Carpet cleaning services are important for every home with carpet. However, if you have pets, then carpet cleaning is even more essential in order to remove all of the hair, dander, and oils that end up on your carpet over time. It's wise to hire a professional carpet cleaning service. The following are some tips to help ensure you get good, effective results.

1. Look for spots, and advise the carpet cleaning team about them ahead of time.

If your pet has ever had an accident on the carpet, or even if they have tracked in some mud and left a stain, you want to make note of that spot. You could put a piece of blue painter's tape on each spot as a way of identifying them. Let your carpet cleaning service know ahead of time that you have spots that need to be treated. The cleaning service will treat these spots first, typically using stronger shampoos to remove stains, odors, and residue.

2. Vacuum the carpet first.

Some carpet cleaning services will bring along a vacuum and vacuum the carpet before cleaning it. Other carpet cleaning companies may expect you to vacuum the rooms before they arrive. If you have pets, pre-vacuuming the carpet is essential to remove more of the hair and dander. Call your carpet cleaning company ahead of time to see if they will vacuum, and if they will not, then make sure you take the time to do so. Be thorough by going over the carpet a few times.

3. Arrange for the pets to stay somewhere else during the cleaning.

It will be hard for the carpet cleaners to work around your pet. You also do not want your pets walking over the carpet while it is still wet, as the wet carpet will cling to hair and dander. Arrange for someone else to keep your pets while the carpet is being cleaned and for at least one day afterward while the carpet dries. Alternatively, you could lock your pets in one room during this time; this works best if that room is not carpeted and doesn't need to be cleaned.

As a pet owner, your carpet takes a lot of abuse. Have it professionally cleaned every 6 to 12 months to remove all of that hair and dander. The result will be a carpet that looks cleaner, smells better, and is more appealing to you and your family.