The temptation to reduce costs often leads many homeowners to undertaking carpet cleaning without hiring professionals. However, some inexperienced homeowners can make mistakes that can affect the cleanliness and durability of their carpets. This article discusses some of those common mistakes that you should avoid.

Using Too Much Soap

Some homeowners use more soap than is recommended thinking that their carpets will get cleaner sooner. Such carpets may have visible soap residues after they have been cleaned. Avoid these residues by using slightly less than the recommended quantity of soap in the water that you use to clean the carpets. Why less soap? Most DIY carpet cleaning machines don't have sufficient power to suck out all the soap and water from the carpets. Using a smaller amount of soap will therefore reduce the likelihood of soap residues forming on the carpets while you use the DIY equipment.

Delaying to Rinse

It is not advisable for you to apply the water/soap mixture on the entire carpet before you rinse off that soapy water. First, the delay will allow the soap to dry and form stains on the carpets. Secondly, the chemicals in the soap can degrade the carpet fibres if the soap is allowed to sit for long. It is therefore better for you to rinse the carpet shortly after you have made the pass that placed soap and water on a section of the carpet.

Rubbing Stains

You should never rub a stain that you are trying to clean off your carpet. Rubbing spreads that stain over a larger section of the carpet. Simply blot the stain and repeat the stain removal technique several times until the stain is removed completely. It is also advisable for you to tackle the stain from its outer fringes as you move towards its center so that any water in the cloth you are using doesn't spread the stain.

Rushing the Drying Process

Don't increase the temperature setting of your AC in order to make the carpet to dry quickly after a cleaning exercise. That elevated temperature will mislead you into thinking that the entire carpet is dry once its surface fibres dry in that higher temperature. Mould and mildew may then grow in the deeper fibres of the carpet once you close the windows and doors under the mistaken belief that the carpet has dried fully. Furniture legs can also stain the wet carpets. Avoid these problems by turning the dehumidifier on and leaving the carpet to air dry for about 8-hours.

Hire professional carpet cleaners for a carpet cleaning periodically, such as twice each year. Such deep cleaning will remove any dirt that your DIY equipment was unable to extract.