Stubborn Stains

Does your carpet have stains that cannot be removed even with professional cleaning such as permanent marker or even beer? Or does your carpet look worse after a carpet cleaning? As long the carpet is still in good condition, you really should consider dyeing. Aside from it gives your carpet a brand new look, it is also a great way to cover up stubborn stains. You can choose to dye the whole carpet, or just spot dye – dyeing just the stains. Once this is done, you can go back to cleaning your carpet often to maintain the integrity of your carpet.

Your Carpet Has Faded Parts

The color of your carpet may fade over time due to sun exposure. If it is still in a good state, why not revamp it by dyeing, such as using homemade carpet dye? Aside from being cheaper than buying carpet replacement every time, dyeing your carpet does a great job of bringing the faded parts back to life! If it fades again, you can repeat the process as long as your carpet is still working and looking excellent!

You Are a Landlord

As a landlord, you may be responsible to change the carpeting in your units. If the carpet is still in good shape but may use some revamping, dyeing is a cheaper alternative, not to mention it will brighten the look of the carpet.

You Do Not Like Your Carpet Color

Maybe you have changed your preferences or are just following the trend, but you really do not like the color of your carpet anymore. Well, dyeing is a practical way to change its color. Especially if the carpet is light-colored, you can go dark or darker and totally recondition your carpet!

Questions

Can you dye synthetic carpet?

Dyeing can be an effective solution for most carpets. Carpets made of nylon and wool are ideal for dyeing, while ones made of acrylic, polyester, or polypropylene won’t absorb the dye fully, rendering the process useless.

Can you use fabric dye on carpet?

Yes, fabric dyes can be used on carpets. Make sure that your carpet is made of nylon or wool; otherwise, the dye will not be absorbed. Also, remember that you can dye a carpet only to a darker one than its original color — hence, it’ll work well on bleached spots. With regards to where to buy carpet dye, you can check your local DIY store.

How long does carpet dye take to dry?

Carpet dyes act fast; however, just like when undergoing carpet cleaning, a carpet that has been dyed will still be damp after the process. It should be totally dry after two or more hours.

Bottom Line

If your carpet has stains or has faded parts, dyeing it will transform its look for a cheaper cost than getting a replacement. Like other solutions, there are pros and cons of dying carpet. A few good reasons to dye carpet include if it has spot stains, stubborn stains, or faded areas. Whether you want to dye the entire carpet or just a small part to hide some flaws, carpet dyeing is a great alternative to the more costly solution of carpet replacement.

How to Get Permanent Marker Off Carpet

Carpets are susceptible to all kinds of dirt and stains. Now and then we track dirt and dust from outside into our homes. While regular vacuuming can help to ensure your carpet is fresh and clean, what about tougher stains such as markers? It’s important to learn how to get permanent marker off carpet.

How to Get Permanent Marker Off Carpet

Why keep your carpet clean? In this article, we’ll discuss a few methods of removing permanent marker from your carpet. With the steps outlined below, you’ll be able to remove permanent marker stains from your carpet and keep it looking fresh and clean.

Method 1

Take a can of oil-free hairspray and pour it generously onto a white cloth.
Firmly dab the marker stain.
Repeat the process if necessary until you can no longer see the marker stain.

Method 2

Immediately you discover the stain, try to blot it off the surface with a clean cloth. If you’re able to act fast when the stain is still wet, you may be able to blot up some of the coloring before it sets into the carpet fibers.
Get a wet, clean rag or cloth and apply a generous amount of dish soap then use it to blot the stained area.
The stain should start to fade gradually.

Method 3

The following method involves using a carpet cleaner you can purchase at your local store.

Once you notice a stain, purchase a stain remover.
Most products require that you shake them well before using.
Apply some stain remover to the stained area of the carpet.
Give the solution some time (about 60 seconds) to soak into the carpet.
Use a clean cloth to blot the area. The stain should start to transfer from the carpet fibers to the cloth, leaving your carpet clean. This easy to use product will help you to get rid of marker stains from your carpet.

Method 4

This method also involves using a store-bought product to keep your carpet clean and free of marker stains.

Purchase a lift-off stain remover. These products are specifically designed to treat marker, ink and pen stains.
Spray enough stain remover on the affected area.
Use a clean cloth to blot the marker stains until it starts to gradually fade.

Method 5

Rubbing alcohol can also come in quite handy when removing marker stains or removing ink stains from your carpet. The most important tip when using rubbing alcohol is to blot the stain with the alcohol rather than rub it to avoid accidentally rubbing the stain further into the carpet fibers. Use a clean damp cloth or rag to lift the alcohol and the stain out of the carpet.

Bottom Line

That’s how to get permanent marker off carpet. Don’t forget to do a spot removal test on a hidden section of the carpet. You can also look into other alternatives such as steam cleaning. If the stain is too large or difficult to remove on your own, consider hiring a professional carpet cleaning company to help you out. Professional carpet cleaners are knowledgeable and experienced in dealing with tough-to-handle carpet stains. This way, you can ensure that you’re enjoying all of the benefits of carpet cleaning and carpet free of stains.

How to Keep Carpet Edges From Fraying

Carpets fraying around the edges is a common problem, especially around transition areas or if your carpet is poorly installed. It’s crucial, therefore, to learn how to keep carpet edges from fraying. There are plenty of reasons your carpet could fray at the edges, and it can worsen if you don’t repair the carpet as soon as you can.

How to Keep Carpet Edges From Fraying

Just as there are many carpet cleaning machines, there are various ways to prevent your new carpet from fraying. In this article, we’ll discuss how to keep your carpet edges from fraying. These simple solutions include everything from cutting off the frayed edge to using binding tape.

Cut Off the Frayed Carpet Edge

Cutting a portion of the frayed carpet may seem like a straightforward task but there are several factors to bear in mind. Experts at Carpet Police says iIt’s important to measure and mark your carpet with chalk first so you can cut it straight and not sideways.

A utility knife can come in handy when cutting off the frayed carpet edge. Alternatively, you can use a carpet cutter. Whatever tool you choose, it needs to be nice and sharp. If your knife is blunt and it has rust on it then it will damage the carpet further.

Use 4 Series Carpet Edge Sealing Tip

This sealing tip allows you to seal your carpet edges with a hot glue gun. The sealing tips are available for both right and left-hand users. The tips are designed so that any excess glue is directed onto the carpet’s backing. With a bit of practice, you can seal all the carpet edges of your home in a couple of hours.

Secure with Transition Strips

These act like a safety feature and are used when transitioning from one-floor type to another. They come in a wide range of options and it’s important to choose the correct one for your floor type.

Metal carpet transition strips: This type of strip is designed to cover half of the carpet and half of the other floor type. Then you have to drill some holes in the strip where you’re going to put in some nails. However, you need to be very careful with the nailing part because the top of the nail can be dangerous if not installed correctly.

PVC carpet transition strips: This is a cost-effective option. The strips come in a wide range of colors and they can be curved easily. You can match them with your carpets or floor color.

Use Binding Tape

Binding tape can also help to keep your carpet from fraying. They are available in various colors and thicknesses. If you want the carpet edge to look prominent, you can buy a big size that goes well with your carpet. Alternatively, use a small size for a slimmer edge.

Bottom Line

With these tips, you should now know how to keep carpet edges from fraying. Other options to try include melting the edges a little bit using a blow torch or heat gun and fixing the carpet with binding equipment. Whether you need to remove beer stains, dirt stains, or prevent fraying your carpet make sure you take care and protect your carpet and it will serve you better for longer.

What is a Deep Cleaning House?

What is a deep cleaning house? Will you have to spend more on deep cleaning? Deep cleaning makes your home super clean. Everything will look fresh and new. However, deep cleaning will cost you more in materials and if you choose to go with a professional for cleaning. The cost will vary depending on the size of your property.

What is a Deep Cleaning House?

Deep cleaning can be the best idea while preparing your home for the holidays. You can also consider deep cleaning before moving in. You can plan for a deep cleaning whenever you want to offer a refreshed and new look to your home in addition to following some household tips.

What Does It Mean?

As the name itself suggests, deep cleaning is better than standard cleaning. While cleaning, professionals will ensure that they have done their best effort to make your home look clean and fresh with the use of some clean house tips.

Deep Cleaning in Your Bathroom

They will clean showers and disinfect them while giving extra attention to clean shower doors. Besides, they will deep clean your dusted baseboards and clean frames and doors for fingertips. Deep cleaning will include dusting, sanitizing, and cleaning. Professionals will remove cobwebs and will wash carpets, vanity, sink, and floors. They will consider chemical treatment if required. In brief, they will make your bathroom look and feel new.

Deep Cleaning in Your Kitchen

When it comes to your kitchen, they will deep clean all the parts including baseboard, range hood outside, front and top of the range hood, fridge, dishwasher, floors, table, chair, microwave, skin, countertop, and almost everything that you find in your kitchen. They will do dusting, washing, and then they will disinfect wherever required. The key objective of deep cleaning is to make your kitchen refreshed. After cleaning, you will feel like you are using a new kitchen. Everything will offer a fresh look.

Deep Cleaning in Your Sleeping and Living Areas

While deep cleaning your sleeping and living areas, professionals will focus on an overall cleaning that includes your bed, flat surfaces, mirror, picture frames, windowsills, vents, knickknacks, stairs, wood floors, baseboards, lights, and all other areas. They will do dusting, vacuuming, wiping, cleaning, and disinfecting to offer a new look to your old construction. Your areas will be disinfected and all the dust and dirt will be removed — even if you have beer and other sorts of food stains on your carpet. You’ll be able to enjoy the benefits of carpet cleaning once it has been steamed or shampooed.

How To Do A Deep Cleaning

For deep cleaning, you will have to hire professionals. They are thoroughly experienced. They understand the unique requirements of different rooms. They are skilled to do different types of cleaning. Besides, they will have all the required tools to deep clean your home. They can reach hard to reach areas and disinfect your home. There is no doubt that you will have to spend extra on professionals for deep cleaning. However, you will appreciate the outcome.

Bottom Line

So, now you have the answer to what is a deep cleaning house? Deep cleaning can boost the appearance and feel of your home. You will love spending time in your home after a deep cleaning. But you will have to choose an experienced deep clean service for the best result. Make sure that the service is highly reliable and skilled.

Why Clean Carpets

Carpets make your indoor environment more comfortable. They can also act as décor to improve the aesthetic appeal of your space. While a carpet is a great flooring option, it’s important that you care for it with routine maintenance. In addition to regular vacuuming and getting rid of stains, it’s equally important to schedule professional cleaning. If you’re wondering “why clean carpets,” then it helps to understand some of the benefits.

Why Clean Carpets

This article outlines the critical benefits of having your carpets professionally cleaned. Ultimately, you get to understand why it’s important to schedule professional carpet cleaning.

Improved Health

Carpets are notorious for becoming a home for everything from bacteria and dust particles to other allergens. If you or anyone else in your premises is susceptible to breathing problems, the allergens in your carpet can lead to or increase respiratory complications such as allergies and asthma. These contaminants in your carpeting can result in a host of health problems, especially in young children and the elderly.

Vacuuming regularly helps to get rid of dirt, dust mites and bacteria, but it doesn’t remove them completely and over time, these contaminants can accumulate, increasing the risk of health problems. Professional carpet cleaners have the expertise, experience and equipment to effectively remove dust mites, bacteria and other allergens to ensure your carpet is clean and your home has a healthy indoor environment.

Improved Airflow

It may seem strange, but a dirty carpet can impede the proper flow of air in your home. As a dirty carpet accumulates more dust, dirt and debris and becomes clogged, the airflow gets compromised. This happens especially in areas along the walls where air needs to be able to move the most. As such, rooms with dirty carpets are more likely to become stuffy and unpleasant. Regular vacuuming cannot remove all the dirt and debris, which is why it’s crucial to have your carpets regularly cleaned. Clean carpets contribute to improved air quality and flow of air.

Improved Look and Feel

Having your carpets cleaned by a professional will help to ensure your carpet looks and feels as good as new for longer. If your carpet looks worse after cleaning, it wasn’t done properly. As dust and dirt build-up in the carpet fibers, it causes the carpet to become matted, resulting in a carpet that looks old and worn as well as rough and flat. Regardless of the padding underneath, a dirty carpet will look older than it is. Expert cleaning helps to prevent dirt and dust from tearing away at the carpet fibers. Ultimately, your carpet will not only look better but also feel softer.

Bottom Line

You should now know why clean carpets. A good quality carpet doesn’t come cheap. So, it makes sense to protect your investment by ensuring it’s properly cared for. Vacuum your carpet daily if possible and schedule periodic professional cleaning to ensure your carpet, as well as your home, are clean, fresh and healthy.

Steam Clean vs Shampoo Carpet

Do you have grime and deep stains on your carpet? No need to worry. Steam cleaning your carpet will help to get rid of all that dirt and ensure your carpet is fresh and clean. What about shampooing? What are the benefits and drawbacks of each carpet cleaning method? There are several factors to consider when comparing steam clean vs shampoo carpet.

Steam Clean vs Shampoo Carpet

There are various carpet cleaning machines out in the market and different methods to cleaning a carpet. However, this post compares steam cleaning and shampooing your carpet. While these carpet cleaning methods vary widely, they both have their benefits and drawbacks.

Shampooing a carpet involves using a detergent while steam cleaning uses hot water vapor and steam mop to break down dirt. When you steam clean your carpet, the drying time is about 48 hours while shampooing needs longer drying times.

Using Shampoo to Clean Your Carpets

Cleaning using shampoo requires you to have a shampooing machine. The machine will usually have a tank where the cleaning solution is put, and a nylon brush attachment. Putting on the machine spins the brush, injecting the solution into the carpet to loosen and break down dirt while creating foam.

Before using a shampooing machine, you have to vacuum the carpet to get rid of loose dirt. You also need to vacuum after completing the scrubbing process.

Benefits of Shampooing

It works well for heavily soiled carpets
Shampooing is great at getting rid of dirt such as loose soil that’s embedded in the carpet.
You can easily rent a carpet shampooing machine

Disadvantages of Shampooing Carpets

Scrubbing with a shampoo cleaner can damage and weaken the carpet fibers
Soap residue may remain in the carpet fibers and attract more dirt and dust.
Large carpets will take long to dry

Steam Cleaning Carpets

Steam cleaning involves using a powerful system consisting of a pump and a vacuum. The carpet cleaning attachments come in a wide range of options such as a spot steaming attachment for spot stains and a wide cleaning wand.

Benefits of Steam Carpet Mops

Steam cleaning is efficient for cleaning wall-to-wall carpets
Attachments make it easy to maneuver and access hard to reach areas
Steam cleaning is a deep cleaning method that cuts through stubborn stains including grime and grease
Steam mops that use water only are safe for kids and pets
The high temperatures used in steam cleaning will help to disinfect your carpet

Disadvantages of Steam Mops

Getting rid of stubborn stains without a cleaning solution can be hard work
This cleaning method may not be effective for deeply soiled carpets.

Bottom Line

When comparing steam clean vs shampoo carpet, consider your situation as well as the benefits and disadvantages of each method. Both methods will clean your carpets but if you’re not sure which method to use, you can ask for advice on choosing the right one for your needs from a carpet cleaning professional.