Almost all of us have carpets in our homes in at least a few rooms. Despite this few people know the proper protocols for cleaning carpets, in terms of frequency, method of cleaning and much more. Unclean carpets not only are unsightly and detract from the appearance of your house, they are unsanitary and can be a hidden an overlooked cause of bacteria in your home. This article will explore the various carpet cleaning solutions and offer tips on how to clean your own carpets whatever kind they might be.
Firstly it must be understood that there are different types of carpets all of which respond better to different carpet cleaning solutions. The different kinds of carpet are wool, cotton, silk, and sisal or other plant fibers. Each kind of carpet has specific properties that may cause it to be damaged by certain carpet cleaning solutions or greatly enhanced. For example wool carpets are easily damaged by bleaches and alkalis and should not be cleaned in the presence of extreme heat or agitation. Knowing which type of carpet you have and its cleaning properties will allow you to make a better decision on the right carpet cleaning solution for you.
Then there are the various types of carpet cleaning solutions. For those of you who thought carpet cleaning simply meant washing your carpets, you might be in for a big surprise. When a carpet is cleaned it has to have dirt removed that is deeply embedded in the carpet fibers. Combine that with a need to do this in a gentle way so as not to destroy the carpet and you start to get an understanding of why carpet cleaning is so complex.
One example of a carpet cleaning solution is the hot water extraction method. This method should not be used on wool carpets but may be effective for the other types. Hot water extraction is sometimes known as steam cleaning and involves the use of heat to suspend the embedded dirt particles in the carpet. Next a pressurized cleaning agent is injected into the pile to remove those particles. The carpet must be quickly and effectively dried with the use of fans or heating which may or may not be included in the steam cleaning service.
Alternatively there is the dry extraction carpet cleaning solution. This method involves no water but instead specific detergents are added to the carpet that attach to dirt and dust particles. The removal of the dirt and dust particles is the performed by a hand operated vacuum cleaner which is brushed over the area and removes both the dirt and the detergent particles simultaneously.
