On average, bacteria can live in carpets for up to four weeks at a time. On top of that, bed bugs are often found in both carpet fibres and wooden floorboards.¹ For this reason, regular carpet cleaning is recommended to keep your home in the best condition and it is often required for the final cleaning of your home when you move out.

Carpet cleaning prices start as low as $50 for two rooms on average. From there, prices can increase up to $100 for a five bedroom home. Carpet cleaners use the following steps to sanitise and deep clean your carpet:

1. Vacuum the carpet.
2. Pre-spray the carpet with cleaning chemicals.
3. Agitate the chemicals in the carpet.
4. Steam clean using hot water extraction.
5. Groom and dry the carpet.

In addition, most carpet cleaners will deodorise, sanitise, and condition your carpets to leave them feeling smooth and fresh after cleaning.

A conditioning treatment will help to remove more soil and chemicals from carpets to balance their pH level after steaming. A balanced carpet pH will prolong its life and improve its quality.

Carpet cleaning options

Depending on the company that you hire for cleaning carpet, there are several basic options available to you:

• Standard cleaning: A standard steam clean will include a basic stain and deodorising treatment. This is a service often recommended for a lightly soiled or worn carpet.
  
  Some services may also include carpet inspection and moving of furniture as part of the standard service.
• Deluxe cleaning: A deluxe cleaning service is a thorough carpet cleaning from start to finish. Cleaners will inspect the carpet, move furniture, vacuum, spray, and treat heavy stains.
  
  The carpet will also be treated to remove allergens, pet odours, dust mites, and bacteria.

For the best results in steam cleaning your carpet, it is important to clean your carpet regularly as a home owner or renter. If you're a renter, make sure to keep your receipts to prove to your landlord/real estate agent that you've complied with your lease condition.

If you're a homeowner, cleaning your carpet regularly will prevent the build-up of bacteria and stains and will also improve the value of your home.

Additionally, if you have kept your carpet clean and maintained prior to moving, then chances are a final carpet steaming will be much less expensive than a deep cleaning service.

As a basic guideline, it is recommended to vacuum on a weekly basis and spot clean as needed. Deep steam cleaning to remove stains and dirt build-up should be done on high traffic areas every 6 to 12 months to help you maintain your carpet to look and feel its best as often as possible.

Sources

1. "50 Random Facts about Carpet." Random Facts | Fun Trivia | Interesting Insight. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Aug. 2011.