Experts estimate that the global carpet market was worth $51.9 billion in 2018. Come 2026; they project it to have a value amounting to a whopping $73.9 billion.
In the US alone, carpets and rugs have accounted for more than half of the flooring market for years. In 2020, their market share was a considerable 54%.
Despite their popularity, carpets tend to harbor copious amounts of dust and allergens. That should be a good enough reason to invest in professional carpet cleaning.
Still, you may be wondering when exactly to let the pros handle the job. Wouldn’t regular DIY vacuuming suffice?
To answer these questions, we came up with this list of the top signs you need to hire expert carpet cleaners. Read on to discover what they are, why DIY won’t cut it, and why experts are the best people for the task.
A Member of Your Household Is Always Down With Something
Carpeted floors can have six to 14 times more dust mite allergens than smooth floors. Dust mites are microscopic bugs that can trigger allergic reactions, such as sneezing. Folks with dust mite allergy can also experience breathing difficulties.
Dust mites love to live in anything warm, humid, and full of shed skin. That’s what they feast on; skin shedding from both humans and animals. That’s also why they like to nest and breed in carpeting materials.
Unfortunately, traditional dry vacuuming won’t get rid of dust mites in your carpets. For this reason, health experts recommend using steam carpet cleaning methods instead. Aside from picking up the dust mites, the steam from the machine also kills the bugs.
The thing is, steam cleaning is a complex process that requires precise heating of water. It also involves the use of a special steam vacuum designed for deep cleaning carpets. You can’t just boil some water and fan the steam over the carpets.
What’s more, steam cleaning requires immediate and thorough drying of the fabrics. Otherwise, mold spores can germinate within the carpet in just 24 to 48 hours.
That’s why it’s best to hire a professional carpet cleaner. These experts utilize industry-grade steam vacs to carry out the cleaning process. They also use high-efficiency fans and drying equipment to prevent mold growth.
You’ve Developed Olfactory Fatigue
Did you know that humans have the power to detect up to 10,000 types of odorants? Unfortunately, this ability can get impaired after chronic exposure to odors. This deadening of the sense of smell is what you call “olfactory fatigue.”
You may develop olfactory fatigue when you get so used to the bad smells that your carpets emit. One way to tell that this has occurred is if you get guests who wrinkle their noses and you’re not sure why. Your malodorous carpets have likely overwhelmed their sense of smell.
In any case, this can put your health at risk as you may be breathing in harmful smells without even noticing it.
So, don’t wait until you have guests who become put off by your stinky carpets. If you haven’t cleaned your carpets for a long time, hire one of the carpet cleaning companies near you.
Your Carpets Now Look Like Cowhide
Coffee, tea, and wine stains are a pain to remove because they contain tannins. In turn, tannins are mordant materials; they affix the color of a material to another material. This is why time is of the essence when it comes to cleaning up such spills or stains.
If you’ve already had a bunch of spilled drinks, your carpets now likely look like they have large polka dots. A tannin stain remover may still do the trick if you only have a few of these cow-hide-like stains. However, if your carpets now have blots all over them, it’s best to call in the pros.
Professional carpet cleaning services use industry-approved textile cleaning solutions. The reputable ones use only carpet cleaning chemicals that meet US safety standards. Most of these carpet cleaning experts use US EPA Safer Choice-Certified products.
Your Carpets Feel Gritty and Icky
One study found that the exterior of a two-week-old pair of shoes can harbor as many as 421,000 units of bacteria. Their interior side also housed almost 3,000 bacterial units. Of all the shoes used in the study, 96% presented fecal bacteria.
Even if you don’t step on your carpets with your shoes on, microbes can still find their way into your carpets. Keep in mind that many of these pathogens spread through surface contact.
For instance, the bacteria can transfer to your hands when you take your shoes off. From there, the bacteria can spread when you touch the carpets with your unwashed hands.
Indoor air pollutants, like dust, shed skin, and particles can also settle on your carpets. Small pieces of food can also fall onto your flooring and, from there, attract pests and vermin. In any case, all these contaminants can make your carpets feel disgusting.
If walking on your carpets makes you feel appalled, it’s time to get them cleaned by experts. Chances are, they’ve grown quite sticky and filthy that they can already make you sick. Have the pros give them a deep clean before you actually fall ill.
You Don’t Want to Use Carpet Cleaning Chemicals
Many carpet cleaners are safe, but some, like perchloroethylene, can have health effects. Also known as “perc,” perchloroethylene is a chemical used in dry cleaning operations. Getting exposed to too much perc can irritate the eyes, skin, nose, throat, or lungs.
Naphthalene is another common carpet cleaning ingredient, as it helps break down dirt. However, it can give off fumes known to cause dizziness, nausea, and disorientation. The US EPA has also classified it as a possible carcinogen (cancer-causing).
As such, it’s understandable if you don’t feel at ease using carpet cleaning solutions. However, this doesn’t mean you should just let your carpets get filthier and filthier. Dirty carpets can be health risks, too, just like these cleaning chemicals.
One of your best options, then, is to hire carpet cleaners who use all-natural solutions. Some of these are plant-based cleaners free of soap, detergents, and harmful chemicals.
Go With Professional Carpet Cleaning to Rescue Your Plush Flooring
Keep in mind that high-quality carpets can last for more than a decade, sometimes even up to 20 years. However, they will only do so with proper care and maintenance. Professional carpet cleaning can help keep your carpets as plush for as long as possible.
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