Carpet cleaning methods are not all the same. In fact, there are many different ways to clean various types of carpet. What many people do not understand is that carpet fibers are not all made the same, so certain types of carpet will require a different type of cleaning method. Certain cleansers may also be harmful for some carpet fibers while they work wonders for other types. It is important to complete preliminary research before having just any carpet cleaning company come to a home and clean the carpet with whatever method they feel like using without regard to what is best for the carpet.
Having a carpet professionally cleaned is by far the best way to clean it. However, if the cleaning method utilized is detrimental to the lifespan of the carpet, then it basically serves no purpose. This type of mistake can cost you a lot of money and maybe might even require you to replace your own carpet.
To keep informed, it is probably a good idea to learn about a few of the different carpet cleaning methods and how they work. Here are a few different carpet cleaning methods:
1. Shampooing a Carpet - Typically this looks to be the least effective method on any carpet. What occurs during a carpet shampooing is that formulated detergents are applied directly to the carpet and then the professional carpet cleaners will use a machine that agitates the cleanser. Then they will use a vacuum to extract the cleanser and make the carpet look very clean. The detergents used are formulated to make the carpet seem bright and smell nice. However, it does little more any caked on dirt deep down in the pad of the carpet. So if the main purpose of a carpet cleaning for a home is to make it look nice, maybe for a special occasion where a lot of people will be walking around so the carpet will need to be cleaned again anyway, shampooing can be the right choice . However, for health and wellness reasons, it is typically not the top choice.
2. Dry Carpet Cleaning - Most people recommend the dry cleaning method over any other. It is certainly helpful since there is little to no down time since the carpet will not need to dry for a long period of time as is necessary with other methods. Most of the time, using a special cleaning powder completes the process. It is sprinkled all over the carpet and it will automatically start appealing dirt. After it has stayed on the carpet an appropriate amount of time to absorb, it is then sucked up by a vacuum, leaving the carpet almost as good as new. A few carpet cleaning companies have made modifications to this method with different cleansers, such as an oxygenated cleanser. This method works well too, because although it may make the carpet wet just briefly, the oxygenated bubbles help lift dirt out of the base of the carpet, allowing it to be cleaned up even more effectively.
3. Foam Carpet Cleaning - This method is also very useful. It basically takes a little bit of the shampoo method and then combines it with the dry cleaning method. A cleansing foam and a small amount of water are applied to the carpet. The cleansing foam is also designed to attract dirt dust and harmful fibers like the powder in a dry cleaning method does. It works its way through the carpet and then the foam, along with all the dirt and dust particles it has collected are extracted from the carpet. This method works best of tougher carpet due to the nature of the foam as well as the vacuum.
4. Steam Carpet Cleaning - Steam carpet cleaning is probably one of the most well known cleaning methods and is also used often. It does have its disadvantages because because it uses an awful lot of water. When the water soaks deep down into the pad of the carpet, it can damage it so severely that the carpet may need to be replaced. However, if steam cleaning is done properly, and not too frequently, it can be effective. It is also known as "Hot water extraction" and basically it works by having a very powerful machine put a hot water and cleanser solution deep down into the carpet. Then the machine will extract the cleanser with a powerful suction. All of this will most likely get the most dirt out of the carpet, however, it may cause the carpet damage over time. It also means the carpet will be wet for a while, so do not use this method as a quick fix, since there is nothing quick about it.
5. Bonnet Carpet Cleaning - This method is mostly used for commercial buildings due to the amount of carpet inside of them. It is not meant to be incredibly effective, since commercial buildings experience so much traffic anyway. Basically this method will keep the carpets looking fresh and clean, even though some dirt and dust may still be lurking under the surface. A chemical detergent is applied to the carpet and then a rotary machine is equipped with an absorbent pad and then worked across the carpet.
So it is clear that not all carpet cleaning methods are the same. Now that the different methods are clearly outlined, it's time to figure out which one will work best in your own home. Choose wisely, as different methods will affect different types of carpet in various ways.
