With time, carpets begin to collect dirt deep within the carpet fibers. This can lead to dust accumulation, mold, and mildew which can aggravate allergies as well as causing the carpet to look and smell unpleasant. Professional cleaning services often charge substantial sums for deep cleaning of carpets, but it is also possible for you to clean your carpets yourself using a carpet steamer. For low traffic households, steam cleaning once every year to two years is recommended. For high traffic households, you may need to clean as often as every three months.

Most professional carpeting and cleaning associations agree that steam cleaning is the best way to get filth out of a carpet. A steam cleaning machine blasts the carpet with a jet of hot water and then vacuums the water and dirt up. Steam cleaning will loosen dirt which has been ground into the carpet and also will remove mold and mildew spores. If you use a steamer frequently, it will keep your carpets smelling fresh and in good shape.

If you have a lot of children and animals, you may want to consider purchasing a carpet steamer for steam cleaning your carpets. Carpet steamers range in price, but it is possible to get a reasonably cheap model, especially if you seek out one that is used. Most steam cleaners use a solvent in addition to the steam, and if you are concerned about heavy chemicals on your carpeting you may want to find a model which is compatible with biodegradable and kid friendly cleaners.

If you are steam cleaning less frequently, it is far more cost effective to rent a steam cleaner. Most areas have steam cleaner rental available, and you can usually get a day's rental at low cost. In some cases, the specialized steam cleaning soap will be included in the rental price.

To do a good job steam cleaning your carpets, start by removing as much furniture from the room as possible. Ideally, you want to empty out the room. Then, vacuum and spot clean the carpet, removing obvious stains from the carpeting. After that, you can bring out the carpet steamer, following the manufacturer's directions for mixing the water and cleaning solution. It is recommended that only one pass be made while dispensing steam, because you do not want to get the carpet too wet. Allow the carpet to completely dry before replacing the furniture. It is best to steam clean in the summer when you can leave windows open for ventilation.