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Having your carpet cleaned professionally has several benefits for your carpet and your family. First, professionally cleaning your carpets can help thwart dust mite infestations and rid them of dirt, pet dander, particle pollution, and even lead. This can, in turn, help your allergies. Regular professional cleaning can also help prevent mold and mildew growth and even help extend the life of your carpet.

There are six main types of carpet cleaning. Each type is unique in its process of cleaning your floors. Your pro can help suggest the best method based on your carpet material and level of cleaning needed.

• Steam cleaning uses hot water to clean deep into your carpet. Pressure is applied to the hot water to create steam, moving the chemicals to your carpet fibers.

• Shampooing leaves foam on the carpet fibers to break up the dirt and stains before removal.

• Dry cleaning only tackles the dirt on the surface level that hasn’t set in yet. 

• Carbonated cleaning uses bubbles to move debris to the surface of the carpet for removal. 

• Hot water extraction cleaning combines steam cleaning with ammonia or an acid solution to help liquefy debris.

• Bonnet carpet cleaning uses a cleaning detergent and a specialized cleaning device that cleans the carpet's surface.

The cost for professional carpet cleaning is $180 for the average homeowner. However, you could end up paying as low as $80 or as high as $375 or more, depending on how much carpeting you have in your home and the type of cleaning you’ll have done, plus any add-ons like furniture and upholstery cleaning. For example, bonnet carpet cleaning averages around $150 since it’s more surface-level. However, due to its complexity, hot water extraction cleaning averages closer to $400.

Sometimes, carpets can no longer be saved and must be replaced. There are signs that you need to replace your carpet, such as stains that are impossible to remove or a smell that lingers on your carpet. And sometimes, the age of the carpet is the tell-tale sign that it needs replacing. Most carpet manufacturers say carpets should last for 10 years with proper care.

How often you should clean your carpets is really dependent on how much dirt and traffic they see. At a minimum, your carpets should be cleaned once or twice a year. However, depending on your lifestyle, having them cleaned more often is not unrealistic. If you have pets or children, consider having them deep-cleaned quarterly. If you have severe allergies, having your carpets deep cleaned every two months might be best.