Carpet cleaning rental machines can cause many problems for homeowners who choose to use them. Over-wetting of the carpets which can lead to really long drying times, and musty odors. Not mixing the chemicals properly can cause too much soap, which can lead to rapid re-soiling, and the fact that the machines don’t rinse the soap out of the carpet is a big problem.
The carpet cleaning rental machines typically cost around $35 per day to rent, then you have to buy the chemicals for the machine, shampoo, de-foamer, deodorizer, and each of these runs around $20-25 to purchase. So, now you have spent $75 so far and you haven’t even left the store. And if you have pet spots you are wanting to clean, you have to buy the pet stain remover too.
Next, you have to load the machine into your car. And it’s not light. And you have to get it back out of the car and into the house.
Make sure you check it and clean the machine out before you use it, the last person to use it may not have, and no telling what they used it on – pet stains, bleach, hair dye, fleas – and you don’t want that in your carpet.
Now get your solution ready and fill up the machine with hot water and your chemicals. You are ready to clean! A full machine will clean about 80 sf. A 10×10 bedroom is 100 sf, so you have to empty and refill the machine just to finish that one room. An hour later, the first room is finished!
Great, you only have 4 more to go!
You empty and refill your carpet cleaning rental machine 4 or 5 times, and finally finish the whole house. Then you have to empty the machine and take it back to the store. You are six hours in on this project, but you saved a buck or two, right? But did you really?
Your carpet looks ok, but it’s really wet. And it stays wet for days. Now it smells, bad. And spots are starting to come back up… Did you notice the smell?
Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea after all..
If you figure up the cost you have about $75 invested, not counting the gas money to get it to and from the store. Now, let’s figure out a valuable commodity – your time. If you figure $15 an hour for the time involved, it works out like this. Time to go to the store and pick up the machine – 30 minutes. And more time figure out the instructions, and fill the machine the first time – 30 minutes. Time spent cleaning each room is about an hour and you did 5, so that’s 5 hours. Refilling the machine. You have to empty the waste tank, then refill the solution tank – 15 minutes. And you did that 6 times so that’s 1 1/2 hours. Finally, emptying the machine and packing it all up. 15 minutes. Then taking it back to the store 30 minutes.
Nine hours and 15 minues later, you are done! At $15 an hour $142.50
So, here’s a breakdown.
Labor $142.50
Machine rental $35
Shampoo $20
defaomer $20
Deodorizer $20
Total $237.50
Professional cleaning for 5 rooms averages $300. So, you saved $62.50. Whooppee! You also wasted your entire day.
Remember, to always follow the instructions!
Save yourself the headaches. Hire the professionals at Accent American Inc to get your carpet beautifully clean, dry in a couple of hours and fresh smelling again.
