Carpet Cleaning Methods

Steam Cleaning (a type of deep or hot water extraction) is generally, a much preferred method of carpet care. As its name suggests, it uses a hose that is mounted on a truck and shoots a mixture of hot water and cleaning solution into your carpet. The pressure and temperature of the water agitates the carpet and loosens dirt which is then vacuumed back up by the hose.

This method of carpet cleaning is highly effective in removing dirt and requires very little cleaning solution which can prolong the life of your carpet. The key to this process is combining the right amount of chemical, water temperature, water pressure and suction. Each of these elements needs to be perfectly calibrated to achieve the best results.

Extraction can be done with a variety of different machines such as a portable tank-type extractor. The problem with this type of machine is that it cannot reach high enough temperatures or adequate vacuum or water pressure to clean as well as a truck-mount.The importance of proper chemical mixture should not be overlooked. It doesn’t matter if you use the best and most advanced machines in the industry if your chemicals are not mixed properly. The goal with chemical mixing is to remove dirt while neutralizing the carpet’s PH. 

Bonnet Cleaning involves a rotary floor machine with a cleaning pad soaked in solution. As it moves over the carpet, the agitation causes dirt to be absorbed into the cleaning pad. The cleaning solution used with bonnet machines uses optical brighteners such as bleach which polish the cut fibers of the carpet, making the carpet appear brighter and cleaner. Unfortunately, though bonnet cleaners are able to remove some surface dirt, they also end up pushing a lot of dirt and cleaning solution further down into the carpet pile. This residue can then become a magnet for even more dirt.

The most effective type of bonnet cleaning for dirt removal is liquid encapsulation. This method involves pre-spraying the carpet, bonneting over it and then vacuuming up the resulting (dirt-encapsulated) foam that rises to the surface. Many people like bonnet cleaning because it is fairly inexpensive and easy to do. However, though it can be useful for spot cleaning, this method is not usually recommended as a means of long-term carpet care because it is not the most effective at removing dirt.There are many methods of carpet cleaning. Two of the most common are bonnet cleaning and truck-mounted extraction.