The Importance of Carpet Cleaning
If your carpets look grimy and vacuuming is no longer doing the trick, it’s time to clean them professionally. Carpet Cleaning El Dorado Hills CA will improve the appearance and prolong the life of your carpets and furnishings. Remembering that carpet manufacturers apply stain protection to their products is important. This should not be removed during cleaning.
Carpets add warmth and comfort to our homes and come in many shades and textures to complement any decor. However, they are not indestructible and need to be cared for properly. A thorough professional carpet inspection performed regularly can help you extend the life of your investment and reduce costly repairs. In addition to visual examinations, dye testing, and fiber analysis may be performed during a carpet inspection.
The trained and certified technicians are experienced in identifying and treating spots and stains. All spots are treated as a priority and treated with the appropriate spotters. Although some stains may not come out completely, they will be documented and included on the final invoice. If you have any concerns about the results of your cleaning, please get in touch with us directly.
A pre-inspection is done when the crew arrives at your home to go over the process with you and answer any questions. The crew leader will walk from room to room pointing out areas of concern.
Your carpets are thoroughly vacuumed with a special Turbine Vacuum System to remove bonded dry soils. Furniture is moved as necessary (excluding large pieces such as beds and dressers). Traffic areas are pretreated for more effective soil removal. Carpets are then pre-sprayed with a powerful cleaning solution that is agitated into the fibers for better penetration and loosening of dirt. Carpets are then rinsed and a final grooming is performed to decrease drying time, engrain deodorizer or protector and leave you with a clean, fresh looking carpet.
Unless you have tile or hardwood floors, your carpets need to be vacuumed on a regular basis. It’s one of the most important steps in maintaining your investment and helping your carpets and rugs last longer. Vacuuming removes dirt, dust, dander, dead skin cells and bacteria from your carpet. These substances left alone can cause a variety of respiratory and health problems in people and pets. Vacuuming also maintains a clean inviting appearance, helps prevent matting and contributes to a fresh clean odor.
Thorough vacuuming includes vacuuming carpet surfaces plus the use of a crevice tool to vacuum corners and baseboards. In high traffic areas, a complete vacuuming of corridors, office traffic lanes and desk wells is required to present a clean appearance.
When vacuuming, work slowly in long overlapping strokes to ensure the complete removal of soils from the carpet surface and backing. This technique also allows the vacuum to “lift” or agitate the carpet fibers, which increases the effectiveness of the cleaning. In addition, working multiple directions like north to south and east to west will help make high-traffic patterns less noticeable. Lastly, always be sure to replace the vacuum filter and hose attachment to ensure maximum air flow. Also, use a vacuum that has received the Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) Seal of Approval. These are tested to ensure proper suction and removal of soils from the carpet.
Carpet adds warmth and softness to a room but it’s also high maintenance. Dirty carpets look bad, retain odors and detract from your home’s appearance and resale value. Vacuuming regularly is essential but you’ll also need a deeper clean to remove embedded soils, spills and stains.
Quality pros charge according to the type and condition of your carpeting, and they offer references and an in-home inspection before beginning the cleaning. Discount pros, on the other hand, rely on volume sales and offer “three rooms for $50” deals that don’t include the extras you get from quality professionals.
Vacuum the carpet before shampooing to remove loose dirt and pet hair. Pretreat stains with stain remover sprays, following manufacturers’ directions. Some of these cleaners require scrubbing, while others should be dabbed on and then blotted dry with white cloths or paper towels.
Brush the carpet uniformly, overlapping each stroke, until the surface is clean. Shampooing should take one to three hours.
Unlike other carpet cleaning methods that use dry detergent or shampoo, hot water extraction uses only water and environmentally safe, non-toxic cleaning solutions. In fact, this is one of the most eco-friendly ways to clean your carpet and is the preferred method of every major carpet manufacturer (and often required for warranty).
The process is simple – the technician will spray the water/detergent solution on the carpet fibres at high pressure. The rinsing solution will dissolve and loosen the soil particles, dirt, stains, and contaminants that have collected in the fibres over time. The dislodged substances will be trapped by the carpet’s fibres and then extracted immediately using a vacuum system to flush your carpet clean. The unclean solution and the dislodged soil will be stored separately in a recovery tank until it is disposed of into a sanitary waste system.
Hot water extraction is the most effective way to get rid of tough stains and spillages, and it will leave your carpet residue-free. Other carpet cleaning methods like bonnet or shampooing can leave a lingering, soapy feeling in your carpet afterward. The cleaning agents used in hot water extraction are biodegradable and won’t harm the environment or your health. Your carpet will also re-soil much less quickly after this type of cleaning because there isn’t a lingering soap or detergent residue. This is especially important for a family with children or pets as a lingering soap can attract more dirt and grime.
Depending on the source and purity of the water that soaked your carpeting, you may have to perform additional steps beyond cleaning. The amount of time it takes for a carpet to dry depends on the type of carpet and environmental factors such as temperature and humidity.
Nylon and polyester carpets generally take 8 hours or more to fully dry after cleaning. If you’re using a wet vacuum or have a dehumidifier, the drying process will be much faster.
The carpet’s padding should be removed as well and allowed to dry completely before re-installing it. If you do this, make sure you use a wet vacuum that can handle liquids without clogging.
Another way to speed up the drying process is to attach a hose to the vacuum’s exhaust and place it under the carpet, directing airflow between the carpet and the pad. This is particularly useful for preventing mold and mildew growth that can occur when the carpet and padding aren’t properly dried.
When in doubt, ask a professional how long you should wait before walking on the carpet or re-arranging furniture. They’ll be able to tell you whether the carpeting and padding are fully dry, and they’ll advise you if it is unsafe to do so. They can also recommend any additional steps you can take to speed the drying process.