by Marilisa Sachteleben

Created on: June 13, 2008   Last Updated: June 26, 2008

Dirty, stained or damaged carpet lowers the value of your home to the same degree that clean, well-maintained carpet increases the value. Dirty carpet is a health hazard; it's unsanitary, and full of bacteria. Carpet traps moisture, allergens, germs, pet odors and droppings. Mold, mildew and other fungus can form in the carpet and under it.

Steam cleaning carpets with a carpet extractor can solve most of these problems. Steam cleaners rent for around $40 per day. The carpet extractor cleans by spraying hot, soapy water into the carpet through a trigger wand as you push forward. As you pull the wand back and release the sprayer, it becomes a vacuum that extracts the water and dirt from the carpet.

The high-powered vacuum is able to extract most all of the water; the carpet is damp but dries quickly. The carpet extractor is a lot of work to use, but the results are wonderful. The extractor can remove an amazing amount of dirt and even many stains. To kill mold, fungus and bacteria, make sure that the soap you use is an antibacterial or antimicrobial soap.

If you are remodeling a newly purchased home with dirty or damaged carpet, it may be best to skip cleaning and remove the old carpet. Cleaning your own dirty carpet is one thing, but someone else's dirt is another issue. If your own carpet is damaged, cleaning won't help and you'll need to replace it.

Removing old carpet is a great DIY project. It does require some elbow grease and some basic carpet tools. There are a few precautions to observe, also.

1) First, contact your garbage disposal service. Find out how they handle carpet disposal. There may be certain guidelines to follow, such as cutting the old carpet into pieces, rolling it and bundling it. The sanitation company may only collect larger items like carpet on specific days.

2) Depending upon how much carpet you want to dispose of or if you are disposing of other large items, consider renting a dumpster. When we remodeled our home, we rented a dumpster and it was invaluable. Be sure to check specifically what can and cannot go into the dumpster.

3) Choose a dry day to remove the carpet. High humidity will cause more bacteria to grow. Your floors will not be able to air properly on rainy or humid days.

4) For carpet removal, you will need: work gloves, protective clothing, safety goggles, knee pads, a paper mask to cover mouth and nose. Carpet tools include a screw driver, heavy-duty pliers, a claw hammer and a large, sharp utility knife. For cleanup, you

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