Carpet And Upholstery Cleaning.
There are many different ways which you can take when approaching a carpet and upholstery cleaning task. The reason you are cleaning (general clean, removal of stains etc) as well as the kind of fabric you are cleaning both determine the kind of method you will choose. Whether you are going to use a professional carpet cleaning service or you are planning on doing it yourself, here are some basic guidelines to follow to make sure you don’t damage the material.
Carpet and rug cleaning methods
In a nutshell there are five general methods of cleaning: hot water extraction (steam cleaning), shampooing, quick dry (bonnet), dry foam and dry absorbent compound cleaning.
Steam cleaning (a.k.a hot water extraction) is probably the most popular of all the different methods but not always the best since the drying time, depending on the material, can be as long as 12 hours. A high-powered pump sprays a cleaning fluid into the carpet which is then sucked out immediately by a strong vacuum.
Any appliance store can offer you a wide variety of carpet cleaning machines. Many of these appliances are upright, free standing units with a solution tank for the cleaning fluid and two or three nylon brushes on the underside. The procedure is the automated version of somebody cleaning with a scrubbing brush in that the dirt is loosened by the brushes and then the dirt and dust is then vacuumed (normally with a separate vacuum cleaner) afterwards. As with steam cleaning, the carpet takes about 12 hours to dry.
The quick dry or bonnet method might seem to be the same as shampooing the carpet, in fact the machinery is very similar. Instead of the two or three nylon brushes, the machine has a couple of highly absorbent buffing pads. A special quick dry cleaning solution is firstly distributed over the carpet and the machine then buffs the carpet clean by absorbing the solution as well as the dirt. It only takes about an hour to dry so this method is a must for high traffic areas.
Dry Foam cleaning is a mixture between shampooing and hot water extraction. Foam is introduced to the carpet by a machine with rolling brushes and the carpet is then vacuumed to remove the dirt. The drying time, dependent on the carpet type of course, is between an hour or two.
A dry, absorbent compound which contains various solvents and detergents are spread lightly over the carpet. Either you, or the professional carpet cleaner you hire, will use a machine which works the powder into the carpet fibers after which you need to let some time go by while the powder absorbs the dirt and smells. After a short while (depending on the brand of powder you use), vacuum the carpet so that it removes the remainder of the powder. Since no water is ever used on the carpet there is no need for any drying time.
Upholstery Cleaning Options
The material to be cleaned is the deciding factor when choosing what method you will use to clean. Velvets and silks, for example, should only be dry cleaned and are therefore best left to a professional cleaning service. Some stronger materials, however, can be wet cleaned and this can be done using steam in the same manner that you would use with carpets and rugs. The only difference in the machine is the size of the nozzle which is small enough to be hand held. Most fabrics can also be shampooed but we recommend that you only use the foam of the solution not the liquid and then apply this with a damp sponge.
Recognising Upholstery
Many people are unaware of the best method to choose when cleaning furniture. In many cases you should find a label (possibly on the underside of one of the cushions) which will state the manufactures instructions, suggestions and warning. The most important thing to look out for is the code, either right at the top or right at the bottom of the label with either a ‘S’, ‘W’ or ‘SW’. ‘S’ indicates that the fabric should be dry cleaned while wet cleaning is indicated with the ‘W’. Materials which can be both wet and dry cleaned are indicated by the ‘SW
Professional carpet cleaners like Crystal Clean Solutions have been in the carpet cleaning business for over 13 years. We have seen it all and cleaned it all. www.crystalcleansolutions.co.uk
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