One of the questions I hear from homeowners is:
“Is there anything I should do before the carpet cleaner arrives?”
There are actually quite a few things to consider.
After more than 56 years in the carpet cleaning business, I’ve learned that preparing your home for professional carpet cleaning doesn’t mean emptying the house or making everything perfect before the cleaner arrives.
In fact, about 99% of the homes I go into are already very neat and well maintained.
The idea is simply to make sure the carpet cleaner can safely and effectively clean as much of the carpet as reasonably possible.
Here are some of the things I recommend homeowners think about before I arrive.
Should I Vacuum Before the Carpet Cleaner Arrives?
Yes. It is never a bad idea.
With many questions about carpet cleaning, there are pros and cons to consider. This really isn’t one of them. I don’t see a downside to vacuuming before professional carpet cleaning.
That doesn’t mean you necessarily need to vacuum immediately before I arrive.
Most of the homes I clean are already maintained very well, and today’s professional hot-water extraction equipment has more than enough vacuum power to remove deeply embedded soil once the cleaning solution has broken the bond between that soil and the carpet fibers.
However, an additional vacuuming can still remove loose surface dirt, dust, pet hair and other particles before the cleaning begins.
This can be particularly helpful in homes with shedding dogs or cats.
If you would like to understand more about why regular vacuuming is so important to the long-term care of your carpet, I’ve written about it in Ask Alec: Is Vacuuming Really Just About Appearance?.
So my answer is simple:
If you have time to vacuum before the carpet cleaner arrives, go ahead. It certainly won’t hurt.
What About Moving Furniture?
We try to move as much furniture as reasonably possible.
But there are limits.
A professional carpet cleaner needs to consider not only whether something can be moved, but whether it is safe to move.
For example, I’ve had homeowners ask me to move a dining-room buffet that was filled with expensive china.
My answer is always the same:
I’d be happy to move it after the contents have been removed.
The same applies to a table holding a television, stereo equipment and a collection of wires running in every direction.
I could potentially spend 30 minutes disconnecting equipment, figuring out which wire goes where and carefully disassembling everything.
That’s really not the responsibility of the carpet cleaner.
If you want the carpet underneath something like that cleaned, it’s best to have the homeowner prepare it before the cleaner arrives.
Tables and Smaller Furniture
Sofas, chairs and many smaller tables are generally much easier to move.
With tables, however, it helps tremendously if the homeowner removes smaller, fragile or valuable objects beforehand.
The less there is sitting on a piece of furniture, the safer and easier it is to move.
What About a King-Size Bed?
Large beds present a different challenge.
A typical king-size bed can be extremely heavy, particularly when you have the frame, box spring and mattress together.
Many king-size beds also have center supports underneath.
Trying to move a fully assembled king-size bed can put unnecessary stress on those supports and potentially damage the bed.
The proper way to move one is to remove the bedding first, then the mattress and then the box spring. Once the weight has been reduced, the frame can be moved much more safely.
For that reason, I will generally try to clean as far underneath a large bed as reasonably possible rather than asking a homeowner or myself to take unnecessary risks.
And here’s something else to consider:
How often does anyone actually walk underneath a king-size bed?
Dust, dander and pet hair can certainly accumulate underneath one. But a vacuum cleaner designed to reach underneath furniture is often a much more practical way of dealing with that accumulation than trying to steam clean a difficult-to-reach area.
As a homeowner myself, I vacuum underneath my beds regularly.
If the carpet is being properly maintained and vacuumed underneath the bed periodically, there may be little reason to risk moving a massive bed simply so the carpet can be professionally cleaned underneath it.
Twin beds are a different story. Without the same type of center support, they are generally much easier to move when necessary.
What About Desks and Office Furniture?
Office desks are another example where the situation matters.
A desk can contain personal papers, computers, electronics, office equipment and other private belongings. It can also become extremely heavy.
For those reasons, desks generally aren’t something I would expect a carpet cleaner to move.
Again, remember what the carpet cleaner is there to do:
Clean the carpet—not rearrange the contents of the house.
What Should I Do With Curtains or Drapes That Touch the Floor?
I’ve been in many homes where window treatments either touch the carpet or actually puddle on the floor.
In those situations, I try to secure the window treatments carefully enough to keep them off the damp carpet without disturbing their folds or pleats.
But this is another area where I believe the homeowner has some responsibility.
If you have expensive drapes or window treatments that require special handling, it makes sense to have them secured before the carpet cleaner arrives.
The goal is to protect both the carpet and the window treatment.
What About Cleaning Inside Closets?
I consider closets to be somewhat of a private space in someone’s home.
If a homeowner wants the carpet inside a closet cleaned, I’m happy to do it.
But I ask the homeowner to remove anything sitting on the floor first.
Once the floor is clear, I can clean the accessible areas of the carpet.
This is another example of the difference between preparing for carpet cleaning and expecting the carpet cleaner to organize the house.
What Should I Do With My Pets?
This is an important one.
I’m a pet person. I would say I like 99% of the dogs and cats I meet.
Some dogs want to greet me immediately. Some are cautious. Some simply want to lick me.
I always remind myself that this is their home and I’m the guest.
So I try to be respectful of them.
But homeowners also need to remember that even a friendly pet can behave differently when a stranger comes into its home, particularly when that stranger is carrying hoses and equipment from room to room.
I’ve had some experiences over the years that made me particularly cautious.
I once cleaned a home with a Doberman Pinscher that always greeted me when I arrived. As the homeowner walked me through the house, the dog would walk beside me and occasionally give me what I jokingly called a little “hip check” to remind me that he was there.
He was actually a very nice dog, but I always respected the fact that he was protective of his home.
Another experience was considerably more serious.
A client was a police officer and had two retired German Shepherds that had been trained as attack dogs. Whenever I visited, the dogs were kept outside in a secure kennel.
One day, the homeowner told me she needed to run some errands. She explained what she wanted cleaned and told me to lock up when I was finished.
She specifically warned me not to open the master bedroom door because the dogs were inside.
She went toward the garage, which was underneath the hallway leading to the bedrooms.
Just before she left, one of her daughters remembered that she had left a doll upstairs. Unfortunately, the bedroom door hadn’t been completely closed.
Suddenly, I saw both dogs running down the hallway.
Fortunately, the homeowner heard them too and was able to stop them before they reached me.
I remember saying, “I guess it was a good thing you were still here.”
She replied, “Yes. My God, they would have torn you apart.”
That experience stayed with me.
So when a carpet cleaner arrives at your home, please make sure you know where your pets are and communicate any concerns to the cleaner before the work begins.
And remember, the carpet cleaner also has a responsibility toward your pets.
Many pets are strictly indoor animals. They may be curious about someone coming into their home, and they may try to follow the technician through open doors.
Keeping everyone safe—including your pets—is more important than cleaning one additional section of carpet.
What Happens After the Carpet Is Cleaned?
Once I finish a job, I always go over the work with the homeowner.
I explain how everything went and point out anything unusual I encountered, such as particularly difficult stains or areas that required additional attention.
I also explain an important part of the process:
The carpet is still damp.
Drying time can vary considerably depending on how heavily soiled the carpet was, the type and thickness of the carpet, the amount of moisture required and the conditions inside the home.
As a general guideline, carpets may take approximately 4 to 8 hours to dry.
You can walk on damp carpet if necessary, but I recommend keeping foot traffic to a minimum until the carpet is dry.
If you need to walk across it, clean white socks or clean shoes with a synthetic sole are preferable.
Why Do I Recommend Synthetic Shoe Soles?
There is a good reason for this recommendation.
Some good-quality shoes have leather soles. Leather is porous and can absorb moisture from damp carpet.
Some leather soles can also contain dyes.
When that dye becomes wet and is then pressed against damp carpet, it can potentially transfer color to the carpet.
I learned this lesson from experience.
I once cleaned an empty condominium unit at the Four Seasons in Boston. After I left, an interior designer wearing a suit and formal shoes came into the unit and walked across the freshly cleaned carpet.
He eventually noticed that his shoes were leaving marks on the carpet.
Fortunately, he reported it to the head concierge, who knew I was still working elsewhere in the building.
I returned immediately.
Because the marks were relatively fresh, I was able to reclean those areas and remove them.
Had those marks remained in the carpet and been allowed to dry, the situation could have been much more difficult.
One More Simple Tip
If your freshly cleaned carpet meets a tile floor, the tile can become slippery when you walk across the damp carpet and then step onto the tile.
I often suggest placing a clean towel at the transition between the carpet and tile.
It gives you a place to dry your feet and, just as importantly, serves as a visual reminder that the carpet is still damp.
The Bottom Line
Preparing your home for professional carpet cleaning doesn’t have to be complicated.
Vacuum if you have time.
Remove fragile and valuable objects from furniture you want moved.
Clear the floors of closets if you want those areas cleaned.
Don’t expect the cleaner to disconnect electronics, empty furniture or reorganize personal belongings.
Let the cleaner know about pets and make sure they are safely secured when necessary.
And once the cleaning is complete, give the carpet time to dry.
After all, your carpet cleaner is there to clean your carpet—not to rearrange your house.
A little preparation from the homeowner makes the entire process safer, easier and more effective for everyone.
If you’re considering having your carpets professionally cleaned, you can learn more about Alec’s professional carpet cleaning services throughout Greater Boston, MetroWest, the South Shore and Cape Cod.
If you have a question about preparing your home for professional carpet cleaning, Ask Alec.
Alec Houle
Alec’s Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning LLC
56 Years of Professional Carpet, Upholstery & Fine Rug Cleaning Experience