DIY Carpet Cleaning vs Professional Carpet Cleaning

Carpet cleaning rental machines can be found in many supermarkets and DIY stores.

They’re often positioned near checkouts and emblazoned with a cheap headline price to try and get weary shoppers to take the plunge.

The next time you’re at the supermarket, we advise you give them a wide berth.

Yes, I know, we’re bound to say that, considering we’re a professional carpet cleaning company.

But we have good reason to advise you against cleaning your carpets with a rental machine.

Let’s take a closer look at the pros and cons of renting a DIY machine vs hiring a professional company to clean your carpets.

Equipment: DIY vs. Professional

DIY carpet cleaning can appear attractive to homeowners who want to save money due to its reputation for being more affordable than professional carpet cleaning. It is also seen as a convenient option due to the ability to clean your carpets at a time to suit you.

However, there are drawbacks to consider.

Rental machines are not anywhere near as powerful or effective as professional-grade equipment, and this results in a less thorough and effective clean. The lack of suction can also lead to over-wetting your carpets which can potentially damage them.

There have been many cases where we’ve been called by a distraught customer that has used a DIY carpet cleaning machine and been left with carpets that have been damp for days and the moisture soaked through to the underlay, leaving a lingering, foul odour.

High-quality professional machines, such as those manufactured by Texatherm, can produce efficient pressure, stable temperatures and better suction for more effective cleaning results. These machines remove stubborn ingrained dirt and moisture from the fibres, preventing shrinkage, browning and other potential damage.

Chemicals and Products: DIY vs. Professional

The cleaning solutions and products used in DIY carpet cleaning are usually purchased alongside the rental of the machine at a shop.

This means there is a risk of using the wrong chemical on the wrong type of carpet.

This can cause discolouration and permanent damage to carpets.

Professionally trained carpet cleaning companies use high-quality cleaning solutions and stain removal products that will be suitable for your type of carpet. These products are also more effective at removing dirt and stains without causing damage to carpets.

When you hire a professional, fully-insured and experienced carpet cleaning technician, you remove the risk from the carpet cleaning process.

Cost: DIY vs. Professional

The cost of DIY carpet cleaning will vary depending on the brand of machine, the cleaning solutions purchased, and the shop from which it is hired.

While the cost of professional carpet cleaning services will usually be higher than renting a machine, this is offset by the quality of results, the peace of mind, and the time-saving.

You’re paying for the experience, training and skill of a professional, and when you consider that once you add the purchase of chemicals to the rental cost and the time it takes to carry out the cleaning process, it’s not quite as attractive a deal as it first appeared.

Conclusion

It’s safe to say we’re not the biggest fans of rental machines.

The risk/benefit ratio simply does not stack up and the results don’t compare to what we can achieve for our customers.

And so, if you’re considering renting a machine, we’d advise calling a local, professional carpet cleaning company first and asking for a quotation.

If you’re based in South Wales and would like some friendly advice or a free quotation, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us today.