Even though it's a good idea to have your carpet cleaned by a professional on a regular basis, you may still want to schedule an extra cleaning right before a big event or before you have special company. This is even more important if you have pets because you may get used to their odor and not realize how bad they make your carpet smell. Here are a few things to know about having your carpet cleaned for a special occasion.

Schedule The Service A Few Days Before The Event

While you want your carpets to smell their freshest, you don't want the cleaner to be in your home on the day you need to prepare for your guests. Carpet cleaning isn't overly disruptive, but the furniture needs to be moved around, and this can add to your workload if you need to rearrange your home when the cleaners leave.

Another important reason to schedule the cleaning ahead of the event is, so the carpet has plenty of time to dry thoroughly. A steam cleaning machine uses a powerful extractor to pull all the water back out of your carpet, but the carpet may stay slightly damp for several hours. During this time, walking on the carpet should be kept to a minimum, and that could make it difficult to get your home ready for entertaining.

Find And Mark Stains For The Cleaner

The day before the cleaner arrives, vacuum the carpet thoroughly and look for stains you want to have removed. Mark the stained areas with tape so you can point them out to the cleaner for special treatment. Some pet stains might not be visible but still have an odor. One way to find invisible pet stains is to turn off the lights at night and shine a black light flashlight onto the floor. Urine stains will glow, and you can mark their locations for the cleaner.

Ask If Your Furniture Can Be Cleaned Too

Your carpet cleaner may also clean sofas and upholstered chairs. If so, you may want to have your furniture cleaned at the same time as your carpet, so they look nice and smell fresh too. Once your furniture is clean and dry, you may want to cover it with blankets so pet hairs and odors won't get into the fabric until your event is over and life resumes as normal.

Professional carpet cleaning is good for your carpet since it removes grit that can harm fibers. It cleans your carpet, so it has a fresh appearance and it gets rid of odors. Carpet cleaning is a good way to make your home ready for an important dinner party or another event, and it puts an end to worry about guests smelling cat or dog odors that could waft up from a dirty carpet.