Whether or not you purchase your own or rent a carpet shampooer is a question that many home owners need to think about at some point. You will probably rent the first time without giving it a second thought. However, when the next time to clean your carpets comes, you may think twice. There are advantages to both scenarios.
If you decide to buy your own you need to make sure that it will be worth your while. First, let’s make an assumption that it costs forty dollars to rent a carpet shampooer for a day. You need to calculate how many rentals it would take to equal the cost of the carpet shampoo machine you want to buy. For example, a top of the line Electrolux shampoo machine might cost $2,000. That means you would have to rent fifty times to equal the price. If you shampoo your carpet once every three months like I do then that means it will take twelve and a half years to start earning a return on the investment. The machine will probably need to be replaced by then so it doesn’t seem like a good investment. However, if there is Bissell model that interests you for around $300 then it take less than two years to earn a return on investment.
Owning your own carpet shampooer also eliminates the fight over places to rent carpet shampooers. There are tons of places out there, but each location has pros and cons. You want something close by, but not too expensive. Many grocery stores and home improvement warehouses have a brand called Rug Doctor available for rent. However, there are not always units available for rent. Especially around the holidays when people are sprucing up their homes for parties and guests, you want to plan in advance if you can.
Buying a carpet shampooer will also help your carpets stay in top condition for longer. When a spill first happens, that is the most critical time. You need to dab up the excess liquid immediately and treat the stain with stain remover as soon as possible. It helps to have a carpet cleaner around so that you can address the stains promptly. If you let a stain set in and do not clean it up until the next time you rent a carpet shampoo machine, then the fibers may be damaged or permanently stained.