Many homeowners are cutting corners on home renovation and maintenance projects by choosing do-it-yourself methods. Carpet cleaning in particular seems to be a popular DIY alternative to hiring a professional, but it often comes at a greater expense than it's worth.

Professional carpet cleaning tools and machines are available at hardware stores and grocery stores, which seems to imply that anyone can accomplish the project with success. While it might be a good alternative given the right circumstances, there are a few cons that should be weighed before choosing a DIY carpet cleaning project.

1. Physical exertion

If you break a sweat just from vacuuming the carpet, the physical exertion required for a full carpet cleaning may be more strenuous than you can physically handle. Cleaning your carpet in the same manner as the professionals requires constant lifting of heavy machinery in addition to a lot of bending and rigorous movement.

2. Risk of insufficient cleaning

When you hire a professional, you can count on him or her to eliminate stains, dirt, and odor to fully restore the quality of the carpet. But, if you haven't had proper training, it can be impossible to know the correct approach to take when combating trapped debris and deeply soiled carpet fibers.

This is not only a waste of your time and money, but it can also increase the carpet's susceptibility to new dirt and stains.

3. No specialized service options

When you conduct a carpet cleaning project on your own, a basic cleaning can wear you out both physically and financially. Hiring a professional would give you the opportunity to add specialized services to the package, such as spot stain removal, preventative stain treatment and tile and grout cleaning.

These additional services usually come at a relatively low cost when added onto a basic carpet cleaning package. Buying additional tools to conduct these additional projects yourself would often not be financially practical.

4. No opportunity for customer loyalty discounts

When you clean your carpet on your own, you will have to pay the same amount for supplies each time. In addition, you risk compromising the quality of the job. When you choose a professional carpet cleaning company, they will usually offer customer loyalty discounts or general discounts during slower business months.

If you're convinced that DIY carpet cleaning isn't the best choice for your home's carpets, use Angie's List to find the right carpet cleaning professional. Angie's List has the vetted feedback from local consumers to help you make the best hiring choice.