Carpets can lose their magic if they are not cared for properly. That’s why it’s important to establish a suitable cleaning regime with the right vacuum and some thorough stain-removing techniques or even get professionals to clean your carpets when the time comes.
To get the most out of your carpet for years to come, it’s integral to understand the difference between the most effective carpet cleaning methods available so that you can choose the right one for you.
1. Hot Water Extraction Cleaning
Also misleadingly known as steam carpet cleaning, this method uses high-pressured hot water to agitate carpet fibres, while dissolving the dirt in the carpet. Hot water extraction cleaning typically involves putting a cleaning agent on a damp surface before scrubbing and rinsing. The warm water coupled with the sheer force of the steam restores your carpeting or upholstery’s original appearance. This method is often the first choice for people who suffer from allergies or asthma, using mostly just water with little to no detergents. It’s also perfectly safe for children, pets, and the environment.
2. Carpet Shampooing
While carpet shampooing may have lost its popularity since it was first introduced in the 1970s, its early days did show that if your carpet is damp, carpet shampooing can help clean your carpet. However, since the introduction of encapsulation, carpet shampooing has been used less and less by more and more people. Due to its list of disadvantages such as high amounts of wet foam residues and the lengthy time for drying, this old and fairly traditional method has its drawbacks.
3. Encapsulation
Said to clean deeper than vacuuming alone and less disruptive than hot water extraction, encapsulation carpet cleaning involves compacting soils in a cleaning agent which creates dried crystals that are then vacuumed. Encapsulation allows for fast dry times due to not having to soak the carpet and is not only cost-effective but environmentally friendly too as it has a very mild chemical and almost neutral PH level. This cleaning method causes minimal disruption with carpets able to dry for under an hour. An added benefit is that once this method has taken place, your carpet will be easier to vacuum and maintain. The encapsulation process helps the release of soil from the carpet, thus making the vacuum more effective in the complete removal of soil.
4. Bonnet Cleaning
Commonly involving a rotary floor cleaning machine with a cleaning pad soaked in the solution, dirt is absorbed by the agitation as the rotary machine glides over the carpet. Easy to use and inexpensive, bonnet cleaning can be a great choice for spot cleaning.
5. Dry Carpet Cleaning
Dry carpet cleaning is one of the latest cleaning technologies out there and has gained increasing popularity among leading carpet manufacturers because of its cleaning performance and convenience. With no drying times, the highlight of dry carpet cleaning is its thorough deep cleaning results. A cleaning compound or powder is applied to the bottom of the carpet with a motorised rotating brush machine that opens up the carpet fibre and allows the compound to settle inside. Dry carpet cleaning is suitable for more expensive and delicate carpet materials such as jute, velvet, sea grass, leather upholstery, and sisal.
With no lack of professional carpet cleaners, you could always check out the closest carpet cleaning company for an obligation-free quote and advice on what is the best carpet cleaning method for your property.
