 | Melvin Lorg is the owner of Mel's World Class Carpet Cleaning. He has been in the carpet cleaning business for over thirteen years. Mel's company is certified by the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC). Mel spends much of his time teaching his carpet cleaners how to achieve excellence in cleaning and customer service, and has dedicated his business to helping homeowners get the highest return from their carpet investment. Mel welcomes your inquires and can be reached by phone at (800) 318-9812, (316) 687-9812 or (316) 941- 3500. |
Carpet Cleaning & Restoration
2005-11-01 16:19:00
Cleaning 101
: Which method of carpet cleaning is best?
ANSWER: There are several ways to clean carpets, some being more effective than others. A dry foam method applies shampoo to your carpet, allows it to dry, and then, without rinsing, removes the dried shampoo via a vacuum. Can you imagine applying shampoo to your hair, allowing it to dry and then removing the shampoo from your head with a vacuum? This method leaves a dirty residue in your carpet, and is one of the reasons dry foam is not very effective. Another method is Absorbent pad or Bonnet cleaning. This method is similar to dry foam, except that a large cotton bonnet is set on your carpet. The rotating motion causes the bonnet to absorb dirt from your carpet. Absorbent pad or Bonnet cleaning is like trying to use a large cotton towel or mop to rub the dirt out of your carpet. As you can imagine this method is not very effective either.Hot water extraction is a way of saying that a hot water cleaning solution, under high pressure, is forced into your carpet and then extracted from your carpet. In a recent Technical Bulletin by the world's largest carpet manufacturer, Shaw Industries recommends the hot water extraction method. There are two different types of hot water extraction:1. Truck-mount which is done with a large machine mounted in a truck or van.2. Portable extraction, which is done with a small, portable, or hand-held unit.Shaw Industries Technical Bulletin also states that cleaning should be done from a truck-mounted unit outside the facility with only the hose and wand brought inside. However where a truck-mounted unit cannot reach, a portable, self-contained system may be brought in to the facility.Shaw recommends the truck-mounted unit first. The truck-mounted unit cleans much better because it heats the water to a higher temperature, and shoots the cleaning solution into the carpet at higher pressures. This breaks up the dirt, bacteria, and pollens that are in the carpet. Truck-mounted extraction systems also use a high powered vacuum to draw the dirt and chemicals out of your carpet.Some people believe that hot water damages your carpet; however this is a myth. By washing and then rinsing your carpet with hot water it cleans your carpet completely in the same manner that a person who showers and then rinses off the dirt and soap will be much cleaner than a person who takes only a sponge bath.
