Pristine Cleaning Gal
The low cost of rental machines is appealing to everyone, especially DIYers. However, you should consider a few things before investing in a machine and the products needed to clean your carpets.
Rental Machines are not as Powerful or Efficient & are Often Poorly Maintained
Grocery store carpet cleaning rentals are designed to make it look like cleaning your own rugs will save you money. They advertise it’s easy and powerful, but they lack a couple of things that the professionals have that make all the difference to a top-notch cleaning job. The first is power. No matter how much power they claim to have rental machines simply do not have the power to do the job as effectively as the professionals.
Additionally, the bulky machines are also difficult to maneuver, and rarely receive proper maintenance or cleaning. Improper upkeep on the equipment can lead to moldy-smelling water pouring out of the machine and into the rug. Not exactly what most homeowners want.
Rental machines come with some basic how-to-use instructions. However, it is impossible to provide in a quick how-to-use guide all the tips and tricks that professional cleaners know about removing stains. Unfortunately, many DIYers end up setting stains that could have easily been removed.
Professionals can also clean a carpet in a shorter amount of time than you can. Something that would take you all day to do may only take them two hours. Many professionals even include some of the prep work required in their service.
Don’t Bring Home Uninvited Guests
Sometimes people rent cleaning machines to take care of bedbugs because they have read that steam cleaning a carpet can kill insects. However, rental machines cannot achieve and maintain the temperature needed to eradicate the pests. To kill bedbugs temperatures must reach 125 degrees plus. Unfortunately, rental machines tend to top out at 60 degrees. If the machine isn’t inspected or cleaned appropriately, it is possible to bring home uninvited guests. A friend of mine actually had this happen. Before we met she rented a machine from a grocery store to take care of her carpet. Instead of a clean carpet, she ended up with an infestation. (As a side note do not use a carpet cleaner to treat for bed bugs whether professional or not.)
Mud is Difficult to Vacuum Through a Sponge.
As dirt is deposited onto the carpet it makes its way down into the backing. Some of the soil, mainly dust particles, is even able to find its way under the carpet and sit on the padding. In addition, while some dirt is removed from the surface of the carpet, the dirt below the backing creates mud. Once the mud is impossible to suction it back out. It’s like trying to suction dirt back up through a sponge, with a vacuum that has a clogged filter.
Another problem that may occur when using a rental machine is spots that seem to return. As the carpet dries two things can occur. Stains will resurface as mud stuck between the carpet and pad is compressed when walked on. Cleaning chemicals for rental machines must be thoroughly rinsed. Unfortunately, the machines are rarely used correctly. Therefore it does not remove all the cleaning products. The residue is left behind attracting dirt back to the carpet. Often people will notice the carpet gets dirty faster after cleaning and needs to be cleaned more frequently. Cleaning the carpet too often can shorten the life of the carpet.
Rental Machines Cause Excess wetness
One of the biggest problems with renting a machine is gauging the proper amount of water that should be used on the carpet. Carpets that receive too much water and remain wet for extended periods of time foster the growth of mold and mildew. Carpets need to dry relatively quickly. Any time a carpet takes 24 hours or longer to dry brings the carpet into the danger zone. Mold and mildew is unhealthy for your family to breathe in and can cause or aggravate allergies.
Chemicals or Detergents Sold in Stores
Unfortunately, cleaning solutions available to the public are low in quality, and contain products that leave behind residues, and attract soil. Many of the products are made with petroleum products, which is an oil. These products make the carpet look pretty good at first, even giving the carpet a sheen. It will even feel soft. However, this sheen comes with a large negative. The carpets will start to look dirty fast because the oily residue will attract dirt back to the carpet rapidly.
In addition to the oily bases, the cleaning solutions void a carpet cleaner’s insurance because they can cause damage. The products even have a disclaimer on them. Look at the label. If you see the words, “test in an inconspicuous area for colorfastness,” that is a sure sign you are using a product that might damage your rug.
Lastly, rental machines can make odor problems worse. If you have a pet that has been urinating on the carpet, avoid renting a machine. Store-bought odor removers for pets do not work well for heavy urine. They mask the scent while the carpet dries. However, what they do below the surface of the carpet is much worse. The ammonia and acids in the urine reactivate whenever the carpet gets wet. Excess water will cause the urine to spread out. In order to properly treat urine, a product that neutralizes the odors, and breaks down the uric salts is necessary. Otherwise, the urine spreads, and it can cost more than a few hundred to achieve complete odor removal.
Rental Machines Aren’t the Best Choice
As you can see rentals, while they may work in a pinch, are not the best choice to maintain a carpet you wish to keep long-term. The products available for the machines are not good for the carpets. The machines are bulky and hard to move, and just don’t have the power required to do a good job. Additionally, they can exacerbate pet problems, cause the carpet to get dirty faster, and set stains. In order to maintain the desired look, the carpet will need to be cleaned more frequently.
Why Cleaning too Frequently Can Destroy Your Rug
As mentioned above, both the ineffective cleaning chemicals and mud creation will cause the need for those carpets to be cleaned more frequently. If spots are appearing and you find yourself renting a machine or pulling out the home cleaner every couple of months, this will destroy the carpet. Carpets should not be deep cleaned more than two times a year. Excess cleaning can cause the backing of the carpet to break down prematurely. Carpets will also start to see more issues with looking matted, developing odors, and carpet wrinkles.
Aside from being unsightly and a tripping hazard wrinkles can be a sign of the condition of the carpet. As long as the carpet is installed correctly, carpet wrinkles should not appear. The carpet should stay in place and not need stretching according to pro-flooring.com
We Offer a Better Solution
Here at Pristine we can take a project that takes you all day, and finish in a much shorter period of time, with expertise, and a warranty. We also guarantee your satisfaction! Can you get that from a rental machine?
We focus on making your cleaning both effective and relaxing. Our service requires very little prep work. Just clear nicknacks and breakables off the floors and furniture items that you wish to move, and we take care of the rest. All services include light furniture moving like sofas, loveseats, end tables, and chairs. We can’t move beds, hutches, or electronics. We also vacuum! Additionally, all services include sanitation, spot removal, cleaning, and a 30-day warranty for new and returning spots. We also have the products needed to properly treat problems like pet odor issues.
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