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There are a variety of carpet cleaners on the market and four factors to consider when choosing a unit for your home:
- Effectiveness
- Ease of Use
- Durability, and
- Value.
Effectiveness
You want a carpet cleaner that gets the job done in the shortest amount of time and effort – this generally means a professional-quality machine. Many CRI-approved units can do a good job when selected and used properly, but are generally no substitute for professional cleaning. If the carpet is exceptionally dirty (i.e., dark traffic lanes, over-watered potted plants, pet stains), more than one pass will be required.
Choose both a good pre-spotting solution and an extraction or general cleaning solution or product that has been approved by the Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) Seal of Approval program; as well as a vacuum that is CRI-approved. Thoroughly and slowly dry vacuum first with multiple passes to remove loose debris before you start.
When you begin the wet extraction process, keep in mind that some areas will require several passes. Pre-spraying problem areas with CRI-approved chemicals and allowing to soak for 5-10 minutes (follow the manufacturer’s recommendation) is important, and will reduce the total amount of work involved later.
If you’ve neglected getting your carpets cleaned for years, the job will take longer. However, where many home-sized units shine is when used to regularly maintain carpets – about every 6 months or more often between professional cleanings.
What about drying time? There have been horror stories in which some people leave the carpets so wet, it takes several days to dry. Average drying times vary, but carpet should be completely dry within 12-24 hours. In the summer, if you turn on the air conditioning (AC), this will expedite the drying process. In the winter, if you raise the room’s temperature and set up fans, carpet will dry faster.
Ease of Use
You want a model that is easy to use. If possible, test several when filled with water and cleaning solution to assess weight and usage conditions. Many models are designed to be light and easy to use (often allowing just one hand to operate!). Some units require you to add cleaning chemical to the clean water tank; others have their own dispensing tank specifically for chemicals.
Some models are designed to clean one way; that is by pulling the unit slowly across the carpet in one direction. Others have multiple brushes and suckers on each side of the spray nozzle, so whether you are going slowly forward or slowly backward, it can clean in either direction.
In order to keep the weight down, most self-contained units for residential use have smaller solution and recovery tanks. That means it may take multiple trips to the kitchen sink to fill the solution tanks with hot water, and empty out the recovery tank. How much area is covered with each fill up varies, depending on how big the tanks are and how quickly or slowly you move across the carpet when cleaning. The average ideal speed for many carpet cleaning machines is about 3 seconds per foot (but always follow the manufacturer’s recommendation); perhaps even slower for dirtier carpets and mats.
Durability
The last thing you want is a unit that breaks often or needs repairing after only one or two uses. Some brands are notorious for problems: bad motor, spray nozzle getting clogged, etc. Check with local vacuum and cleaning equipment repair shops since they often have experience with the reliability of different brands.
Value
A home-sized carpet extractor often retails between $300-$1500. Is it really cost effective? How long will it be before it pays for itself? If you chose to have a professional with a truck mounted or other CRI-approved system come to your house and clean your carpets periodically (as you should), it may cost several hundred dollars if you have a large house. By choosing a compact commercial unit, you can extend the intervals between professional cleanings and your return on investment can occur rather quickly. Thus, judicious and regular use of a CRI-approved extractor can be money well spent!
