Carpets which are soiled, whether from normal traffic or special problems such as stains or odors, usually need to be shampooed. You can hire a company to shampoo it or buy or rent a carpet cleaner to shampoo it yourself. Each of these options has both advantages and disadvantages.
Finding a Professional
A professional carpet cleaning company is expensive, although you can look for one running specials. Most will move the light furniture to clean under it and they will usually pre-treat stains. There are stains that re-appear after the carpet has dried and some companies will not come back out unless you pay for another cleaning.
Benefits of Buying
There are a lot of selections of carpet shampooers for sale at various prices. Most inexpensive models will be good enough for the normal traffic type of cleaning but are not equipped for tough stains or odors. The expensive ones will eventually pay for themselves, depending on how often you shampoo.
Where to Rent from
You can easily find carpet cleaners for rent at most major grocery stores, Home Depot, and rental outlets. They are light and easy handling for the small people, yet have power enough to do a good job of cleaning. You can take the time to pre-treat any areas that need it, even shampooing an area twice if needed. They are easy to use and economical to rent.
Other Considerations
Carpet cleaners come in different sizes and with a difference in the amount of power as well as attachments, so before you rent a carpet cleaner, you should check on these. The size of the water tank and the power of the vacuum are important for its capacity to clean. Make sure the brushes and return tank is clean and that you understand how to operate it before you rent it. The machine must be clean when you return it to avoid any penalties.
