Written by David Bitton, provided by doorloop
Older carpets can devalue a rental property if they look work out and covered in stains. Looking new requires maintenance and deep cleaning.
The problem is carpet fibers seem to suck in and hold onto dirt and odors. There could be dust, animal fur, dirt, spills, soil, and even stains from furniture placement. These can make a carpet look like it needs to be replaced. Luckily, there are tools to deep clean rental property carpets that otherwise are going to the trash.
Carpets are the go-to flooring option for any landlord seeking to create and lease a warm, cozy, and homey feeling for their rental property. Incredibly versatile in design, textures, colors, and quality ensures that there are carpeting options to suit all types of tastes. Comparing carpet vs vinyl flooring, carpets are a cost-effective flooring solution for rental properties.
As a rental landlord, you probably experience high anxiety levels every time your rental units are empty. When an old tenant leaves, their security deposit is often not enough to cover significant renovations. If your apartment is beautifully maintained, your turnaround time between tenants should be low, thus ensuring you receive an income from your real estate investment.
A big part of taking responsibility for maintaining an apartment is ensuring that your rental unit is clean and in good condition. Without furniture in the unit, a potential renter may focus on the walls and floors, looking for any flaw or damages to bargain and bring down the price. There may be a small carpet stain, for example.
Choosing to clean the carpet is a solution any landlord can offer. However, a professional cleaning company should be the go-to option between tenants. These companies have the tools and know-how to deep clean and remove stains in the shortest possible time and safely without any damage to the carpet.
There are three main ways to go about cleaning the carpet in a rental unit, all of which use the method of extracting dirt from the carpet with suction. A landlord’s preferred option will be based on various factors, including their budget, the carpets’ age, type of carpet stain, environmental concerns, and more. Look at these three examples and choose the one that suits you best.
We use QuickBooks daily in our rental property business!
It’s used to invoice tenants for their rent, track expenses by property and unit number, and our tax advisor can log on anytime to get information he needs for processing taxes or analyzing our data for goal setting meetings!
QuickBooks is the #1 accounting software for small businesses, and today you can take advantage of 30% off your first 6 months of QuickBooks Online using our exclusive Business Affiliate link.
Preventative care should always be your first line of defense against new stains. The second step is finding products and tools to remove stains. Removing carpet stains requires stain removal solutions that can permeate through dirt and eliminate it.
I personally own all the following tools I am going to recommend, and they do wonders for the numerous carpets and rugs I’ve maintained over the years. If you do any cleaning yourself, or hire your own cleaning crew, these items are a must.
Pungent smells can be a real turn-off for any tenant, leading to discomfort and, in rare cases, illness. When carrying out a deep clean, begin the process by making use of baking soda. Sprinkle the baking soda over the entire carpet and lightly brush it into the carpet using a brush or broom. Once it’s spread, allow the baking soda to stay in place for at least 36 hours. Finish off the process by vacuuming up the baking soda and finishing off with cold or hot extraction.
This solution should work well with most odors, though sometimes, a faint hint of the smell still lingers. For a total deep odor extraction, create a solution that includes one part isopropyl alcohol, one part vinegar, and one part carpet shampoo. Top up this mix with water and use it with a hot water extractor or carpet steamer.
PRO TIP – Add a few drops of essential oils into your deep odor extraction mixture, and in addition to getting rid of an offensive odor, you will introduce a calming or fresh scent to the carpets. Excellent options are orange, lemon, or lavender essential oils. You can also try an ozone generator which is an all-purpose mold and odor removal tool I personally use. Just make sure to vacate the area during and after the machine is on.
Finding ways to save is always top of mind for the landlord or property manager.
Buying a carpet cleaning machine allows you to get the job done yourself, saving you thousands of dollars in the long term. Although it takes time away from you or your staff, it’s an excellent option for cleaning rental property carpets in multiple units. Expect to spend up to $3,000 on a top-of-the-line carpet cleaner. This usually makes sense if you have the time, and the cleaning machine will be used regularly by you or your staff.
Renting, on the other hand, allows you to get the very best carpet cleaner whenever needed. It’s more affordable in the short run, but it most likely will be more expensive in the long run, depending on how often you need it. The primary benefit is – you never need to worry about the machine breaking since you can always rent another one.
Another great option is to rent different carpet cleaning machines a few times and then buy your favorite one now that you’ve compared all the options.
The decision is ultimately yours – whether you choose to do it yourself and buy or rent your carpet cleaners or hire a professional cleaning company, it all comes down to 3 factors:
If you’re cleaning carpets weekly in your rental properties, you may want to invest in a good carpet cleaner and train your staff how to use it. Otherwise, it may be best to bring in a pro every once in a while and not have to deal with it.
Either way, regular maintenance and upkeep could extend the life of your carpets and keep them looking new for longer.
You also want to make sure your next tenant has no complaints or negotiating leverage because of a stained carpet.
Before taking in your next tenant, you should conduct detailed tenant screening with background checks to ensure that they hopefully won’t cause any trouble or damages to your beautifully cleaned carpets! And if they do, you might be able to charge them for cleaning or damages.
Did you enjoy this article?
This is an example of what is included on our FREE weekly newsletter, Landlord Weekly.
Subscribers get access to our free forms, email templates, and guides! As well as…
▪️Landlord Tips ▪️ Early Access to Our Blogs ▪️ Landlord Specific Articles by Other Industry Pro’s ▪️ Podcast Links To check out a sample of our newsletter, click one of the links below👇
Provided by Rentredi When you’re ready to part with old furniture, knowing where to…
November 19, 2024By Ryan Squires Finding the best real estate accounting software for your needs is…
November 19, 2024