It is common for home furniture to sustain some wear and tear over the years. But, the carpet is the most used piece of furnishing at home that accumulates the most dirt. An unclean carpet not only makes your interiors look dull but can also spoil the air quality inside the house.
It is advisable to get your carpet cleaned at least twice a year. Getting the carpet cleaned by professionals helps eliminate the dirt and spills and extends the carpet’s life. Professional carpet cleaners can eliminate even the most stubborn stains, such as coffee or ink stains.
In addition, properly cleaning the carpet enhances the look and removes any allergens in the carpet.
When it comes to carpet cleaning, professional carpet cleaners use various methods, each with advantages and disadvantages.
Common methods of carpet cleaning
1. Wet cleaning
When you opt for wet cleaning services, the cleaners will pre-condition your carpet with a chemical agent. The chemical is used to liquify all the dirt and soil substances that may be stuck in the thick fibers of the rug. In the industry, this is also known as hot water extraction or steam cleaning method.
After liquifying all the dirt substance, boiling water is pressurized in the machine and injected onto the carpet at high pressure. This is followed by vacuuming the whole carpet to extract the solution of hot water and the liquid dirt substances.
Pros
- Deep cleans the carpet.
- Eliminates any dirt or soil from the fibers as well
- Chemical concentrate makes the rug look fresher and cleaner
Cons
- It may take a while to dry.
- Equipment to yield high efficiency is often costly.
2. Absorbent pad
It is not a thorough cleaning regimen but rather a light maintenance cleaning method, known as Bonnet cleaning. Here, the carpet is first vacuumed to remove the debris in the upper layers.
Then, a chemical cleaning solution is sprayed or applied. This chemical solution is left on the carpet for a specific period, depending upon the size and quality of the rug.
After the stipulated time, a rotary machine with an absorbent pad is run over the carpet to clean the upper layer thoroughly.
Pros
- Simple and cost-effective method
- Great results with lightly soiled carpets
- No special machinery is required.
Cons
- It can only clean the top layers of the carpet as it is unable to penetrate the base layer.
- Dirt and chemicals may accumulate in the bottom-most layer even after cleaning.
- The carpet is not thoroughly cleaned.
3. Dry cleaning with an absorbent
As the name suggests, it is a cleaning method where water is not used. Instead, a powdered substance that is mixed with other cleaning substances is used.
The dry solvent is spread all over the carpet. A rotary machine with a pad installment is used to work the solvent in the deep layers of the carpet. The cleaning agent works to absorb solid and dirt for easy extraction.
After the dwell time of up to twenty minutes, the solvent and the dirt are vacuumed.
Pros
- It is a simple system of cleaning.
- It is an efficient method as a carpet can be cleaned in only twenty minutes.
Cons
- The dry cleaning method does not work well with thick plush pile carpets as the solvents may get stuck in the base layer.
- The rotatory machine will disperse the dust around the room, causing powdery residue build-up at home.
- It is not suitable for deep cleaning.
4. Rotary shampoo method
In this method, a liquid cleaning agent is used to suspend the debris in the carpet. But with a special brush ending installed on a rotary machine, shampoo is whipped to a foamy paste on the carpet.
The rotary machine turns the shampoo into foam which helps to liquefy the debris for easier extraction and thorough cleaning. The rotary shampoo method gives the carpet a cleaner look and helps eliminate any foul smell.
After half an hour, the foam is extracted from the carpet using a vacuum.
Pros
- It is an efficient and straightforward method.
- Rotating brushes clean the carpet to eliminate any stains.
- The technique is not completely dry as the foam leaves a bit of moisture, but it dries almost instantly.
Cons
- It is not a suitable method for deep cleaning the carpet.
- If the rotary machine is not used correctly, the foam may wet the carpet more than is required.
These are the most common carpet cleaning methods used by professionals. You could do it at home yourself, but it requires a certain level of know-how and expertise to ensure you get the suitable solvents, solutions, and equipment.
Besides, you also need to figure out which method is best suited for the type of carpet you have at home. So, it is better to entrust carpet cleaning to the professionals.