Do-It-Yourself carpet cleaners are easy to rent. You might think you could save a few bucks by taking on the task yourself instead of hiring a professional.
This decision could be a big mistake for three important reasons:
- DIY carpet cleaners don’t do nearly as good a job of
cleaning. - In most cases, DIY cleaners end up costing more than hiring a professional.
- DIY carpet cleaners are heavy to cart around and messy to use. Professionals often have truck-mounted cleaners that keep the dirty water outside of your home.
Let’s look at each point in a little more detail.
Professional carpet cleaners do a better job than DIY
cleaners
Professional carpet cleaners do a better job of extracting dirt and removing stains than a Do-It-Yourselfer. Here’s why:
- The water professionals use is hotter, leading to better separation of dirt from carpet fibers.
- The cleaning solutions professionals use are more consistently mixed, leaving less residue, and are more effective than off-the-shelf products. Cleaning residue attracts more dirt!
- Professionals have training in spot removal chemicals and techniques that are tried and true, not left up to experimentation.
Consider these improvements in cleaning quality from a professional carpet cleaner:
- The van-mounted cleaning system used by Details & Dixon’s will heat more water to a higher temperature to kill bacteria and dust mites.
- Our water extraction system will remove more water and leave the carpet dryer to reduce drying time.
- Details & Dixon’s pros select from over 30 chemicals to safely clean your carpeting depending upon the carpet material and type of dirt or staining. Compare this to the one-size-fits-all cleaning solution of a rental machine.
Professional carpet cleaners are cheaper than DIY
Let’s compare the cost of cleaning three rooms of carpeting in the chart below:
| Carpet Cleaning Item | DIY | Professional |
|---|---|---|
| Machine Rental (24 hours) | $40-95 | included |
| Stair Tool Rental | $20-30 | included |
| Cleaning Solution | $14-30 | included |
| Travel Time | $60-120 | included |
| Cleaning Time | $120-200 | included |
| Total Cost | $254-475 | $165 for 3 rooms (Details & Dixon's price) |
As the chart shows, hiring a professional can be much cheaper than attempting to do this on your own. (Yes, your time is worth something. If you weren’t attempting to clean your carpets, you could be doing other more personal things with your precious weekend or evening time.) The Details & Dixon’s price includes the water disposal fees. There are no hidden up-charges.
Professional carpet cleaning is less fuss and less mess
DIY carpet cleaning machines can be heavy to cart from the rental area into your vehicle, from your vehicle into your home, around your carpets, back into the vehicle and back into the rental area. The hoses are wet and cumbersome. The cleaner solution bucket must be emptied and cleaned. The dirty water container must be cleaned and dried or there can be an extra charge. Emptying dirty buckets of extraction water can clog drains and soil sinks. A wet machine can soil you vehicle.
Using a professional requires one phone call to set up the visit and no more work by the homeowner. There is no lifting, carting, dumping, or any of the back-breaking work associated with a DIY carpet machine. Often the professional extractor is mounted within a truck, so all discharges and engine sounds are outside of your home.
A professional carpet cleaner outperforms a DIY carpet cleaner in terms of better cleaning, cheaper cleaning and less mess and fuss. Whether you are most concerned about cost or quality, or both, you’ll see that the professional carpet technicians at Details & Dixon’s outperform DIY carpet rental options.
How to select a professional carpet cleaning company
Choose a carpet cleaning company that uses professional grade equipment, such as van-mounted extraction systems, and hire only trained and certified technicians. These companies can also clean upholstery, drapes, tile and grout, and area rugs.
If you also have area rugs, select a company that will pick-up, clean and deliver area rugs. Be sure they employ cleaning solutions and processes that are safe for wool and other high-end rugs.
Companies that offer companion services, like house cleaning, window cleaning and gutter cleaning are preferred. This consolidated approach simplifies maintenance, allows the company to take a personal interest in the overall well-being of your home, and enables you to become a priority customer. Many “one call does it all” companies also offer multiple-service discounts.
Look for third-party endorsements for carpet cleaning companies from Angi, Better Business Bureau and Home Advisor.
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