Most Effective Carpet Cleaner: Shampoo or Machine?
Most Effective Carpet Cleaner: Shampoo or Machine?
Have you ever felt like your carpet has turned into a piece of abstract art due to annoying stains caused by kids' constant messing around or sudden drink spills?! This may mean that you need to use a deep, powerful carpet cleaner. If it doesn't restore the freshness of the first day of the carpet, then at least it will make it clean and fresh again.
The carpet cleaner helps maintain the beautiful appearance of the carpet and provides a healthy environment in which children do not suffer from frequent allergies due to the unexpected build-up of dust and dirt in the carpet fabric. In this article, we discuss the different types of carpet cleaners, whether manual or automatic, so that all possible options that help clean carpets effectively become clear to you.
Contents
Carpet shampoo
Carpet shampoo is a cleaning product intended for washing carpets by hand. It comes in different forms and uses such as:
- Liquid carpet cleaner: It is the most common type and is a liquid soap intended for carpets.
- Powder carpet cleaner: It is a powder that works to clean daily stains and dirt without the need to dry the carpet. Sprinkle the powder on the stain and leave it for some time as per the instructions for use, then vacuum it up using a vacuum cleaner.
- Spray carpet cleaner: This type focuses on treating a specific spot, such as a tea or coffee spill. Spray the product directly onto the stain, rub it in, wait for it to dry, and then vacuum over it to remove any residue.
- Foaming Carpet Cleaner: Similar to a spray cleaner, it works the same way but takes on a foamy consistency.
- Specialized carpet cleaner: Dedicated to certain types of fabrics such as soft handmade carpets and carpets made of wool, as it eliminates stains safely without damaging the pile and maintains the color of the carpets bright.
How to choose the right carpet shampoo
Before buying carpet shampoo, read the information written on the packaging carefully, then note the following:
the ingredients
Carpet shampoos often use strong cleaning ingredients like bleach and hydrogen peroxide, which are especially harmful to allergy sufferers and young children. So before buying make sure that the shampoo is safe for you and your family, read the labels and certifications that it has been awarded as a preferred product by environmental protection organizations, in addition to indicating that the ingredients are biodegradable and non-toxic.
fragrance
Adding fragrance to carpet shampoo is a common occurrence, because the fragrance has the ability to mask the smell of leftover stains on the carpet and the pungent smell of its chemical ingredients. If you have allergies, you should choose a carpet shampoo that is fragrance-free or contains little or no fragrance.
cleaning power
The manufacturer will often indicate the types of stains the carpet shampoo will remove, for example drink spills, food residue, and vomit. If you need a powerful carpet cleaner, choose the one that handles the largest number of types of stains and the most annoying ones.
Quantity
Carpet shampoo is sold in different size packages, if the house contains a lot of carpets or the carpets are exposed to constant dirt due to the presence of children, for example, then the best choice is the large-sized packages.
carpet type
Your rug may be made of soft fabrics such as silk and wool. Note whether the shampoo is safe for these fabrics or not before purchasing.
Automated carpet cleaner
The automatic carpet cleaner is a machine that offers a cleaning solution specially designed for carpets. With a powerful brush head to reach its depths and remove all stains, the carpet cleaner plays an important role in refreshing the carpets and making them look new.
The idea of a carpet cleaning machine is based on two main components, two tanks, one clean and the other dirty, where the cleaning solution is placed in the clean tank and then after pressing the start button, the solution is sprayed on the carpet and then sucked back into the dirty tank.
The different types of carpet cleaning machine come with many pieces, each with a specific use, such as a brush with thick rubber teeth that removes cat hair, and a brush with a narrow nozzle for corners and small areas that are difficult to reach, and it is also sometimes suitable for cleaning hard floors, upholstery, and even stairs.
One of the main disadvantages of carpet cleaning machines is that they are not cheap, but the difficult task they perform makes them a sound investment in order to keep the carpets fresh and in good condition for a long time.
Types of carpet cleaning machine
Basic carpet cleaner machine
It is the most common type, it depends on the power of steam for cleaning, where the tank is filled with water and a fragrant detergent, then when operating the machine crawls on the carpet and a black liquid flows into the unclean tank carrying all the stains and dirt, and some models are strong enough to remove cat hair as well .
The machine is characterized by the ease of filling and changing water, and its basic shape is a flat head on the ground that is controlled by a long hand that includes the two cleaning tanks. The thickness of the hand varies, and the thicker it is, the lighter it is, but that does not necessarily mean that it is less powerful.
Portable Carpet Cleaner
If the area of the carpet is small, the appropriate carpet cleaner may be the portable carpet cleaner, as it comes in a small size consisting of the main unit of the tanks, but it does not contain a long solid arm, but rather a hose for movement so that it is easy to carry. It works with the same idea as a regular carpet cleaning machine, forcing water into the fabric and then sucking it back up.
Automatic carpet cleaner
This type of carpet cleaner uses motion sensing technology, as it pumps the cleaning fluid when it moves forward and absorbs it when it moves backward, not only that, but some types come with a feature of measuring the amount of liquid that it pumps according to the extent of the dirt of the pile, which means that it is economical and smart in managing the cleaning fluid .
Multipurpose carpet cleaner
This type can be used to clean anything, including clothes, mattresses, glass, dishwashers, and toilets, and some use it to remove wallpaper as well. It comes with a long power cord, a steam hose, and numerous accessories such as a triangular brush for tough corners and a mop.
Your guide to buying a carpet cleaning machine
You may find it difficult to choose the right machine from among the many names in the market such as Bissell, Hoover and Black & Decker, but there are a number of important factors that you can consider in order to reach the best choice for you, these factors include the following:
size and weight
If the carpet cleaner is so heavy that it is difficult to carry it from one place to another, this may discourage you from using it in the first place because of the hardship of carrying. On the contrary, lighter weight and a suitable size mean easier use. Therefore, compare the weights of the different models before purchasing and note the components that make moving with it easy. such as wheels and handles.
Power
The power of a carpet cleaning machine means two things, the first is the ability to pump liquid deep into the pile to remove old stains, and the second is the ability to quickly dry the carpet after cleaning it.
Length of the wire
Some types come with a rechargeable battery, but most carpet cleaning machines contain a wire to obtain continuous and strong electricity. The longer the wire, the easier it is to move the machine from one place to another, so that you do not need to move to another electrical socket during use.
Tank capacity
Think about the size of the carpets at home. If the pieces are small and few, the small capacity of the tank will not be an obstacle to cleaning the carpets by filling the tank only once. If the carpet area is large, the appropriate carpet cleaning machine is the one that comes with a large tank capacity.
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accessories
Accessories are the complementary components that come with the machine such as the cat hair remover brush, narrow-nosed brush for tricky corners, expandable hoses and machine cleaning brushes. These attachments help clean carpets on stairs, between furniture and any other hard-to-reach areas, so think about all your needs before purchasing.
Which carpet cleaner is right for you?
After discussing the types of carpet cleaners, you may now have a question which is better to wash the carpets with a liquid carpet cleaner (carpet shampoo) or clean them with an automatic carpet cleaner (steam machine). The answer to this question depends on comparing the two methods in terms of the following aspects:
Difficulty staining
Deep stains need to use carpet shampoo, which can reach them better than a cleaning machine, while the machine succeeds in getting rid of surface stains and eliminating bacteria and germs due to the power of steam.
Submitted effort
There is no doubt that the carpet cleaning machine is the most easy to use and requires no effort, while using carpet shampoo requires great effort in washing and then rinsing more than once.
resources
The carpet cleaning machine consumes electricity in addition to the cleaning fluid and a little water, while the carpet shampoo consumes a lot of water and does not need any electricity at all.
drying
Cleaning using carpet shampoo needs to dry the carpet well from the heavy water that drips from it after cleaning it, leaving it for a full day or more until it dries completely, while using a carpet cleaning machine only takes a few hours. If you prefer a shorter drying time or need your carpet quickly, a machine is the best option.
Can a carpet cleaner be prepared at home?
Natural carpet cleaners are characterized by the fact that they do not leave chemical deposits that may harm the carpet fabric, as is the case with industrial cleaners, and they can also be prepared with ingredients already in the house, or they can be purchased at a low price and kept for purposes other than carpet cleaning.
Before using any natural cleaner, it is advised to test a small amount of it on an insignificant area on the carpet to ensure that it does not change the colors of the carpet. Here are two of the best and simplest ingredient-based ways to make a natural carpet cleaner at home:
Baking soda and vinegar
They are the best mixtures used to remove most types of stains from carpets. Both are chemical compounds. When alkaline baking soda reacts with acidic vinegar, it produces a safe gas accompanied by foam that helps clean carpets.
Vinegar and dishwashing liquid
Although the above mixture is generally safe, it may leave residue on dark-colored carpets. Therefore, it is recommended to replace baking soda with dishwashing liquid. This mixture treats greasy stains in particular effectively, given that dishwashing liquid is designed to eliminate fat.
Conclusion
Whatever your choice of carpet cleaner, whether it's a shampoo or a carpet cleaning machine, both options provide a decent cleaning for your carpets, leaving your floors looking clean again.
We hope this article helped you learn about the best possible carpet cleaner!
Sources:
https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/uk/house-and-home/household-advice/g26306043/best-carpet-cleaning-machines/
https://nymag.com/strategist/article/best-carpet-steam-cleaner.html machine
https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/appliances/a25804817/best-carpet-cleaners-reviews/ machine
https://www.thisoldhouse.com/cleaning/reviews/how-to-shampoo-your-carpet
https://www.porterscleaning.com/blog/what-does-it-mean-if-my-carpet-cleaning-water-is-black/
https://www.getcarpetcleaningorlando.com/blog/carpet-cleaning/is-it-better-to-shampoo-or-steam-clean-carpets/
https://www.thisoldhouse.com/flooring/23040662/best-carpet-shampoo
https://www.expertreviews.co.uk/home/1407294/best-carpet-shampoo-best-cleaning-products-powders
https://masterblend.net/products/oriental-rug-shampoo
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