Carpet Cleaning Process: What to Expect Before, During, and After

Your carpets have needed a good scrubbing for a long time. Finally, you booked a professional carpet cleaning company to come over and clean your carpets. While the primary reason you hired an expert is because of convenience, you also want them to be efficient and thorough when cleaning your carpets. 

To help you, here's a list of what to do before and after cleaning, as well as what to expect during the carpet cleaning process.

Before the carpet cleaning process

Tidy the floor. Make sure to keep your floor free from any objects that may interrupt the cleaning process. Take time to tidy up any toys, pins, books, or crafts you may have lying around. You don’t want any of these things to get sucked up by the powerful truck-mounted equipment.

Vacuum. Vacuuming removes small debris and loosens deep-seated dirt from your carpet. Doing this will ensure that the carpet cleaner can efficiently clean your floor coverings.

Take drapes and dust skirts off the floor. To protect your draperies and dust skirts from moisture, make sure they are at least six inches above the floor. Pin them up or tie a rubber band around them, so they don’t get in the way of the cleaning equipment. 

Move small furniture. Relocate easy-to-move items like small tables, chairs, and cabinets to an area that does not require cleaning. While your carpet cleaners can move these items for you, it's better if you move them first, so they can focus on cleaning your space.

Remove delicate items from the cleaning area. Keep your precious things and other fragile home decor in a safe place. You certainly don’t want them knocked over as the carpet cleaners get the job done.

Keep your pets outdoors or move them to a room. Since cleaning machines make noises that might irritate your pet, it’s highly recommended that you keep them away until the carpets are fully cleaned. 

Make a list of your carpet problems. Carpet cleaners are committed to providing you with the most efficient and effective carpet cleaning service. Hence, it is crucial to specify what type of stain problems you have and how long the stains have existed. 

Provide a parking space for the truck-mounted equipment. Whenever possible, you should provide access to a parking area near your door, so your cleaning professionals can easily use their truck-mounted equipment.

Before calling in for a professional carpet cleaning, know if your area is serviceable. 

During the carpet cleaning process

Inspection. During this stage, the professional carpet cleaner will look around your home and determine the spots where you need special attention. 

Preconditioning agents are sprayed. For more thorough cleaning, a preconditioning agent is applied to your carpet. When filtration soil or severely soiled areas are involved, the carpet cleaners will pay special attention to that part as well. 

Soil extraction and rinse. After the preconditioning, your cleaning experts will use high-temperature water and powerful suction machines to extract the dirt. 

Apply spot treatment. The experts will ensure that all stains are removed from your carpet. If, however, there are still stains after cleaning, a post spot treatment is applied. 

Grooming. This process is done using equipment that will make your carpet pile softer and fluffier.

Speed dry. A high-efficiency carpet drying machine is used to accelerate the drying process. 

After the carpet cleaning process

Post cleaning Inspection. At this stage, the professional carpet cleaner will inspect the carpets and make sure you're satisfied with the results.

Keep the airflow continuous. Though carpet cleaners will extract most of the liquid, your carpet is likely to be damp when they leave. In this case, it is recommended that you keep air flowing in your home. If you do this, you will help any moisture remaining in the fibers to evaporate faster.

Don’t step on wet carpets. Avoid stepping or walking on your carpet until it is completely dry. If you step on it while it is still damp, you risk leaving new stains on your carpet. 

Avoid putting furniture on wet carpets. Carpet professionals recommend that you leave any wood furniture off the carpet for 24 hours. Putting your furniture back while the carpet is still wet may affect the fluffiness of the carpet fibers. Doing this can also result in mold formation under the carpet that could negatively impact your health.

Vacuum after cleaning. Vacuuming your carpet after it has completely dried will remove any remaining dirt. This also lifts the carpet fibers, which helps keep them fluffy.

Put mats on entryways to add a level of protection. Once your carpets are cleaned, you want to keep them that way as long as possible. One way to do this is by having mats on your entryways. Mats prevent dust and dirt from entering your home.

Cleaning your carpet takes a lot of work. That’s why you can rely on professionals to clean your carpet with ease. If you haven’t booked a service yet, get in touch with your nearest carpet cleaning company in Colorado today.