Types of Carpet Cleaners

Narrowing the types of carpet cleaners for your home comes down to your needs and lifestyle. Consider these ideas before your start your search:

• New Home or New-to-You Home: If you move into a new home, don’t assume the carpet is clean and move-in ready. We recommend a deep carpet cleaning session. This will remove excess debris from construction, foot traffic or previous residents.
• Rent vs. Buy: If you live in a large household with children or pets, purchase a carpet cleaner you can use at any time. For those in smaller households with less storage and less foot traffic, or those who rent their home, renting home carpet cleaners may be a great option.
• Tools, Accessories and Features: If you have a lot of furniture, area rugs or stairs, choose a carpet cleaner with accessories. An extended hose, upholstery tools and crevice tools are all helpful. Consider additional features like separate tanks for water and floor cleaning products. These eliminate the need for manual-mixing and can save time.
• Maintenance: A carpet cleaning machine must also be cleaned. The machines with removable brushes, tools and hoses are easier to maintain than those that you need to lift, turn upside down or reach deep inside of to clean.
• Tank-Size: The larger the tank, the more space you can clean with your machine. It will decrease the amount of times you will need to change out the water.
• Proper Ventilation: Even the best home carpet cleaners can be loud, and some cleaners can also exude fumes. Be sure to open a window while cleaning and always wear ear protection.

Owning a pet means unwanted stains and shedding. We recommend deep cleaning your carpets at least once a year. Here are the top features to keep in mind when you’re searching for the best carpet cleaner for pets:

• Cleaning Power: You want to look for a machine with a powerful motor. Deep cleaning machines will also double as pet odor and stain removers.
• Large Tank: A larger tank means the machine can handle more cleaning solution. It will also cover larger areas and make your job easier.
• Accessories: Look for machines that feature extra tools, like vacuum brushes that can remove pet hair from the carpet.

These deep cleaning machines tend to be larger and a bit more costly than smaller options. However, the investment could help ensure savings on re-carpeting the house.

Certain area rugs, like hand-knotted, wool and antiques, cannot be put in the washing machine. These must be hand-washed or professionally cleaned. Investing in your own carpet cleaner to treat area rug stains can help save time and money in the long run. Keep these key features in mind when looking for the best rug cleaner:

• Good Water Extraction: This will lead to speedier drying time so you won’t saturate the small area and can put furniture back faster.
• Moving Brushes: Dirt can seep into fibers and area rugs can hold everything from crumbs to foot-traffic stains. A machine with a brush will lift out crumbs and any other debris that may be trapped in area rug fibers.
• Ease of Use: Because you aren’t tackling a large rug or area, consider a lightweight machine that is easy to push around and lift.

Whether you live in a small space or need to freshen up the interior of your car, a portable carpet cleaner is a relatively inexpensive way to ensure your carpets are clean and germ-free. Here are the features to look for in a handheld carpet cleaner:

• Stores Easily: Look for a machine that can fit in the trunk of a car, garage shelving or a corner of the laundry room.
• Tools: These machines are small, but their tools should be mighty. The attachment options should brush up pet hair from sofas, extract stains from carpet and remove dirt from car floors.
• Ease of Use: Certain machines will offer a hands-free option so you can simply plug it in and watch it work. The cleaner should be lightweight, with an easy-to-use water reservoir and a mid-size hose.

Choosing the right floor care and keeping a consistent cleaning schedule is important. This can mean the difference between keeping a carpet soft and clean or having to replace it often.

• Deep-clean carpets every 12 to 18 months to keep them fresh and in good shape. For larger households, or those with pets and children, it may be beneficial to clean carpets twice a year.
• Cleaning carpets weekly or bi-weekly with handheld or upright carpet cleaners will help keep them clean and fresh.
• The best carpet steam cleaner or best carpet shampooer for your home will depend on the level of cleaning you prefer. A carpet shampooer will treat the surface of your carpet. A carpet steam cleaner uses heat to extract the dirt from the fibers. Decide how deep of a clean you require when choosing between shampoo carpet cleaning vs. steam cleaning.