7 Expert Tips on Choosing the Best Carpet Cleaning Method for Your Carpet

Welcome back to our blog. When was the last time you cleaned your carpet? Last week? Last month? You can’t remember? 

Carpet cleaning is one of the major home chores that every homeowner must embark on from time to time. While these decorative pieces can make any spot pop, it is also a well-established fact that carpets are capable of holding dirt and germs for a long period of time. 

Germs stuck in our shoes as we go out to make direct contact with our carpet, which ultimately serves as host to thousands of tiny germs. No wonder research shows that even carpets we consider clean actually harbours all forms of germs including fungi, mould, pesticides, and mildew.

Worse, we spend most of our time indoors and on the carpet too – whether at home or in the office. You can only imagine the number of germs that we are exposed to every day. Besides causing allergies, these germs are responsible for a plethora of health issues in both children and adults.

This is why carpet cleaning is a major task that every homeowner must embark on whether the carpet looks clean or not. Fortunately, we no longer live in the past where all we do is sprinkle water on the floor and run a mop over it. Thanks to technological advancement, there are a lot of options when it comes to choosing a carpet cleaning method. A lot of the options also both effective and simple.

Want to bring a healthy spark in your home? Then, check out these 6 surefire ways to send dirt and germs out the door.

Choosing A Commercial Carpet Cleaning Method

Carpet cleaning can seem pretty easy to take on, but sometimes this task is best left to the pro who is well versed in the job. That said, it is, however, crucial to educate yourself of a few tips before choosing a carpet cleaning service. Here are some essential tips to guide you to the best carpet cleaner.

• Does the Carpet Cleaning Method Match?: A common error most homeowners make is jumping at the first – probably cheapest –  carpet cleaning service without considering if they are a fit. Different companies employ different cleaning methods. You have to go for one whose cleaning method matches that of your carpet. Don’t compromise the safety of your carpet.
• Are You Okay With The Cleaning Products?: Another important question to ask is cleaning products. There are a number of cleaning products on the market, each with its drawbacks. Some products are basically harsh chemical in a container. The goal is to rid your home of dirt and germs, not to introduce chemicals that are just as bad. Furthermore, do well to ask how they intend to completely rid the carpet of the detergent or soap. This is essential because leaving detergent residue in your carpet could cause more harm than the existing germs. Be guided!
• Do They Have Good Equipment?: All equipment is not made equal. It may seem like a little project that doesn’t require much expertise or equipment, but truth is, carpet cleaning is a delicate project. A little mistake could compromise the health of your family or damage your carpet. While wands are usually recommended, steam and dry cleaners can also be effective. However, do well to ask how they intend draining the water if they plan on using steam cleaners.
• What Is Your Experience In This Industry?: You could use the best cleaning products and equipment and still get a poor result at the end of the say. Why? Because the person handling the job weird the power to make or break your cleaning project. This is why we advise homeowners to take their time while choosing a commercial carpet cleaning company. You should ask for their experience in the industry and if possible reviews from past customers. You can’t be too careful.
• Lastly, Customer Care Service: Typically, we forget to ask about this critical part of the deal until after the job. And then spend hours complaining about how the customer service sucks. To be safe, we recommend you check out how responsive their customer service is before proceeding with the deal. This will save you so much trouble and time down the road.

Top 7 Carpet Cleaning Methods

Hot Water or Steam Cleaning

This is one of the most commonly used carpet cleaning methods. As the name implies, this method involves using hot water to clean off your carpet. Prior to the hot water pressure wash, the cleaner will have to precondition the carpet with a cleaning product. The cleaning product is then left to settle for a while before the pressure wash. This period of waiting allows the chemicals in the product to act on dirt on the carpet, breaking them into bits that can easily be suctioned out.

While this is common among DIY homeowners and cleaning companies, it is advisable to employ this method only when you have the equipment to dry it properly. You can also leave it for a while to dry. It should take at most four hours to dry if done properly.

Pros 

• Super easy and common method among homeowners.
• The best carpet cleaning method for deep cleaning.
• Perfect for eliminating everything from odor to dust, bacteria, and every other dirt or germ in between.
• Doesn’t necessarily involve complex noxious chemicals.
• It is by far the most trustworthy carpet cleaning method on the planet.

Cons

• This cleaning method requires too much time to dry. It could take four hours or more just to dry up.
• Hot water carpet cleaning tends to be one of the most expensive cleaning methods today.
• Homeowners may not be able to do it themselves as it requires expensive equipment and prerequisite know-how.

Bonnet or Absorbent Pad Cleaning Method

The bonnet cleaning method is popular for regular or light carpet cleaning. Unlike hot water cleaning, this type of carpet cleaning does not require all day to dry. You can get your desired result in no time. Despite these amazing pros, it is also important to note that bonnet or absorbent pad cleaning does not clean as deeply as hot water cleaning. You will most likely have some amount of dirt at the end of the day. 

The process is quite simple. P.s. don’t confuse bonnet cleaning for dry cleaning. First, you will have to do routine vacuum and then spray your desired cleaning product on the carpet using a hand pump or electric sprayer then leave to stay. The cleaning product will have to stay for a while to break down dirt in the carpet. Leave for a few minutes and start cleaning with the bonnet or absorbent pad. The bonnet is usually placed on the drive block of a rotary floor machine and spun across the carpet surface at the rate up to 300 rpm. 

Pros 

• It could pass for the fastest and easiest carpet cleaning method,
• You do not have to wait forever for your carpet to dry.
• Bonnet cleaning cost is relatively low compared to hot water extraction.
• It is a great choice for spot cleaning.

Cons

• Bonnet cleaning gives a partial result. It works perfectly for dirt on the surface of the carpets, not deep inside the carpet.
• Dirt and chemicals may be part of the residue left after cleaning.
• It can only be used as a temporary carpet cleaning method as it absorbs only about one-third of the dirt in the carpet.

Compound or Dry Carpet Cleaning

This is yet another simple and effective carpet cleaning method. It shares a similar process with bonnet cleaning, hence, it is wrongly used interchangeably sometimes. In this method, the cleaner uses counter-rotating brushes or a mechanized brush to spread the absorbent compound around the carpet and then, leave it to stay for a while. You for leave it for 8 to 10 minutes – or more, depending on your preferences. This waiting period is necessary to pick up the dirt from the carpet. After the waiting period, the cleaner begins the main cleaning by using a high-suction vacuum to vacuum the preconditioned carpet. You will have a fresh and sparkling carpet in no time.

Pros 

• It doesn’t require any prior experience to perform.
• Dry cleaning method is a modern and easy carpet cleaning method.
• It is very safe to practice.
• Your carpet dries faster compared to wet cleaning methods.

Cons

• You may have to opt for another option if deep cleaning is your goal
• A faulty or low-quality vacuum will leave the absorbent powder as residue in the carpet. This could draw more dirt and germs over time.
• It may be impossible to practice, especially for someone with allergies.

Encapsulation Cleaning

Encapsulation cleaning is perhaps the most effective modern-day carpet cleaning method. It is very effective, compared to other modern cleaning methods. Although sophisticated, it is pretty easy to practice. Like the dry cleaning method, encapsulation cleaning doesn’t involve the use of water. It is usually done with a vacuuming rotating brush and cleaning products. First, the carpet is preconditioned with chemical and crystallizing agents, which work to suspend the dirt in your carpet. Then, the cleaner employs the traditional vacuuming to suck out the disintegrated dirt.

Pros 

• It is super easy to do.
• You can be sure there is no dirt or chemical left behind.
• It is arguably the best cleaning method for large carpets.
• It dries very quickly.

Cons

• Encapsulation cleaning can be pretty difficult for homeowners to take on as it required expensive equipment.
• Manpower is very much needed as the machines are quite heavy.
• Although effective, it can be a poor cleaning choice for a greasy or oily stain.
• The chemicals are pretty expensive.

Carpet Shampooing Method

The shampooing method is one of the oldest carpet cleaning methods that still work. It is very easy to perform and doesn’t require any prior experience. This carpet cleaning method works by cleansing the carpet via a foamy chemical and motorized brush. The carpet is preconditioned by applying the chemical onto its surface. After which, a motorized brush is used to scrub the carpet, thus ridding it dirt and germs and leaving behind a healthy spark.

Pros 

• Carpet shampooing is very affordable.
• It is dried faster than most wet cleaning methods.
• It is very fast and easy to practice
• It can pass as one of the most effective methods today.

Cons

• Improper extraction of foam could be disastrous.
• It is proven to cause pile distortion, thus unsuitable for high-pile carpeting.

Traditional Carpet Cleaning Method

Our list will be incomplete without mention this traditional detergent and water cleaning method. As one of the oldest and most common forms of carpet cleaning, this method has proven to be very effective for all kind of stains. It requires the cleaner to scrub the carpet with water already mixed with detergent. You will have to scrub really hard for an effective result, though.

Pros 

• Probably the cheapest carpet cleaning method
• Extremely easy to practice – no machine needed.
• Perfect for small carpets
• Super effective as you get to concentrate on every stain on the carpet.

Cons

• It takes way longer time to dry
• Very stressful to practice
• Can’t be used with wall-to-wall carpeting
• It could take hours to complete

Regular Vacuuming

This is a basic carpet cleaning method used by most homeowners. It simply involves vacuuming the carpet regularly to rid it of any dirt or germ. Although an old cleaning method, it is still in vogue today and can be pretty effective over a period of time. As the name implies, you will have to do it regularly. In addition, it is among the cheapest carpet cleaning methods as it only involves a vacuum cleaner. The vacuum agitates the dirt and germs in the carpet and then sucks it out, leaving behind a fresher and cleaner carpet.

Pros 

• Very easy to use
• Most cost-effective carpet cleaning method
• Perfect for dry stains
• Dries faster than most traditional cleaning methods

Cons

• You will have to clean regularly to get a good result
• Only works with dry stains.

Conclusion

Carpet cleaning is critical for maintaining the health of the inhabitant of a space. Whether it is your office or home, you are required to clean your carpeting from time to time to ensure it doesn’t serve as home to dirt and germs. Simply pick a carpet cleaning method and tell us how well it worked for you. Looking forward to hearing from you soon.

© FastKlean