Regular cleaning can extend the life of the carpets in your Locust Grove rental properties. If you value your carpet, shampooing it can help preserve it, even if it comes as an expensive maintenance item. Besides, maintaining it will only be an issue if you do it more than once a year. One way to save on costs is to clean the carpets in your rental house yourself. Is it bang for your buck, though? Exploring the advantages and disadvantages of both professional and do-it-yourself carpet cleaning can hopefully help you arrive at a well-informed decision as to which one would suit your needs best.
Most people know that cleaning carpets will help remove stains and odors. But regular cleaning does more than that. It can restore the look and feel of carpets, especially nylon carpet, and remove deeply embedded dirt that a regular vacuum cleaner is unable to remove. For most carpets, manufacturers recommend using a hot water extraction method, often referred to as “steam cleaning.” This method deep cleans carpets by spraying hot water (often mixed with a cleaning solution) onto the carpet and then using strong suction to remove it, along with the dirt.
Most professional carpet cleaners, as well as do-it-yourself carpet cleaning machines, use the same hot water extraction method. But there are usually distinct differences in the process as well as the results. Professional carpet cleaners often use either a truck-mounted cleaning unit or a portable unit. The truck-mounted units, though, are more effective since they are more powerful, extract water more efficiently, and lead to shorter drying times. If you don’t feel the need to do it ever so often though, you can always opt for renting or buying a steam cleaning machine. It would be handy to have a smaller device on hand to address little issues like spills or accidents. Your carpet won’t need much — just a few touch-ups between full cleanings.
Be aware though that the DIY route also has its disadvantages. Using a smaller personal machine does take more time than a professional cleaner typically would. If the maintenance entails an entire rental house or large areas, it could mean spending a whole day just cleaning the carpets. After all that labor, the results are likely to be less than ideal. Smaller carpet cleaning machines often don’t remove enough of the water from the carpet, so it can take carpets a very long time to dry. The longer the drying time, the higher the risk for complications like mold or further dirt collection, so using fans to speed the process is usually recommended. You could also potentially use too little or too much cleaning solution. Both can bring about a stiff carpet or an insufficient level of cleanliness.
While professional cleaning will usually give you good results, it does come at a price. The advanced technology and service professional carpet cleaners provide will cost more than trying to do it yourself. Deciding to look for bargain deals might be economical but at the risk and cost of running into anything between shoddy service and full scams. However, professional carpet cleaning is more efficient, takes less time to dry, and usually only takes a couple of hours (or less), depending on the area. If you tend to use the same company regularly, they might be willing to offer you a deal.
Think about yourself and your rental properties when you decide to either hire a professional carpet cleaner or do it yourself. Different choices lead to different outcomes. Choose well!
Too busy to get tangled up in these nitty-gritty details yourself? We have a team of Locust Grove property managers at Real Property Management Anchor ready to serve you. And if that’s not enough, we’ve even decided to include in our services, regular maintenance. All you have to do is reach out to us. Don’t hesitate to contact us online or give us a ring at 770-506-1237 to know more about what we can do for you.
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