It’s time to clean your carpet. You go online or to the coupon books and you are hit with your first major decision, who do I call?
First you have to ask yourself, “What do I hope to accomplish?”
If all you are looking for is the cheapest price, then this blog is not for you.
The Cheap Cleaning
A couple of scenarios regarding the “Cheap” cleaners.
- You actually are charged the cheap price… and you get the cheap quality. The technician may not be qualified and can leave dirt and stains in your carpet. Worse yet, the cleaning may leave your carpet so wet that it doesn’t dry properly. This can lead to mold, mildew and plenty of health risks.
- The bait and switch. Unfortunately, this is an industry fraught with those who are only looking to cheat for more money. They lure you in with a cheap rate. Once they have examined the work to be done, that $50.00 for an entire house cleaning just became $400.00Worse than that, they may actually clean your carpet first and then tell you the new price.
- Often the technician will tell you that the cheaper price was for a regular cleaning and that you need a deep scrub or special solutions in order to properly clean your carpet.
Now that we know to avoid the poor quality and the scammers, what’s the next question you have to answer? What process is the best?
I can say this, as long as they are professional; there are good things about each style of cleaning. There are some that may be better, but all have good qualities. So, what are the methods? Before we tell you, I want you to imagine how you wash your hair, your clothes or your car. Think of the steps involved. Are you thinking about it? Here we go;
Steam Cleaning
- Steam Cleaning. Most steam cleaning involves nothing more than a hot water extraction. (not actual steam)Advantages:
- While there are pre treatments available and solutions that could be added, that is pretty much the essence of that method.
- This is the method that most people are familiar with. Why? National campaigns from big companies flood the TV and radio with adds.
- Quick cleaning
- Equipment encompassed inside truck or van
- Disadvantages:
- No agitation of carpet fibers prior to rinsing
- Hoses may not be able to reach high rise floors. Larger areas may require hoses to be run through windows.
- Doors of house remain open through process
- 12-24 hour dry time
Dry Cleaning
- Dry Cleaning.The area may or may not be agitated, or scrubbed with a bonnet or simply vacuumed up.
- Advantages:
- There are many different ways of dry cleaning. Simply stated, a product is either sprinkled or sprayed onto the carpet. The dirt and soils are then “attached” to the chemical (encapsulation).
- Quick cleaning
- Fast Drying (2-4 hrs)
Disadvantages:
- Not great for higher pile carpets
- Usually more expensive
- May leave product in the carpet
Rotary Scrub and Extraction
- Rotary scrub and extraction.A gentle scrub of the fibers with a pH balanced shampoo. The fibers are washed and agitated simultaneously loosening the dirt and soils while cleaning the fibers. Advantages:
- This is followed by a thorough clear water rinse and extraction.
- Still thinking about how you wash your hair, clothes and car?
- Thoroughly cleaned carpet fibers
- Very low possibility of spots “Re appearing”
- No need to call technician back out to touch up areas that did not come out as hoped.
Disadvantages:
- A little more effort on part of technician
Understand that this blog contains basic information regarding the top cleaning methods offered for your carpets. All technicians should be trained. Pre treating of certain spots should take place with all methods. Post clean grooming should take place with all methods. There are many more issues that can be addressed but were left out for the purpose of conciseness.
Please do your research and ask lots of questions. If the technician cannot answer basic questions, it’s time to keep searching.