Since the day will eventually come that you will need to have your carpet cleaned, a decision will need to be made as to whether you should hire a professional carpet cleaner or rent a machine and do it yourself.
There’s a lot to be said for both, to be honest. We would not tell you that you should never clean your own carpet. People fix their own cars and do other things professionals also do. But, also like car repair, you shouldn’t try to do it unless you have either some experience under your belt, you’ve had someone show you the ropes, or you’ve done a decent amount of research on the topic.
Knowing how much detergent to use, for example, might require some pre-existing knowledge. Additionally the professional industry machines are so much more powerful than the rental models, that alone makes the cost for professional service worth the money.
Many people are a bit gun shy about using a professional, often based on the fact that the former would not know how to distinguish a bad carpet cleaner from a good one. And don’t forget the fact that many people have had bad experience with them in the past. This is understandable, but there are tons of articles and blog posts that will show you how to evaluate a potentially great service provider.
In some cases, you might not have a choice but to use a professional. In most residential leases, you will be required to have a professional carpet cleaner do the job for you. And if you try it yourself, and the landlord realizes that you have not used a professional, he will have a professional do it at top dollar and charge you for it.
Written by, Derek Beyer.