Choosing the correct professional carpet cleaning method can be difficult with so many options available.
In certain circumstances, some of these carpet cleaning methods may be as beneficial as steam cleaning, so we have described them here so you can decide which way to use them.
Several factors influence the decision-making process, including cost, depth of cleaning, drying times, and level of disruption. You can choose from the following cleaning methods.
Hot Water Extraction – Steam Cleaning
When people think of carpet cleaning, they automatically think of hot water extraction, also known as steam cleaning. It is one of the most commonly used carpet cleaning methods. Due to its non-damaging properties and the low residue it leaves, carpet manufacturers often prefer it as a cleaning method.
However, hot water extraction is about something other than steam, although steam usually emerges from the carpet cleaning wand as the carpet is injected and extracted. The carpets are pre-sprayed with natural, environmentally friendly cleaning products. In addition, the mats are sometimes agitated further to loosen the grime and dirt.
As soon as the pre-spray has worked, hot water extraction takes place. In hot water extraction, hot water is injected into the carpet at very high temperatures and then removed by high-pressure extraction. The truck-mount system is an effective extraction method.
As a result, truck mount equipment produces excellent suction, and the temperatures are very high, killing bacteria, dust mites, odours, and mould. Although truck mount systems are compelling, they are only sometimes practical, mainly when the carpet to be cleaned is located above the second-floor level and cannot be reached by truck mount systems.
As the wastewater is pumped into a dirty water tank, a portable unit may be required. Mobile and truck mount units work similarly, although portable units usually take more work to achieve the same results.
It is practical, deep, refreshingly clean, gentler and safer than traditional carpet cleaning. However, it needs to be performed by an experienced, trained technician to be most effective. As the carpet dries, the moisture could result in carpet wicking. Stains are often not visible on the carpet’s surface, and moisture can cause it to wick as it dries. Should that situation arise, an experienced carpet cleaning company will have remedies.
Noise and interruptions accompany the process, so some commercial properties might want this done outside business hours and will need to allow time for drying.
Carpet Shampooing
Cleaning carpets has many ways, but carpet shampoo is one of the oldest. In addition, hospitality industries significantly benefit from carpet shampoo for frequently trafficked rugs.
Cleaning shampoos, which are foam-like chemicals, are brushed onto carpets. Stiff bristles spin the foam into the carpets. Steam cleaning is gentler and more suitable for delicate rugs than rotary equipment.
Using a wet vacuum to remove the foam once it has dried is a good idea, but a sticky residue can remain, damaging the carpet and attracting dirt again much more quickly.
In the short term, carpets can seem brighter and cleaner with carpet shampooing, though it is found to be the least effective carpet cleaning method.
Dry Carpet Cleaning
The following are some of the names that are sometimes used to describe dry carpet cleaning:
- Dry Extraction Cleaning
- Dry Powder Cleaning
- Absorbent Compound Cleaning
Dry Compounds spread evenly over the carpet using rotating brushes to open up the fibres, which then attach to dirt.
An industrial vacuum removes the compound mixture and the accompanying dirt after the compound mixture has removed the dirt.
There is a newer technique of carpet cleaning called dry carpet cleaning. This is for those who do not want their carpets damp after cleaning. It uses less water than steam cleaning but is still considerably more effective.
Dry Carpet Cleaning does not necessarily involve deep cleaning but is suitable for quick maintenance cleaning.
The powdered compound may accumulate in carpets over time and cause odour allergies. Therefore, it is often considered a less environmentally friendly method, but some organisations have created greener products, making that argument null and void.
Encapsulation Carpet Cleaning
The encapsulating chemical is a foam that crystallises after being sprayed on the carpet and then gets vacuumed up. Encapsulation is sometimes confused with dry carpet cleaning.
Several people consider encapsulation carpet cleaning a maintenance method for interim carpet cleaning.
Using encapsulation polymers acts as a ‘vehicle’ for separating dirt from fibres through crystallisation, making removing dirt easier.
The carpet is pre-vacuumed, sprayed with an encapsulant, and then lifted with a machine with counter-rotating brushes after the encapsulant is applied.
To ensure a deeper clean, following this carpet treatment with hot water extraction after every few cleanings is advisable to provide a low moisture and fast drying time.
It is sometimes mistaken for Bonnet Cleaning, but it only cleans the surface. Encapsulation cleans a bit more deeply, just not as deep as Hot Water Extraction.
Bonnet Carpet Cleaning
Cleaning carpets with a Bonnet Machine is called Bonnet Carpet Cleaning. The process is similar to shampooing rugs but concentrates on the carpet surface, giving it a polish. A bonnet machine uses a rotating absorbent cotton pad – similar to a bonnet.
In places with a lot of pedestrian traffic that need regular light cleaning, Bonnet Cleaning is a good option.
A cleaning mixture is applied to the rotating bonnet before it is spun over the top layer of carpet about 1/8 inch deep.
It is neither dry nor wet cleaning; it even mentions pre-spraying the carpet and using dry bonnet pads afterwards. Whatever the process is, a minimal amount of liquid is used. With a fast-drying surface cleaner, the carpet looks fresh and clean and reduces the appearance of dirt.
Nevertheless, the carpets may need sanitising to be clean, and dirt may remain deep in the carpet fibres. Hotels often use this method to avoid disturbing their guests.
Conclusion
A carpet cleaning task can be tiring and time-consuming, so most people prefer to avoid it. However, germs and dirt stored in carpets can eventually cause severe allergies and health problems in some people. Thus, it is not something that can be avoided easily.
Consult carpet cleaning companies and choose the best method for your carpets. Keeping them clean while maintaining their quality should be a priority when treating them.