Common Professional Techniques Used For Cleaning Carpets

Posted by Rita H Peterson on August 27th, 2019

Not in the distant past, spilling some milk or tea on the carpet would have been the end of the world. Despite several rounds of cleaning faint stains would still remain and the carpet would be spoilt. But now carpets can be cleaned stainless and still look brand new by simply hiring a cleaning service in Boulder. The methods used by these services usually use chemicals unavailable in the consumer market and heavy duty machinery. But if you want some tips for your next DIY project or are simply curious, here are some common techniques used by professional cleaning services to tidy your carpets:

Steam Heat Extraction

As the name implies, steam and heat are used in this method. The water is heated until it turns to steam and sometimes up to 150 °C which is then applied on the carpet using a steam machine. This steam loosens the dirt and grime with heat, which is then vacuumed with a heavy duty machine, effectively extracting it. It is considered the most effective method and uses the least amount of chemicals if any, but it is also the costliest. The steam also kills pathogens and dust mites, and eliminates all the stench.

Hot Water Extraction

The concept is similar to steam heat extraction but instead of steam, hot water is used for the process. The carpet may be treated with some chemicals before the process to absorb the dirt. The water is mixed with some detergent and heated close to the boiling point and then sprayed upon the carpet at high pressure. The dirt and grime are absorbed by the solution and vacuumed by a machine to extract it. It is more affordable than the steam heat extraction and almost as effective, providing the same benefits.

Dry Cleaning

Often confused with the bonnet method, in the dry cleaning method a dry compound is applied on the mat and pressed into it with a mechanized rotating brush. This compound absorbs the dirt from the mat within ten minutes which is then vacuumed leaving it cleaner than before. There isn’t much to dry as no water is used but it’s not an effective deep cleaner for the same reason.

Bonnet

Here, the cleaning agent is mixed with a carbonated solution and sprinkled over the rug which is then brushed over by a bonnet which has a dirt absorbing pad which also dries the rug. This method is quick and cheap but doesn’t get the inner layers of mat.

Encapsulation

The technique is quite similar to the previous one. The drugget is first thoroughly vacuumed then a synthetic detergent is spread upon it which crystallizes the filth which is then agitated with a machine to suspend it. This makes it easier for the vacuum to suck in all the filth. It’s effective and long lasting but can be a bit expensive.

Carpet Shampooing

It is the oldest and the most basic technique used to clean floor covers. A shampoo solution is foamed and scrubbed into the floor cover with a brush. The foam is then vacuumed along with the filth it absorbed. It’s affordable, fast and suited for most types of carpets but may spoil it after repeated applications.

Dry Foam Shampooing

Here, a foam is created by mixing the shampoo with air in a 1:9 ratio with a foam generator and then whipped upon the rug with a reel brush. This foam is later sucked along with the impurities it absorbed. The rug dries faster than in a regular shampoo method but the cleaning solution doesn’t go deep.
 
These are the basic techniques used by a professional carpet cleaning service in Boulder. They may vary from company to company based on available equipment and chemicals.