Best Carpet Cleaning Methods

What is the best carpet cleaning method for your carpet or area rug?  Whether you’re about to buy a carpet or just a rug, you would want it to last long, and to stay nice and clean. This requires a certain investment on your part not only at the moment of purchase, but in the long run as well – for proper maintenance is key in keeping anything you own alive and well.

Other than the accumulated dust, dirt and odors, there are other unpleasant things that can happen to a carpet, such as dust mite infestation; and just because you can’t see them, it doesn’t mean they aren’t there. Although they are notoriously difficult to get rid of, the most annoying thing about their life cycle is the allergies they can provoke in many of us. They feed on the skin flakes and hair that falls from humans and pets and really thrive in the nice “forest” of a carpet's surface.

The best carpet cleaning method for your need depends largely on the amount of foot traffic it sees every day. High traffic areas may require quick and frequent attention; places such as corporate offices are a good example of that.  The materials a carpet is made of are also important when choosing a cleaning method – some are softer and weaker than others and mechanical methods of cleaning might damage its fibres. Knowing what fibres your carpet or rug is made from will help you in terms choosing the very best carpet cleaning method for its proper maintenance.  At this point you might consider taking advantage of a rug and carpet cleaning service since professionals have the necessary equipment, and experience to do a better job than any of us ever will with household or even rental resources. Deep cleaning of carpets is usually done with machines too expensive and bulky for any of us to use in a practical sense. There are five methods that cleaning companies use in deep cleaning. Here are the examples with their benefits and drawbacks:

Shampooing

This kind of carpeting cleaning is considered the easiest one, but is the least effective. Special carpet/rug cleaners are worked into the carpet with a machine. Then, the shampoo is pulled out using a powerful vacuum. The detergent is scented, and has chemicals capable of brightening and making your rug or carpet fresh smelling. A common drawback of this technique however is that drying takes a long time and the leftover moisture can be inconvenient.

Dry Cleaning

A commonly used method in deep cleaning in which the carpet is covered with an absorbent compound. This is a special type of powder containing solvents and detergents, capable of attracting dirt and debris as it is worked into the carpet. After this application the powder is removed with a vacuum.  The main drawback is that some of the chemical residue might remain, allowing further accumulation of dirt.

Foam Cleaning

This method can be considered a combo of the previous two. In essence what happens when a cleaning company uses this solution is the application of a foam detergent using a minimal amount of water. The foam adheres to the surface it is used on, and acts to remove the dirt and dust lodged between the fibres of the carpet. Once it is all worked into the rug or carpet – it is sucked away by a vacuum and left to dry.

Hot Water Extraction

Otherwise know as steam cleaning. This is probably the best carpet cleaning method, which allows proper cleaning without leaving behind the residue that the other techniques do. The way this extraction works is by spraying a very hot water cleaning solution onto the carpet and then extracting it right away, along with the dissolved soil and debris that was formerly stuck between the carpet fibres. The temperatures used actually never reach a boiling point so “steam” cleaning is not exactly the right term.

Bonnet Cleaning

This type of cleaning is mostly performed in commercial facilities. This method involves the use of a rotary bonnet, also known as a “shag pad” which is combined with a cleaning solution. This is an abrasive method which requires a mechanical removal method so it has to be done with skill. It is very thorough, however the drawback is still the residue that might remain on the carpet unless its properly rinsed.

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