If you are wondering how to choose the best carpet cleaning service, you’ve come to the right place! No matter the lengths you go to preserve your floor coverings with vacuuming and DIY spot cleaning, areas that receive moderate to high traffic will eventually need professional carpet cleaning. Every carpet cleaning company has their own methods for cleaning, so knowing what to look for and look out for will aid in finding the carpet cleaner that is right for you.
Beware of Hidden Costs in Carpet Cleaning
You may be familiar with advertisements along the lines of: Best Carpet Cleaning Service— only $99 for three rooms! Many carpet cleaning companies lure potential clients in with offers that seem too good to be true. They hide fees that you don’t find out about until you get the bill, such as charging additionally per stair. Keep in mind that these “special” prices will not include stain removal, odor removal, pre-treating soiled areas, and moving furniture. To avoid being shocked when you receive the bill, make sure you approve a quote beforehand and ask about additional charges.
Inspection
Some companies take many precautions before they start to clean your carpet. This is a sign that the company has professionally trained technicians. The best carpet cleaning companies have trained technicians will be able to identify the fiber type and pile construction to determine what chemicals and methods to use. They will also know to closely inspect the carpet beforehand to watch out for snags, buckling, wrinkling and looseness. Cleaning carpeting with these issues can cause even more damage, so a good carpet cleaner will consult you about these problems, and carefully take the proper steps to avoid further issues.
Best Carpet Cleaning Methods
Dirt, bacteria, pests and other debris hide and build up in your carpeting. It is inevitable that it becomes soiled when we walk on it every day, so cleaning it plays a very important role in keeping the environment within your home clean. In general, professional cleaning is recommended every12 to 18 months, but the amount of use any particular area gets can require more or less frequent cleaning. It is critical that the carpeting is actually getting clean. The most popular cleaning methods used by carpet cleaning professionals include:
Clear water Extraction
detergent. A specially formulated detergent is sprayed onto the carpet, agitated, and immediately extracted with clear water by a technician using a wand attached to an extractor. This can be followed by grooming the pile, or surface fibers, of the carpet..
Shampooing with Clear Water Extraction
Shampooing with clear water extraction is an excellent way to remove deep-down soils and restore packed or matted pile. The carpet is shampooed and then rinsed with clear water, which removes both the shampoo and unwanted soils.
Steam cleaning
Steam cleaning is generally done using truck-mount systems. This method combines detergent, hot water under pressure, and immediate extraction. To prevent early re-soiling, detergents that dry to a powder are most often used. Steam cleaning can also be done using portable machines. Steam cleaning with clear water rinsing is the most effective way of utilizing this method.
Clear Water Extraction Method
Encapsulation Cleaning Method.
This was followed by clear water extraction.
Encapsulation Cleaning
Encapsulation Cleaning uses a detergent that includes special polymers. These detergents dislodge and suspend soils, which are then encapsulated within a brittle polymer. Applied using a rotary brush system with an attached tank make it especially effective for maintenance cleaning with a relatively quick drying time. The resulting encapsulated soils can then be removed by vacuuming.
Rotovac
This method is a variation of clear water extraction. The Rotovac carpet cleaning method starts with a pre-spray of a cleaning solution to loosen up dirt and other soils. The Rotovac machine has several vacuum heads that rotate which also release jets of hot water to further break down the soils. However, there are many fiber types and carpet constructions that can and will be damaged by the high-pressure rotating jets. Be sure that any professional cleaner who may use this method will carefully pre-test your carpet.
Bonnet Spin Cleaning
Bonnet spin cleaning is a widely-used method for surface cleaning. After a light detergent spray, a soft, absorbent pad is rotated over the carpet. The absorbent bonnet on the pad loosens and attracts soil. This method dries quickly, allowing the carpet to be walked on shortly after cleaning, making it a popular method in commercial and hotel settings. Bonnet cleaning can cause damage to certain fiber types and constructions, so caution must be used.
Dry Powder Cleaning
Dry powder cleaning uses a moist powder that is sprinkled on the carpet and vibrated or brushed into the pile. After the powder dries, the carpet is thoroughly vacuumed, removing most of the powder with soils attached. The carpet can be walked on almost immediately. This method is less effective than others, but is safe to use on fibers that get weaker when wet such as viscose/rayon.
Note: All cleaning methods should be preceded with a thorough vacuuming of the carpet. Additionally, certain pile constructions require pile grooming post-cleaning to ensure that the surface of the carpet is as upright as possible once dry. Some detergents and chemicals can actually cause premature re-soiling, especially if not completely removed. This problem can be eliminated by using specially formulated cleaning solutions, which do not contribute to re-soiling.
Which Carpet Cleaning Method is Right for You?
There is no single carpet cleaning method that works best on all carpet types, as both fiber makeup and construction play a large role in how to clean a carpet. With wool, man-made synthetics like nylon and acrylic, and some other resilient and durable fiber combinations, our recommended method would be clear water extraction or shampooing followed by clear water extraction depending on the severity of soiling. This method assures that both soil and cleaning solution will be removed by combining agitation with thorough rinsing.
Note: In certain circumstances, we may recommend other methods or a combination of methods. Every method has advantages and disadvantages, but you can rest assured that the most effective way to keep your carpet looking its best is to hire a company that is knowledgeable and has a reputation for quality results.
Dry Time
A large portion of problems that arise from carpet cleaning occurs during the drying process, whether it be shrinkage, yellowing, mildewing, etc. Your carpet shouldn’t be soaking wet after the carpet cleaners leave. Some carpet can actually become too wet, leaving permanent damage. It is especially important to utilize good air flow and fans after cleaning. Make sure to ask about drying time during your consultation.
In addition to scheduling professional cleaning for your carpet, proper vacuuming is a simple way to avoid the need for frequent cleanings. Particularly in wool floor coverings, which are the most effective at hiding dirt and soil, vacuuming should be done weekly to bi-weekly to prevent soils from abrading and wearing out your carpet.
Trust the Fabric Care Experts
Make your carpet look better for longer with the Fiber-Seal Fabric Care System. Fiber-Seal provides upholstery cleaning, area rug cleaning and carpet cleaning services along with fabric protection to keep your furnishings looking fresh. Fabric protection allows most spills and stains to easily be blotted away, so cleaning isn’t needed as frequently. If you’re looking for the best upholstery cleaner, visit our location finder to find a Fiber-Seal Service Center near you! With over 50 years in business, we have the most effective methods of protecting, cleaning and maintaining fine furnishings.
