DIY Carpet Cleaning Horror Stories: What Could Possibly Go Wrong?
There is truly nothing as comforting as the feeling of a nice warm rug under your feet after a long day of work. There is also nothing as irksome as a dirty carpet whether it is ugly eyesore stains or annoying particles tickling your feet. For this and many other reasons, it is super important to have your carpet cleaned on a regular basis.
We are in a day and age where do it yourself projects are all the rage. So should you do the same for your carpet? Should you just open a video and follow that step by step guide to get rid of dirt and stains for your carpet? Simply put; no.
First of all, it is a logistical nightmare as so much special equipment is required. And hiring might just cost you as much as you wish to save. Then there is the time and energy investment which may not always pay out especially with tricky stains. In addition to all these, a lot could go wrong for you and your carpet should you choose the DIY route and here are 9 such nightmare scenarios.
9 things that could go wrong with DIY carpet cleaning
- Exposure to harmful agents
Carpet cleaning is a lot more dangerous than a lot of us realize. First of all, a lot of chemicals are involved in the process. Then there are the trouble makers like pests, germs and mould that call your carpet home. All these could cause you harm in the process of cleaning the carpet leaving you with reactions and even infections that would very easily have been avoided. There is also the risk of injury from things like steam and heavy machinery in the cleaning prices which makes DIY an even worse idea.
- Carpet fibre damage
Sometimes, you might end up doing more harm than good to your carpet when you decide to clean it yourself. Every single type of carpet has its own specific cleaning needs. Some require strong chemicals while others are damaged by them. Some require a lot of water while others respond better to less water-saturated methods. All this is knowledge and skill that you might not have and you may therefore end up employing carpet cleaning techniques that damage your carpet fibres.
- Carpet discolouration
When it comes to do it yourself carpet cleaning there is also the risk of discolouring the fabric. This can happen in a number of ways including use of too much of the cleaning chemicals as well as harsh mechanical cleaning techniques. How you choose to dry the carpet could also lead to discolouration as is the case with sun drying natural fibre carpets. Here, again it is the lack of understanding of every fibre’s needs that will cause the problem so it is best to leave it to skilled and experienced professionals.
- Inefficient cleaning
Imagine after all that time and effort that you put in you end up with a carpet that is still dirty or stained. This, unfortunately, happens to a lot of people who venture into the world of DIY carpet cleaning. It takes experience to know how to handle different types of filth whether it is grimy food particles coating the fibres or stubborn stains that just won’t let your carpet go.
- Worsening of stains
Yep, you read that right. Your effort to clean your own carpet could actually worsen the stains already present. This happens when wrong cleaning or drying techniques are used on the carpet. In this case, you could have bleeding of the staining pigments into surrounding fibres. So what was once a small dark stain becomes a larger albeit paler one that is every bit as annoying to look at.
- Damaging cleaning equipment
Your health and your carpets are not the only one at risk should you choose to clean your carpet yourself. If you go with rental equipment there is always the chance that you could damage it. If you think those weird modes on your vacuum cleaner are complicated wait till you see what professional equipment has to offer. And no, reading the manual may not be enough for you to get the grasp of things. So spare yourself the cost of damages and just hire a professional carpet cleaner.
- Too much product; or too little
This is a common rookie mistake you will see in both DIY carpet cleaning project and inexperienced carpet cleaners. As such, it is important not just to work with professionals but to ensure that you get the best in the business. It takes experience and skilled intuition to know just how much carpet shampoo or deodorizer product to use. Too much and you might end up with a carpet that reeks of industrial chemicals. Not enough and you might not see the results that you invested your time and energy on.
- Damage to underlying floor material
If you choose to clean your carpet yourself you are also putting your floorboards at risk. This usually happens when the carpet is reinstalled without having it properly dry. It could also be due to use of water saturation methods without removing the carpet from the room. Wood floors, laminate panels and the grout between ceramic tiles are the most common victims of this DIY horror story.
- Loss of warranty coverage
Most homeowners do not know this but some carpet brands base the validity of their warranty on factors like how you get it cleaned. If you get it professionally handled then the warranty stands and you will get compensation as per the terms and conditions. These companies, however, do not reimburse you should your carpet get damaged in the prices of DIY cleaning.
Bottom line; get a professional to do it
After all is said and done, it is way better to get professional carpet cleaning than run all these risks. The good news is that there are a lot of great crews out there with pristine results promising great value for your money. So instead of looking out cleaning equipment rentals just focus your time and energy on finding a good team in your budget range. It will be well worth the investment.
DIY Carpet Cleaning Horror Stories: What Could Possibly Go Wrong?