Professional Carpet Cleaning Tips: Avoid These 4 DIY Mistakes

You may be wondering why professional carpet cleaning is necessary. Afterall, you’ve had carpets in your home for a long time. It’s easy to believe you’ve mastered the art of cleaning and maintaining your carpets. 

However, when they start to look dull or take on an unpleasant texture, you may realize that there’s more to learn about this process. If you’re like most homeowners, you may have even made a few carpet cleaning mistakes that could be negatively impacting how your carpets look and feel. With time, these mistakes can lead to long-term damage and result in the need for replacing your carpet  - a costly and frustrating expense. 

Our professional carpet cleaning experts often provide insight into the kinds of mistakes homeowners make when cleaning carpets. We can help you protect your carpets and make your home healthier, more beautiful, and more comfortable.

Mistakes Our Professional Carpet Cleaning Technicians Often See Homeowners Make

Chem-Dry technicians have plenty of experience providing transformative carpet cleaning services and helping homeowners better understand how to care for their carpets. Here are some common mistakes we frequently encounter:

Tip #1: Not vacuuming often enough.

You know that regular vacuuming plays a key role in keeping your home clean and healthy. However, you may not realize just how often your carpets need to be vacuumed and how this practice can protect them from premature damage. 

Our experts recommend vacuuming weekly at a minimum. If you have pets, children, or wear shoes in the home, you likely need to vacuum more frequently. You’ll quickly see a difference in the texture of your carpet and can help stave off discoloration by making vacuuming a regular habit.

Tip #2: Not giving high-traffic areas adequate protection.

Your carpet is built to take a beating. The issue is that certain areas are going to have significantly more exposure to foot traffic and general wear and tear than others. To slow the damage to these areas, and extend the lifespan of your carpeting as a whole, we recommend using an area rug or runner. 

Depending on the layout of your home or the habits of your family, you may lay down this added protection in the entryway, hallway, stairway, or other areas that experience near-constant use. 

Tip #3: Scrubbing at spots and stains.

When an accidental spill occurs, it can be tempting to grab a towel or sponge and start aggressively rubbing the affected area. In your mind, you’re scrubbing the stain out. In reality, this motion will actually scrub the stain in.

When you apply rigorous pressure to a spot, you’re encouraging the stain-causing substance to seep deeper into the textile fibers that make up your carpet, adding to the risk that the stain will become permanent. Instead of rubbing, always aim to dab at stains. The goal is to absorb excess liquid before it can penetrate deeper into the carpet.

Tip #4: Not hiring a professional carpet cleaning service.

You may assume that if you’re vacuuming regularly and quickly soaking up spills, you’re giving your carpet all of the care that it needs. Unfortunately, your vacuum can only reach the top layer of your carpet. Over time, dirt and dust that has escaped the suction action will embed itself near the carpet backing, resulting in a matted texture, dull appearance, and traffic lanes. Hiring a professional carpet cleaning service will ensure your carpet is freed of this deep-set dirt as well as any lingering stains or spots.

Are you making any of the above cleaning mistakes? Our professional carpet cleaning team can help you avoid additional damage to your carpet and increase its longevity. Give us a call at (800) CHEM-DRY today to get started with our services!