Benjamin Pau
In this article, you will be learning the different ways of cleaning a carpet. Carpet cleaning is important to maintain quality and prolong its lifespan. Before we go through the different methods for carpet cleaning, we must too understand why carpet cleaning is an important task that should not be ignored.
Carpets are often used in high traffic areas such as entrances and lobbies which ends in dirt and dust build-up. This does not only result in a dirty carpet but it too may shorten the lifespan of the carpet itself. The dirt particles collected acts as an agitator such as sandpaper on the fibers thus destroying the carpet.
Through proper carpet cleaning and maintenance, we are able to remove these dirt particles, as well as any stains or spots, leaving your carpet looking brand new again. There are different methods of carpet cleaning, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. The most common methods are vacuuming, shampooing and extraction cleaning.
Manual Beating
Let’s first start with the traditional method which is carpet beating. The only available method back then was to manually clean the carpet with the use of a broom or stick. The carpet is to be hung on a clothesline and then beaten with the broom from one end to the other. Dust particles would then fall out and the carpet is dried in the sun to kill bacteria. The ultraviolet rays of the sun are sufficient to kill most bacteria lingering on the carpet.
Dry Vacuuming
Dry vacuuming is done with the usage of a vacuum cleaner accompanied by a brush accessory to loosen dirt from the carpet fibers and collects them. This method works best on lightly soiled carpets and is not ideal for heavily soiled or stained carpets as it may push the dirt and stains further into the pile. Dry vacuuming may be used on all types of carpets as it does not in anyway damage the material. The downside is that it can only clean the top part of the carpet pile and is unable to reach the primary backing. This method only cleans the top part of the fiber.
Carpet Bonneting
The carpet bonnet is an accessory to be used with a single disk floor scrubber such as Upekkha’s SD400WS. Again, this method somewhat achieves a similar result to the dry vacuuming method but utilizes a different cleaning machine and detergent solution. The carpet and the bonnet first has to be wetted with the detergent solution, the machine then runs and glides across the carpet picking up dirt and is deposited on the bonnet. The plus point here when compared to dry vacuuming is that the detergent solution disinfects viruses and bacteria.
Carpet Extraction
While the procedures above appear to be effective, they may not remove all traces of dirt, stains, and germs from the carpet. With the use of a carpet extractor, we are able to change all of that. A carpet extractor sprays detergent solution from its spraying nozzle at a high pressure unto the carpet, reaching the depths of the primary backing to raise the dirt particles ensnared. The dirty particles are then vacuumed and deposited in the dirty water tank.
Carpet Shampooing
This last method is considered the best among all as it gets the carpet cleanest! The technique, dubbed carpet shampooing, is done with a floor scrubber machine like the SD400WS, which was used for carpet bonneting. Instead of utilizing a bonnet, we are now using a soft shampoo brush. The soft shampoo brush is able to dig into the primary backing, raising dirt particles via foam produced by agitation. The dirty foam may then be picked up with a wet-dry vacuum cleaner or, better, a carpet extractor. Not only will the dirt-infused foam be collected by the carpet extractor, but will also assist in rinsing and drying the carpet from soap. Remember to use a high foam carpet shampoo detergent when carrying out this method!
As a reminder, always do remember to dry your carpets whenever you clean with soap and water. Luckily for you, we at Upekkha have something called a floor dryer that is able to help you to do so! Your carpet will end up with foul odor if not dried thoroughly.