Carpet Cleaning Basics
Posted by Stephanie Webb on Thu, Jun 24, 2010 @ 02:31 PM
The beauty and life of a carpet depends largely on the care that it is given. Proper maintenance can add years of attractive life. For carpeting, proper maintenance includes regular vacuuming and periodic cleaning by a professional.
Regular vacuuming should be done every 1-2 weeks, and even more often in high traffic areas. It is important to use a well-maintained, good quality vacuum.
Professional cleanings are essential to maintain the life and beauty of your carpet and should be done every year. But before having a carpet cleaned, you may find it helpful to understand a few of the carpet cleaning methods.
- Hot Water Extraction or "Steam" Cleaning. In this method, hot water mixed with cleaning solution is sprayed on the carpet and immediately extracted (along with the dissolved soil) by an extraction machine. Hot water extraction is often referred to as "steam" cleaning. Most carpet manufacturers reccomend this method to sustain the life of your carpets. Carpet Tech utilizes this method as well.
- Shampooing. In this process, a cleaning detergent is whipped into a foam against the carpet by a floor machine. This suspends the soil, and the wet/dry vacuum removes it.
- Bonnet Cleaning. A special detergent is applied to the carpet, then agitated and absorbed, along with the soil, into the padding of the machine.
- Encapsulation Cleaning. An encapsulant is sprayed onto the carpet and then agitated by a machine. The encapsulant suspends dirt and soil, and then dries to a brittle crystal that is vacuumed off later - taking the dirt with it!