DIYs these days are gaining popularity and almost everyone is embracing them, owing to one of their major advantages – saving money.
Everyone believes – ‘If it can be done by me, why should I pay for it?’
No doubt, this belief may do you some good in some ways, but it could do your carpet harm in ways you might not have thought of.
We recommend always doing your research before getting into carpet cleaning DIYs or ask for advice from someone with better knowledge than you. The pros and cons of these DIYs are many, and this is a compilation of just that.
If you’ve been confused as to whether or not you should go ahead with certain digitally viral DIYs or opt for professional carpet cleaning services, then you need to read this. The next time you decide on cleaning your carpet, you’ll at least be making a well-informed decision.
The easiest way of cleaning your carpet is vacuuming.
Though it’s extremely beneficial for your weekly cleaning, you should remember that vacuuming alone won’t help in the difficult situations you might find yourself in.
You’ve got to get to the depths every once in a while to ensure the perfect health of your carpet and in turn, your home. There is no better way of cleaning to the depths of your carpet other than hiring a reputable, professional carpet cleaning company.
Vinegar and Baking Soda DIY Alert
DIYs recommend you to clean the stains off your carpet using solutions such as vinegar and baking soda. Be aware that is more just masking a problem than thoroughly cleaning your carpet. The DIY solutions do not highlight that this method may not really get to the root of the issue.
You might think vinegar is working on removing the stains and getting the smell out of your carpet for a while. Again, this might visibly take care of the issue for you, but just know you’re not getting to the root of the problem and you’re carpet is still not thoroughly clean. Vinegar helps because it reacts to different chemicals and helps visually remove stains and helps mask odor. But vinegar is not effective in removing debris and soil layers from your carpet.
Additionally, the viral trend of mixing vinegar with baking soda only creates paste-like foam, which is saline in nature. This makes removing the foamy residue from your carpets difficult, let alone removing stains.
When it comes to deep cleaning, don’t be penny-wise and foolish! You don’t need a deep clean every week, as you can easily follow your DIY vacuuming schedule.
If you’ve been wondering, “How often should I get my carpet cleaned professionally?” Your answer is preferably every six months to a year! It’ll save you the damage you could otherwise cause your carpets by using the wrong products.
Tackling Stubborn Stains with Water or Dishwashing Liquids
When you follow some DIYs online, you end up getting your carpets wringing wet, which is never a good thing for your carpet.
You may wonder, what’s the issue with water, as it’s natural and very effective? Here’s the truth behind DIY of using plain water to get rid of stains.
Do you realize that water could sometimes act as a catalyst to most stains such as ink and oil-based ones? This not only makes the stains more permanent but also leaves your carpets soaking wet.
The same issue presents itself with dishwashing soap or liquid. Agreed, this solution is used to remove grime and grease from plates. However, plates are then rinsed thoroughly to get the soap off.
Can you rinse your carpet off thoroughly? Not typically! Even if you do, you will have to dry your carpet off quickly. And that’s not possible. You can use the most powerful vacuum suction, but it will still leave your carpet wet. This is because the water gets collected in the fibers of your carpet and takes a very long time to dry out due to the thickness. Thus, your carpet is left extremely wet.
You probably already know that a wet carpet is nothing but a hotbed for germs and bacteria, further resulting in mildew. What’s worse is that damp environments trigger major health issues as per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
On the other hand, most carpet cleaning professionals know exactly what method to use to remove stains. They do not use solutions that leave residues behind.
Removing Wax/Plastic Using a Hot Iron
Wax or plastic stains on your carpet could seem unusual and at the same time, too small of an issue to hire an expert for. The internet has a DIY for this, which is using a hot iron on your carpet. However, the hot iron might get caught on your carpet depending on its fabric. Different carpet fibers require different cleaning methods.
Instead of removing the stain, a hot iron might actually leave a burnt stain. The hot iron solution could actually make it much worse! Getting rid of wax or plastic is something that a carpet cleaning professional could have tackled quite easily. However, the burnt stain from the hot iron cannot be treated by any DIY tip nor an expert.
The only option left after a failed hot iron attempt is a new carpet. And that will definitely cost more than it would to have cost have an expert carpet cleaner fix this issue for you. You’d have to pay for the new carpet and installation cost. Or you would simply have to live with the burnt piece of carpet.
Hiring a professional cleaner here will make your work simpler.
In most cases, hiring an expert and professional carpet cleaning service may end up being more cost-effective and satisfying in the long run.
