How to Use a Carpet Cleaner: A Beginner’s Guide

Carpets endure a lot of wear and tear in every household. If you’ve ever dealt with stains or accumulated dust before, then you know that cleaning them can be a frustrating chore. Stepping up to a quality carpet cleaner, however, can save the day – especially if your current cleaning technique is DIY with a brush and water.

Now you may wonder: do I really need one? In short, yes. If you have a busy household with a lot of carpets, a carpet cleaner might be a smart addition. It will amp up your cleaning game and make short work of ground-in dirt and stains in a way even the best vacuums can’t. Not to mention the fraction of the cost that comes with buying a carpet cleaner over hiring a professional cleaning service.

So, how do you use a carpet cleaner? It may seem a bit daunting at first, but it’s fairly easy once you get the hang of it. In order to help you get started, we’ll give you step-by-step instructions, including recommendations on how to use a carpet cleaner like a pro.

What are the benefits of a carpet cleaner?

How to use a carpet cleaner

Cleaning your carpet with a cleaner has many long-term advantages. First off, using a cleaner will drastically cut back on your cleaning time since you won’t be manually scrubbing the carpets for hours on end. Using carpet cleaning machines is the most effective method in getting rid of accumulated dust, dirt, or debris over any other cleaning solution on the market. They reach deep into the surface to extract everything, leaving your carpets pristine. 

While you might be thinking that your current vacuum is enough to get the job done, the problem is that dust, dirt and grime become ingrained into the carpet’s fibers over time — and vacuuming will only get you as far as removing the surface dirt. A professional carpet cleaner will get deeper into the carpet to extract the dirt and debris left behind by regular vacuuming.

If you’ve ever considered throwing away your dull carpet because of old age, think again. The mechanism of this powerful tool will lift the dirt out and return some color back into those fibers. With the cleaner, you’ll be able to restore the old carpets to their original state. 

Arguably, the most beneficial reason to own a carpet cleaner lies in the fact that it promotes an overall healthier living environment. Bacteria and allergens that live in our carpets can contaminate your indoor air quality. This can trigger respiratory problems, including deteriorating the state of those who already suffer from allergies or asthma. Professional carpet cleaning tools help eliminate those allergens and sanitize the carpet, providing healthier indoor air for your home.

How do I use a carpet cleaner?

We advise that you read carefully through these instructions prior to using a carpet cleaner:

Clear the Area of Furniture

Whenever possible, move any furniture off the carpet and out of the room. This enables you to clean your carpet all at once. If you can’t take everything out, then clean the carpet in sections. Work around the furniture you can’t move and maneuver the carpet cleaner carefully to avoid leaving marks or scratches.

Vacuum to remove dust/dirt/garbage

Once you have your space cleared, pre-treat the carpet with your regular carpet vacuum. Ideally, you should do it twice to get as much of the loose dirt, hair, and fluff from the carpet as possible before wetting it. This prevents the dirt from being worked further into the carpeting layer. You can also use a carpet rake to remove additional pet hair (if you have a furry friend).

Prepare the carpet cleaner according to the instructions

Make sure you read your carpet cleaner’s user manual beforehand. First, fill the water tank on your carpet cleaner with warm water and a cleaning solution. The warmer water loosens and softens dirt more quickly, making it easier to remove (and it also helps to kill bacteria). The key to cleaning your carpet efficiently is to work in straight lines. Move the cleaner slowly forward, holding down the trigger. The cleaning solution is then released, providing deep-down cleaning. Pull the carpet cleaner backward over the spot you’ve just cleaned.

How to use a carpet cleaner

As you pull backward on your carpet cleaner, it will suck everything up into the dirty water tank. Continue moving backward and forward, smoothly and more slowly than you would a regular vacuum cleaner.

The carpet cleaner market has grown substantially. Nowadays, you can find a bunch of different models at a reasonable price and with user-friendly benefits. If you’re on the lookout for a commercial carpet cleaner that can easily handle a larger space, you may want to check out this handy guide – we’ve done the research to bring you the best of the best from the market. We feel confident you’ll identify one that’ll suit your needs.

On the other hand, handheld carpet cleaners are a fairly recent development and are the most affordable option available. They’re suitable for smaller spots and stains or for immediate cleanup of spills. They tackle stains better than many traditional full-sized upright shampooers. So, if you prefer convenience in your cleaning routine, you might want to read through this list that contains what we believe are the best options for the price of handheld cleaners.

Steam cleaners have become the go-to cleaning aid for sufferers of asthma, allergies, and other respiratory sensitivities. In the long run, purchasing a steam cleaner is the more cost-effective choice. To save you the trouble of looking (and potential buyer’s remorse), we’ve summarized the key points for you to consider when buying one.

How to Keep Your Carpet Looking Its Best

Using a carpet cleaner can help clean your house more thoroughly, remove dust and dirt that you don’t want in your home, and lengthen the longevity of your carpets. Not to mention you can actually save money in the long run because you won’t need to pay rental costs. Owning one can put your mind at ease knowing that any spills that may occur can easily be removed.

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