Keep your carpet fresh and clean to maintain its beauty and comfortable style. You know how important it is to invest in regular cleaning to keep the carpet looking sharp, but you may be unclear on the different cleaning options you can choose from. Here are the most common cleaning options and what you should know about them.
Magic Scrubbing Powder
You’ve been in the store and seen wonderful powders that claim they will clean your carpet. A form of dry cleaning, the detergent attracts dirt, so it can be pulled out of your carpet with your home vacuum cleaner. It’s important to vacuum the carpet thoroughly to remove all the powder along with dirt and grease. It’s a good way to get dirt out of the carpet when you don’t have time to clean the carpet thoroughly with a steam cleaner.
Carpet Cleaning Foam
Another cleaning option available for the homeowner to use, foam is used to soak the carpet. The foam is scrubbed in using a sponge mop and allowed to dry. Once the foam dries, it is vacuumed out of the carpet along with the dirt and grease. Over time, some of these foam cleaners can cause the carpet to start yellowing, so they should not be used frequently.
Carbonated Cleaning
A rotary brush is used to scrub the carpet with pads that are wet, damp or possibly dry. The cleaning solution is either sprayed on the carpet or directly on the pads. This cleaning method is excellent for short pile rugs that are typically found in commercial buildings, but it’s not recommended for cut pile and plus rugs. The cleaning also has to be followed with an extraction method like vacuuming or regular cleaning since the soil is loosened but not vacuumed away.
Warm Water Extraction
When you call for steam cleaning or professional carpet cleaning, most companies use this method. It is the most effective, and the only one recognized for deep cleaning. With this cleaning method, hot water mixed with detergent is sprayed onto the carpet ahead of a rotating brush. The brush scrubs the detergent and water into the carpet, and then powerful suction is used to remove the dirt, debris and detergent.
In-Home Steam Cleaning or Truck-Mounted Options
Companies like High Quality Carpet invest in truck-mounted systems to clean carpets. With home machines, the humidity from cleaning the carpet is kept in the house. With the truck mounted system, as much humidity and dirty air as possible is removed to the outside of the home. The truck mounted cleaners are also more powerful, using the highest level of suction to remove water from the carpet and leave it as dry as possible.
The best thing you can do as a homeowner is vacuum your floor on a regular basis. With regular vacuuming, your carpet will stay clean and look great for years to come. Spills should be spot-treated as soon as possible to avoid permanent staining, and you should call for professionals steam cleaning once or twice a year. If you would like to learn more about this valuable service and how it can extend the life of your carpet, visit High Quality Carpet to see how they can help you.