• A few options are available for cleaning your carpets.Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
  
  Carpet cleaning is necessary to prevent dirt or liquids from permanently staining your floor. Many different methods are possible for cleaning carpets. You can select the method that best suits your carpet and the time or money you have available for carpet cleaning. Some methods may require you to rent cleaning equipment from a local store. These machines are often easy to use and have chemicals or soap to use with the machine.
  
  

Shampoo

• Carpet shampooing requires you to apply a soap solution on the carpet, let it sit for a few minutes and then vacuum up the solution after a period of time. Because the soap solution may contain chemicals, you may need a special vacuum to pick up the dirt and solution, which will result in having to empty the water, dirt and soap solution several times to continually use the vacuum.
  
  

Absorbent Cleaners

• This carpet cleaning method does not use water, only dry solutions placed on the carpet. You can then vacuum the material up after it absorbs the dirt from the carpet. This cleaning method is also possible for spot cleaning carpets. Spot cleaning allows you to clean carpets periodically and avoid large-scale cleaning until absolutely necessary. While the absorbing agent may contain some water, it is often in small amounts that will not ruin a regular vacuum.
  
  

Extraction

• The extraction method involves steam cleaning your carpet. A machine will spray a fine mist of heated water to extract dirt and other foreign material from the carpet. Steam cleaning is fairly effective because extraction can remove dirt and soil deep in the carpet. You will typically need to use a soap or chemical solution in addition to the steam cleaner. Due to the direct contact of water on the carpet, you may need to allow for a significant amount of drying time prior to walking on the floor repeatedly.