Steam Mops

Steam cleaning carpets and upholstery is an important part of the cleaning process that extends both the life of the carpets and the upholstery. It also has the added benefit of keeping the house relatively germ and bacteria free.  Many households vacuum the carpets and upholstery frequently but even with regular vacuuming there is still dirt and grit that is down in the fibres of the carpet and upholstery that are not picked up by vacuuming alone.  To remove this deep down grit and dirt steam cleaning of both upholstery and carpets is one of the most effective methods to tackle this problem.

Using steam is very effective for cleaning carpets and upholstery as this method is able to penetrate deep within the fibres of the carpet and the upholstery to provide a thorough clean.  It works by using very hot steam to penetrate the fibres of the material and loosen the dirt and grit particles which can then be removed by vacuum.  This method is very effective as the particles of dirt and grit throughout the material are loosened by the steam process and removed without introducing loads of chemicals into the carpets or upholstery.  This cleaning method for your carpets can be done one of two ways, the do it yourself approach by hiring the required equipment or booking one of the many steam cleaning companies to come and complete the job for you.

Steam cleaning equipment is usually available for hire at many supermarkets.  This equipment is available with the cleaning solutions needed to clean carpets and upholstery.  Cleaning with hire equipment can be hit and miss so it is important to check that when you pick up the equipment you have all the pieces of the machine such as the hoses, the cleaning chemicals and the carpet and upholstery attachments.  If this is the first time using this equipment it is also good to have someone at the hire place show you how to assemble and work the cleaning machinery.

Regular steam cleaning of your carpets and upholstery keeps them clean and healthy which can also increase the life of your carpets and furniture.  Some other tips for keeping your carpets and furniture in top condition includes things such as cleaning spills as soon as they happen, having door mats at all doors to reduce the amount of dirt being walked into the house and when cleaning spills on the carpet make sure that you blot the spill and not rub as this can damage the fibres of the carpet and leave a noticeable patch.

Properly cleaned and maintained carpets can help to prolong the life of the carpets which saves money and adds value to the home.  There are many options available when it comes to carpet steam cleaners such as using a professional service, hiring equipment and doing the cleaning yourself or purchasing a steam cleaner and using it regularly to keep the carpets in top condition.

Carpets  that are cleaned regularly with steam cleaners look and feel like new for much longer than carpets that are only vacuumed.  Carpet steam cleaners come in many forms and types depending on what you want the carpet steam cleaner for.  The different styles and functions of the steam cleaners are also dependent on the price and the extras included such as attachments for upholstery and blinds.

When purchasing a carpet steam cleaner it is necessary to decide on a few things before you spend your money.  They are available in many styles and designs, each with different features and uses.  It is important to consider the following so that you purchase cleaning equipment that is right for your house and carpet type.

The first thing to decide on is how much money you have budgeted for the steam cleaner.  There are quite a variety of carpet cleaners for all budgets with many of them featuring various attachments and extras for use on more than just carpets.  The cleaners at the high end of the market differ from the cheaper models with more attachments and features and a higher temperature of steam produced by the cleaner.

The next decision to make is whether to buy an upright carpet steam cleaner or a  smaller canister type cleaner.  The upright cleaners are perfect for large areas of carpet so if you have carpets throughout most of your house then an upright steam cleaner would be the most suitable.  The only drawback of the upright models is they can be comparatively heavy than other cleaners but they do a great job at cleaning carpets.  The smaller canister type carpet cleaners are suitable for houses that have small areas of carpet such as in the bedrooms.   Carpet steam cleaners are great for spot cleaning and there small size also makes them handy for cleaning furniture, blinds and also use for the insides of cars and boats.

If your carpets are looking a little worse for wear and have spots that need to be cleaned you will need to do more than just vacuum to rejuvenate your carpet.  Over time carpets trap grit and soil deep in the carpet fibres and this makes the carpet (especially light colours) look dull and worn.  Looking after your carpet by vacuuming and steam cleaning can extend the life of the carpet as well as keeping the house relatively clean.  Many carpet manufacturers recommend that carpets should be steam cleaned at least once a year and more frequently is you have pets such as dogs in the house.  Steam cleaning carpets regularly also helps to make spills easier to clean and makes vacuuming more effective.

Carpet steam cleaning can be done one of two ways, there is the do it yourself option using hire equipment or purchasing your own and there is the professional option where a specialized carpet cleaning company comes in an does the work.  These options for carpet steam cleaning both have advantages and disadvantages which are discussed below.

The do it yourself option with hire equipment has the advantage of being the cheapest of all the carpet steam cleaning options.  Many supermarkets, service stations and hire places have the equipment for hire at a relatively cheap rate depending on how long you have the equipment for.  The cost of hiring the equipment and purchasing the cleaners and solutions can be as little as $50 which is very cost effective especially if you have a large area to clean.  The other advantage of the DIY with rented equipment is that it is easy to use and is quite good at removing dirt and grit from the carpet.  The only disadvantage with this option is that they only do a surface clean and don’t penetrate right into the carpet for what is called a deep clean.

The second option is the do it yourself with purchased carpet steam cleaning equipment.  This option can be quite expensive to start with as the purchase price for a domestic carpet steam cleaner can be anywhere from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand.  These cleaners are great for regular use on the carpets which helps to keep carpet looking newer for longer.

The last option is hiring a professional company to carry out the carpet cleaning.  The advantages of a using a professional cleaning company is they move all the furniture for you, the clean is a deep clean and picks up grit and dirt that the DIY options would miss and many companies have a large number of treatments that can act to preserve and prolong the life of your carpet.  The only disadvantages of using a professional carpet cleaning company is finding the time to be home while the carpet is cleaned, some companies are better than others and some carpet steam cleaning can be expensive depending on the state of the carpet to be cleaned.