A regular carpet cleaning is key to keeping your carpet clean and healthy, and when you're considering a carpet flooring installation, it's important to think about how you will accomplish your carpet cleaning. Some homeowners consider doing a DIY carpet cleaning to save money, but there are a few questions to ask yourself when deciding if this is a viable option.

How Will You Get Your Equipment?

In terms of logistics, the first thing to think about is where you will get your equipment. Buying a good steam cleaning system is expensive, so consider whether you could rent steam cleaning equipment or borrow it from a friend or neighbor. Some people opt to have professional cleaning simply to avoid this upfront expense, so factor this in when you're estimating the cost of carpet installation.

Do You Have Time to Clean Regularly?

Learning how to clean your own carpet is most valuable when you are willing to set aside time regularly to maintain the carpet. For instance, many carpets need to be cleaned once a year, and this may even be included in your warranty as a requirement. If you don't feel that you will have time to set aside each year for this full-day job, then you might want to hire a carpet cleaning service that can come each year to go the job for you.

How Much Physical Strength Do You Have?

Carpet cleaning can be a fairly strenuous activity, when done right. Consider whether you have the energy and physical stamina to do the job yourself. For instance, carpet cleaning will require that you move all of the furniture out of the way, so that the cleaning is thorough. While many professional steam cleaning machines have attachments that allow you to clean nooks and crannies without getting down to the ground, there is some lifting and bending involved with the cleaning. And considering that the job can take several hours to a full day, there is a lot of exercise involved with carpet cleaning.

How Concerned Are You About Quality?

In general, you can do a decent DIY job with some home equipment and a little bit of research. But a home steam carpet cleaning is often most effective when it's done by a professional. This is, in part, due to the equipment they use. An industrial steam cleaner uses higher temperatures and a larger engine for the job. This means that the cleaners are able to extract more dirt from the carpet. With these more effective cleanings, you may be able to extend the life of your carpet and the time in between cleanings.