Hire A Professional Carpet Cleaner, or Buy a Steam Cleaner?

It happens to the best of us. You spill a drink, a pet has a mishap or you tread dirt into the carpet with your muddy shoes. Fortunately, there are a range of options to tackle these situations.

The problem is, should you do it yourself and invest in a steam cleaner? Or is it worth calling a carpet cleaner to visit your home and tackle your carpets professionally?

Professional Carpet Cleaner – The Pros

Pay as you go – you pay for the service as and when you need it. Either as a one-off, or more regularly.
No elbow grease required – you don’t need to do any of the hard work!
Professional expertise – dealing with a range of stains and dirt daily, a professional carpet cleaner will usually have expert knowledge to remove those stubborn stains without damaging your carpets.
Advanced cleaning – industrial or innovative cleaning products, more advanced than those available in the supermarket are likely to be used by professional carpet cleaners. These have various benefits such as faster drying times and/or being chemical free and/or shifting the most difficult of stains.

Professional Carpet Cleaners – The Cons

Risk of rogue traders – technically speaking, carpet cleaners can do their work without qualifications. It could therefore be subject to rogue traders providing a substandard service.
Increasing pricing – the advertised price or quotation could creep up when the cleaning technician sees the extent of cleaning required.
Potentially inconvenient – it may mean having to take time off work to be home for the visit.

Steam Cleaners – The Pros

Convenient – you can do the cleaning when you want, at a time convenient to yourself. Furthermore, you can repeat the application numerous times should you not achieve the level of cleanliness you first desired.
Set price – more often than not, you pay the price you see advertised. Requiring only water, you’re unlikely to continue spending on additional cleaning agents for the machine in the future.
Chemical free – heated up and outputted as steam, water is the key component in a steam cleaner. You may have no need to buy pricey carpet cleaning agents again.
More hygienic than regular vacuuming – bacteria are killed when they come into contact with the heat produced by the steam cleaner. This makes steam cleaning good for homes in need of great cleanliness for health reasons. Plus, a steam cleaner won’t produce any potent gases in your home.

Steam Cleaners – the cons

Cost – the cost of purchasing the equipment can soon mount up. If you want a good job doing then you’re likely going to have to pay the associated price.
Excess water – steam cleaners can flush carpets with excess water. The damp carpet then becomes the perfect environment for bacteria and mould to breed – unhygienic.
Longer drying times – steam cleaning can incur long drying times of several hours. Rather than sucking up unwanted debris, you are cleaning or washing the carpets. This could mean certain areas of your home are out of bounds for lengthy periods of time whilst you wait for the carpets to dry.
Risk of damaging your carpets – you could potentially damage your carpets if they are delicate or are made of a special fibre. The heat blasted from the steam cleaner can have an adverse effect on the pile of your carpet, whilst the water may cause it to alter in its appearance

It’s a case of summing up your priorities and being wise. Don’t rush to the store and purchase on impulse when you see a super low price – read reviews of the machine online and make sure it’s suitable for your carpets and upholstery. Alternatively, hire someone based on a friend’s recommendations, and ensure that their carpet cleaning service is insured and within budget.

At the end of the day, you’re protecting the investment you made when purchasing your home carpets. Beyond the home however you may be looking for commercial cleaning equipment. That’s where Alpha Power Cleaners come in. With a range of great products and even offers on cleaning machines, you can rest assured your cleaning needs will be met.