How to Prepare for a Carpet Cleaning (12 Steps to Follow in 2022)

Professional Carpet Cleaning Technician using a vacuum cleaner to clean a room. How to prepare for a carpet cleaning concept.

How to prepare for a carpet cleaning involves knowing what to expect from your cleaning company and being sure to follow their instructions when they finish the service call.

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Whether you've cleaned your carpet repeatedly or hired professionals, it's best to call in the experts for a comprehensive deep clean. 

As a result of routine cleaning and maintenance, it's still essential that you maintain your carpets.

Whether you want to prepare for carpet cleaners or enhance the look and feel of your home by getting your carpets cleaned, removing harsh stains, or reap the health benefits of carpet cleaning, there are some simple steps you can follow to simplify the process.

You can ensure that your carpet cleaning job goes more smoothly and efficiently if you prepare your home for a professional carpet cleaner's visit.

When properly preparing your home for a professional visit, you can ensure that the carpet cleaning job goes more smoothly and efficiently. 

When they arrive, they'll be able to work as efficiently as possible for the best results. The professional cleaner can immediately clean the carpet, tiled floors, or upholstery if the space is prepared. 

They do all the dirty work while you sit back and watch your flooring get cleaned.

Here are some tips on how to prepare for a carpet cleaning done by professionals.

Learn How to Prepare for a Carpet Cleaning

How to prepare for a carpet cleaning involves thorough research, choosing the right company, and scheduling the cleaning at the right time.

Your carpet cleaning team is prepared to assist you with any questions. They'll most likely send you a fundamental checklist of things to do before they arrive. 

Furniture moving can be included in the price or offered as a discount to concentrate on busy areas only.

Before undertaking a lot of legwork, contact your cleaning business and ask for suggestions on how to make their job easier.

Handwritten note on a napkin with the phrase, "Have Questions? Ask." next to a cup of coffee on a table.

1. Identify Any Problem Areas on Your Carpet

Create a list before your carpet cleaner arrives.  List the spots or stains that need cleaning.

Identify the locations where the most significant problems are so your carpet cleaner knows what to clean.

It would help to determine which flooring parts need additional attention and care.

Before your cleaners arrive, walk through the areas where they will work and note any issues you want to discuss.

Remember to point out any unsightly issues or stains when they arrive so they can take care of them during the visit.

It's more economical for them to clean these areas while there than later.

Moreover, their preliminary examination will help them determine how they'll proceed so that you are satisfied with their work.

Walking areas like hallways and other areas can get dirty from people's shoes. Keeping them clean involves removing built-up dirt and debris.

Spills and stains from wine and other liquids are hard to tackle on your own, so you should recommend addressing these issues to avoid a stain from returning.

The origin of the stain has a significant effect on how the technician will treat the stain.

If a stain is prominent, for example, it must be cleaned with the right product.

Moreover, this makes the work of carpet cleaners much simpler and improves the cleaning outcomes.

Traffic in certain carpet areas may lead to more soiling and pet urine/feces problems, including lingering odors.

A carpet cleaner that you employ will have the tools and products needed to remove these types of stains and odors.

In addition to this, tell your carpet cleaner of any indications of mold or mildew in the carpet.

2. Save a Parking Spot for Your Carpet Cleaners

How to prepare for a carpet cleaning also involves setting aside a parking spot for the professionals. Thus, this will give them room to work.

When you book an appointment with a carpet cleaning team, ensure they have somewhere to park their truck-mounted carpet cleaning van when they arrive.

If you live in a city, suggest street parking before your technicians arrive.

It is also a good idea to clear a path from your front door to the room that they will clean, in addition to clearing the driveway or moving your vehicles out of nearby parking spots.

Cleaners must park as close to your front door as possible, allowing for quick access to use their equipment more efficiently.

It will be easier for them to access your home if you make parking available for their vehicle.

A wood table equipped with carpet cleaning products in a blue bucket set against a green background. How to prepare for a carpet cleaning concept.

3. Clean Before Your Team Arrives

Before the carpet cleaning professionals arrive, remove any dust or cobwebs on the ceiling, walls, lighting, or ceiling fans.

Clean up the floor before your team arrives.

Children leave many things on the floor, including toys, books, crafts, and more.

Remove everything from the floor so that a toy does not get sucked up by the powerful suction vacuum cleaner.

4. Keep Loose Debris Out of Your Carpet!

If you use a water vacuum or professional steam cleaner on your carpet, you should look for anything you don't want to get caught up in the cleaning device.

For instance, bobby pins, jewelry, and other small objects may hide in hard-to-reach places. To streamline the process, clear the floor of toys and TV remotes.

You'll have peace of mind that objects won't get sucked into the cleaning hose or displaced because they're not on the carpet.

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5. Safety First: Protect Your Stuff From Accidents

Whenever a carpet cleaner comes to your house, make sure to store any fragile items away beforehand.

Many certified technicians proceed with great caution while entering your home.

Therefore, this implies paying attention to their surroundings and avoiding damaging furniture or other possessions.

Unfortunately, accidents can occur. Therefore, it is always a good idea to store expensive or essential items in case of an accident.

For instance, always keep delicate china, collectibles, porcelain knickknacks, and heritage items away from the cleaning area.

It is critical to tell your carpet cleaner if you have valuables that you cannot remove before commencing the work.

During carpet cleaning, hoses will run through the house, so keeping the area clear is vital.  

You can hang curtain rods or blind cords with a coat hanger. You can also tuck up bedspreads and clothing on beds or upholstered furniture.

If you or the technicians are planning to relocate furniture, make sure to remove decorative objects, regardless of whether they are fragile or not.

Ensure all delicate and breakable items are removed from sight before the cleaners arrive. Don't take the chance that a carpet cleaning may accidentally knock over a wobbly lamp.

Remove small objects like coins, books, and toys from the floor before your technician arrives. You can also prepare the rooms by moving pot plants, lamps, pedestal fans, heaters, and vases.

If you have heirlooms, a collection of unsteady lamps, or other fragile or breakable things on display, they might get damaged accidentally during the cleaning.

As a result, putting these items away will guarantee no accidents, like the carpet cleaning hose knocking something over.

6. Keep Your Curtains Safe!

It's notable to keep in mind that most carpet cleaning companies will require you to drape or tuck away long drapes before they enter the room.

Regarding drapes, six inches off the ground is a safe distance to keep them out of moisture and the heavy-duty equipment most carpet cleaners use.  

If your curtains are full-length, you can protect them from dampness and liquid by hanging them up.

Moreover, it would be best if you always kept drapes or curtains off the floor when you have them cleaned.

If you want your whole room to be sparkling clean, now is also a great time to wash your curtains.

You can use a carpet cleaner's extra attachment for cleaning curtains or upholstery or remove the dust with a good dusting. 

As a result, this can help to keep the dust off of your freshly cleaned rugs.

Also, keeping upholstered furniture with long skirts six inches from the ground is vital to keep them from getting wet and dusty after cleaning.

7. Your Walls Deserve Protection

If you book  a carpet cleaning company to clean your floors, you might also want to think about your walls.

Because some professionals use large hoses and bulky machines, consider using painter's tape to prevent unsightly black marks on cord or hose connections.

Baseboards, doorways, and corners are common trouble spots. If you're cleaning your carpets on your own, be extra careful when cleaning corners, baseboards, and legs of furniture.

Foam padding is another good choice for protecting them.

Professional Carpet Cleaners dressed in overalls remove a sofa before cleaning the area.

8. Move Your Furniture Out of the Way

Your cleaners will most likely measure your space before providing you with a free quote.

Before committing to hiring cleaners, ask them to show you how to properly arrange your items so that they don't get in the way during cleaning.

When you book an appointment, inquire whether or not removing furniture is included in the service call.

It is much simpler to do any cleaning before you begin it. You may start by eliminating any potential obstacles.

If you remove furnishings from all the rooms, the cleaning procedure will be quicker.

Moving furniture out of cleaning areas is critical to obtaining good outcomes.

It would help if you moved out the furniture to make the cleaning space larger so that the carpet cleaners can properly clean all areas of the carpet.

Removing furniture makes cleaning far more straightforward and makes the cleaning area bigger for the carpet cleaners to do their work.

If you have small pieces of furniture that are simple to move, relocate them.  For example, you may move small side tables, chairs, ottomans, or other light pieces. 

Some larger objects, like dressers or china storage units, might need to stay put, especially if you do not plan on moving them in the future.

Professional cleaners move furniture such as lounges, tables, chairs, and light-weight beds with gliders.

Your carpet cleaner is prepared to clean around your furniture, but your professional will be much more productive without furniture getting in the way.

Items that are difficult to move may require a bit of planning. For instance, you might want to relocate bulky furniture before beginning cleaning.

Nevertheless, areas with hard surfaces, such as kitchens, bathrooms, detached garages, and areas not being cleaned, are suitable for storing your furniture during cleaning.

9. Clean Your Registers and Baseboards

Before the professional cleaning specialists arrive at your house, you should clean the registers and baseboards of the ventilation systems. Moreover, this will help prevent the carpets from becoming dirty again after the technician completes the service call. 

However, professionals can clean these points. You may ask a professional cleaner to clean the registers and bases, but they may charge extra for this service.

A young woman vacuums the living room floor. Concept, water-based vacuum cleaners.

Image Source: Sirena System

10. How to Prepare for a Carpet Cleaning - Vacuum Your Carpet

Your carpet cleaning professional should answer your questions about whether to vacuum your carpet before their arrival.

A professional carpet cleaner does not always require you to vacuum first, but it's always a good idea.

Although so, your carpet cleaners may want to handle everything independently, including the initial vacuum.

It would be best if you vacuumed high-traffic areas before your cleaners arrived.  

Choose one of the best vacuum cleaners for home and clean up any pet hair or dirt that may have been lying on the carpet.

Therefore, the technician can remove more dirt when cleaning deeper into the carpet fibers.  

Moreover, cleaners will also be able to focus more closely on shampooing if you clean up any loose items beforehand.

Various substances, including food and drink, can leave stains, so removing the top layer of dirt and dust will allow your professionals to perform the cleaning task more effectively.

Most professional carpet cleaners will thoroughly vacuum your carpeted areas using an industrial upright HEPA filtration vacuum cleaner.

11. Prepare Your Pets and Kids for the Cleaning

Reserve a time to clean your carpets ahead of time.

You might have the most friendly pet in the world, but carpet cleaning equipment or the cleaning activity might make your animal exhibit nervous behaviors, making cleaning difficult.

Most carpet cleaners use truck-mounted cleaning systems that require an exit door to be open.

Thus, your startled pet may discover a simple escape route.

Also, choose an area for your cats or dogs, and make sure you have a plan to keep them off the carpet for a day if it needs to dry.

In other words, their hair and fur may appear cute, they will get everywhere, especially on wet carpets.

If you have young children, don't forget to put them in another room during the service call or visit a friend or neighbor's house.

By keeping young children busy outside the cleaners' operation area, you can prevent them from messing with cleaners, equipment, and cleaning agents.

The cleaners should be able to work without being distracted or harmed by pets or children playing on the carpet.

Therefore, the carpet cleaner can move freely with their cleaning tools without dangering your pets and children.

12. Decide on a Post Cleaning Plan of Action

You may need to keep your family off your rug for up to 24 hours if you opt for steam cleaning instead of dry carpet cleaning.

Steaming takes longer than dry powder and may delay your furniture rearranging procedure. Keep this in mind when planning your cleaning appointment.

An expert carpet cleaning service has cleaned the interior of a residential living room.

In the Final Analysis

How to prepare for a carpet cleaning, you must research to ensure that the company you are hiring is safe and reliable.

You must prepare for the carpet cleaning process before it begins. Technicians can work efficiently and minimally interrupt your home with their skills and experience. 

When you contract a carpet cleaner to deep clean your carpets, you can sit back and relax while the professionals restore your carpets to a clean, hygienic state.

Before the professional carpet cleaner arrives, clean the space to streamline the carpet cleaning process and guarantee the best cleanup possible.

Vacuuming, dusting, removing clutter and valuables, and getting furniture out of the way can help expedite the carpet cleaning process.

A pro should handle the cleaning of carpets and furniture.  They'll use state-of-the-art equipment to ensure they give your carpet a thorough clean.

A professional carpet cleaner will clean your carpets and thoroughly inspect the entire home.

They'll use their machine to remove tough stains and brushes to knock down loose dirt.

After the technician finishes cleaning your carpets, you will enjoy your fresh, clean environment.