If your carpet desperately needs cleaning, you can buy a carpet cleaning machine and find a place to keep it in your home, you can rent a machine and lug it back and forth from the store, or you can hire a professional to tackle this job for you.
Here are some considerations for each option:
- Buying a machine is fairly expensive.
- Machines you purchase usually need to be assembled.
- Often you also need to purchase solutions and other accessories to use the machine.
- You need a place to store it in between times you use it.
If you want to rent a machine, remember that:
- They're very difficult to get in and out of your car.
- They're often very inconvenient and difficult to use in your home.
- You need to pick them up but also need to bring them back to the store.
- The machine you're looking for may not be readily available.
- You may be charged additional fees if you don't get the machine back in a timely fashion.
- You also need to buy solutions and chemicals on top of the rental fee you're paying.
And remember some additional considerations about cleaning your own carpet:
- The solutions you use with bought or rented machines can cause your carpet to bleed color.
- You may also void the warranty on your carpet if you clean it yourself.
However, if you hire a professional carpet cleaner your carpet can be made to look virtually brand new, and this can be done safely and easily. Consider the following when looking to hire a professional carpet cleaning service:
- It's good to get referrals so you know you're using a company you can trust.
- They should be bonded, insured, and have any necessary licenses.
- They should have adequate experience.
When you have a list of potential carpet cleaners in the Virginia area, you then need to narrow down your list. Ask a few questions to help, including:
- What discount do you get for having more than one room done?
- What type of solutions do they use and are these the best for your carpet?
- What about their experience in doing this job?
- Can they recommend anything for stains or other blemishes you may have?
When you do hire a carpet cleaning professional, do your part by making sure they have access to the areas of the home that will be worked on. Don't be underfoot while they're working. And give the carpet enough time to dry before you walk on it; the contractor will give you a timeframe for this.
