• Hire professionals to steam clean your carpets if they are very dirty.boots on carpet image by jimcox40 from Fotolia.com
  
  Sometimes, regularly vacuuming and spot cleaning carpet is simply not enough. This is especially true if you have light-colored carpets, which can show marks more easily, or young children who spend a lot of time close to the carpet. Steam cleaning carpets will not only remove dust and debris, but will get rid of allergens, dust mites, carpet beetles and bugs. Steam cleaning carpet is preferable over wet scrubbing it because steam cleaning agitates the carpet fibers less, making them last longer, and takes less time to dry.
  
  

Spot Clean Before Steam Cleaning

• Spot clean carpet before you steam clean it to prevent stains from settling into the carpet. While the steam-cleaning process does clean deep into the fibers, steam cleaners are not generally capable of scrubbing individual stains that may be more difficult to see when the carpet is wet. If the steam cleaner is unable to remove the stain, it is likely that the heat of the process will set the stain and make it more difficult to remove.
  
  

Rent or Purchase Steam Cleaners

• Purchase a steam cleaner if you have children and you want to keep carpets as clean as possible. Buying a steam cleaner is also a good idea for homeowners with pets that may dirty carpet faster or if your carpets are light colored and show dirt sooner. Choose a cleaner that is high quality but light enough for you and other members of your family to lift up or down stairs. Renting a steam cleaner is a better option for homeowners who don't have children or pets.
  
  

Use As Little Water As Possible

• One common mistake of carpet cleaning is completely soaking the carpet with water. When this happens, the water can dissolve the carpet adhesive and cause the dye in the carpet backing to bleed into the carpet. Most steam cleaners allow you to adjust the water usage. Use as little water and steam as possible the first time you clean carpets. If your carpets do not come out clean, make another pass using a little more water. Repeat the process until you find the ideal setting for your carpets. Note which setting was ideal for which carpet. Using a small amount of water will also help carpets dry quickly.