The Dangers of DIY Carpet Cleaning

Cleaning your own carpets may seem like the best solution at the moment if you just spilled something or a pet had an accident. People often head to the store and buy whatever they see first that promises to remove stains or mask pet odors, but in reality, these products often cause much more damage to the carpet than the spot itself. At Zerorez®, we have seen plenty of evidence to show that store-bought products can bleach and destroy your carpets. Here are a few examples of DIY carpet cleaning problems that can arise:

Rentals might be dirtier than your carpet. If you are using a rental machine from a store, odds are, it hasn’t been cleaned recently. All that dirt from someone else’s carpet just gets deposited onto yours, creating a bigger mess and almost no reward. While it is better than nothing, it doesn’t leave your floors as clean as they need to be in order to protect them from the microabrasions and matting of the fibers. This can cause premature wear, resulting in the need to replace your carpets more often.

It's nearly impossible to get soap and chemicals out. Using these rental machines not only deposits someone else’s dirt and grime onto your carpet, but they flood your floors with water and harsh chemicals that the machine itself simply cannot suck up. Because many people use them and they are a smaller mechanism, they don’t have the power to lift the dirt, soaps, and water from the carpet, creating longer dry times and crunchy, sticky residues.

Store-bought products can make matters worse. While many people believe that they can perform carpet cleaning themselves, the reality is that store-bought products can actually cause more harm than good. Carpet cleaners are usually full of soaps, detergents, and harsh chemicals. This often results in unsightly bleach spots and a dirt-attracting residue on your carpet. Zerorez® uses a unique alkalized water that cleans just like soap, but leaves your carpets feeling softer and cleaner than any DIY cleaner can.

Pet odor products are typically just a mask for the scent. When dealing with a new puppy or an old furry friend, accidents can happen often. Your gut instinct may be to run to the store and purchase an expensive spray bottle of a product that promises to lift the scent and clean your carpet, but these products are mostly only able to serve as a mask for the scent, and dogs can still smell the urine crystals that have found their way to the carpet backing. The lingering scent can prompt more accidents and result in discoloration if not treated properly.

While we will always recommend vacuuming at least once a week, DIY carpet cleaning is a lot more trouble than it’s worth. It takes more time to do it yourself, it leaves residue and other people’s dirt behind, and it takes forever to dry. Simplify your carpet cleaning with Zerorez®. Not only do we use non-toxic, eco-friendly cleaning solutions, but we eliminate that fear of destroying your carpet thanks to our Zr Water®. Because we use a gentle, yet effective alkalized water, we are able to avoid causing discoloration or bleach spots. Call your local Zerorez® now to book your next appointment and preserve your carpets.