Should you vacuum the carpet after it’s been professionally steam cleaning


Should You Vacuum the Carpet After It's Been Professionally Steam Cleaning
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Carpet steam cleaning is crucial. Hence, most property owners will hire a professional to clean their carpets. However, finding an excellent professional carpet cleaner is often tricky.

There is no substitute for vacuuming your carpet. It’s no surprise that most people would want to vacuum, even after it has received a professional steam cleaning. But vacuum cleaning your carpet post-professional cleaning is not something you can do anytime. Here is why:

Your carpet is likely to wick up dirty after a thorough deep cleaning. And no sane property owner would leave specks on their carpet. So the most practical thing you will do is vacuum the carpet. That said, it’s crucial to know when is the best time to vacuum clean. 

What is steam carpet cleaning?

Steam carpet cleaning is the process of using hot water to extract any dirt. Professional carpet cleaning removes dirt and debris and eliminates stubborn stains on your carpet. What makes steam carpet cleaning efficient is that it can remove 90% of dirt and bacteria.

Should you vacuum the carpet before steam cleaning?

Before you steam clean your carpet, it is always a good idea to vacuum clean your carpet. Interestingly, there is no specific vacuum cleaner that you should use. Your regular vacuum cleaner will do the job.

When vacuuming your carpet before steam cleaning, also do the following:

  • Consider loosening down deep-down dirt.
  • Use a good vacuum cleaner.
  • Hire the best professional vacuum cleaner.

Can you vacuum after steam cleaning?

This question could be mind-boggling to many homeowners. But it shouldn’t be. We always want to keep our houses clean, even if it means removing filth left by a professional carpet cleaner. Although vacuuming a post-professional-cleaned carpet is not necessary, there are times when you should consider it.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with vacuuming cleaning your carpet post steaming cleaning. When you vacuum after steam cleaning, you will ensure no dirt or debris is left behind. Your carpet will look non-uniform and spotless.

How long after carpet cleaning can I vacuum?

Never make the mistake of vacuum cleaning your carpet while it’s still damp. Vacuum cleaning your carpet while wet may transfer dirt from the vacuum machine to your carpet. The most important thing is to wait for the carpet to dry. Then you will get to run your vacuum cleaner around your carpet and remove any debris or remaining dirt. This will keep your carpet looking immaculate and fresh.

How do you maintain your carpet after a professional carpet cleaning?

First, ensure that you open all the windows to allow the carpet to dry properly. Allow your carpet to dry for at least 12 hours. If it’s summer, six hours should be enough. If your carpet received a thorough deep cleaning with clean water, it might need 48 hours to dry completely. If the air outside is cold (let’s say it is below 50 °F), your carpet is still likely to dry up quicker.

If you are wondering how to keep your carpet clean afterward, we’ve got some tips:

  1. Keep your pets off your steam-cleaned carpet. Avoid letting your dog or cat play on the carpet until you are sure it has dried properly. This will allow the carpet fibers to flatten out and the carpet to dry quicker.
  2. Turn off the cold air on your aircon. Instead, allow warm air to dry your carpet. Don’t blow cold air on your carpet as it will only make the drying process take long. Consider using a dehumidifier like Pro Breeze Electric Dehumidifier 1200 Cubic Feet. The warmed air of the dehumidifier will absorb moisture at a faster rate.
  3. Avoid moving your furniture around a damp carpet. Putting furniture back on a damp carpet may even slow down the drying process. Or even worse, make it dirtier.
  4. Use a carpet protector. There is a carpet protector that you can apply to a newly cleaned carpet. For instance, you can use Resilia to protect low pile carpet from heavy traffic wear and accidental spills.
  5. Don’t rub your vacuum on a damp carpet. To be on the safe side, ensure that the carpet is dry before you can touch it with a vacuum cleaner.
  6. Don’t remove your shoes. Avoid walking on your carpet with your shoes, especially after it’s been professionally steam cleaning it. You don’t realize that your feet will leave natural oil residues behind. The same natural oil will attract dirt back to your carpet.
  7. Make sure that you vacuum clean regularly. Please don’t wait for your carpet to look dirty before vacuuming it again. Cleaning your carpet should be a regular thing. At least make sure that you clean it once or twice a week.

Last Thoughts

Lastly, when you use a vacuum cleaner on a newly steam cleaned, ensure it is clean. All the gunk and debris can end up on your carpet.

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