Over time, the carpets in our home can go from “eye appealing” to “an eyesore”. The constant traffic from walking back and forth can make the carpet appear dull and matted. Our carpets take a beating from things like dirty shoes, pets, food spills, and dust. Thankfully, we can maintain that fresh new carpet look with proper care. All it takes is regular cleaning, the right cleaning essentials, and a little elbow grease. We have put together seven effective cleaning methods to help you maintain those clean carpets: 

Dry Powder Cleaning

Dry powder cleaning is a process that uses a dry powder made of detergent, solvent, and trace amounts of water to clean the carpets. It is known as a “very low moisture” cleaning system that works to remove stains, dirt, allergens, sand, grit, etc. from your carpets. This process does not require wetting the carpet. The dry powder is sprinkled evenly over the dry carpets with specialized rotating machines and then brushed into the carpet. Once it is thoroughly brushed into the carpet it is left on for up to 15 minutes. Then a Shark Vacuum is used to remove the dry powder and the dirt accumulated while the powder was siting. 

Encapsulation

Encapsulation carpet cleaning uses a method that is similar to shampooing. It is often referred to as “encapping” or “encap”. The process uses a synthetic acrylic polymer base that crystallizes into a powder form and then dries on the carpet. The ingredients in the cleaner work to break away dirt, grime, grease, dust, and stains from the carpet fibers. It is worked into the carpet with an agitation machine to fully get down into the carpet effectively. Loosened particles in the carpet fibers are encapsulated into powder when the cleaning foam dries. Once it is all dry, the powder is vacuumed off. This process uses environmentally friendly products, so there is little chemical residue left behind after the carpet is vacuumed. 

Steam Cleaning

Steam cleaning, also known as hot water extraction cleaning, uses high pressured hot water while it agitates the carpet fiber and dissolves the dirt in your carpet. This process involves the application of cleaning agents on the carpet, which is then brushed into the carpet and followed by rinsing the carpet clean. The cleaning agent is allowed to settle into the carpet for a short time while the ingredients in the cleaning agent foams to attract dirt, dust, grime, and grease. The remains of the solution and dirt are then washed clean by a carpet steaming machine. Steam cleaning is a popular method of carpet cleaning. On average, a carpeted room of 3000 sq. ft. can take around two hours to clean and three to four hours to dry. Because of this, many cleaning companies recommend that the carpet be shampooed in the late afternoon hours. That way the carpet can dry overnight after the cleaning is finished. If you have pets in the home, it’s best to use a cleaning agent that is both pet friendly and safe for your family. Carpet cleaning London is a trusted and affordable company that uses an eco-friendly, water-based solution that is not harmful to your children or your pets.

Bonnet Cleaning

Bonnet cleaning is a process that mainly cleans the surface layer of your carpet fiber. It uses a heavy duty motorized machine that has a spinning pad attached to it. The spinning pad is first immersed in the cleaning solution, then it is used to remove dirt off of the surface layer of the carpet. Since this is a surface cleaning, the dirt beneath the surface can surface again in a short period of time. It is a popular choice for cleaning hotel carpets, because it gives a quick clean to the surface of a heavy traffic area, without requiring hours of dry time. One downside to bonnet cleaning is that it can leave an accumulation of chemical residue in the carpet from the pressures of the machine as it spins the cleaning pad over the surface. 

Traditional Carpet Cleaning

The traditional method of cleaning carpets is to scrub it with a detergent and water. Traditional carpet cleaning is a little tedious for wall to wall carpeting. It’s more suited for indoor rugs that you can pick up and move. Once you finish scrubbing the carpet with detergent and water, the carpet needs to be placed outside in the sunlight so it can dry. So it’s best to do on a sunny day, as it will take longer to dry on days with lots of cloud coverage. 

Dry Foam Shampoo

The dry foam shampoo method is not the same as carpet shampooing with water. They are fairly similar, but the dry foam method uses ten percent water and ninety percent air. The liquid shampoo is first whipped into a foam with a foam generator. Then it is applied onto the carpet with the reel brush system. The rotary brushes agitate the carpet fibers to loosen dirt, dust, grime, etc. Once the shampooing process is finished, a vacuum is used to suck out the remaining shampoo and particles that were removed from the carpet fiber. 

Deep Cleaning by Hand

Deep cleaning by hand is a tedious project for wall to wall carpeting, but it is great for small spots and stain removal. You will need a stiff bristled scrubbing brush, a spray bottle, some cleaning solution, and a few old rags. Mix up the cleaning solution in a spray bottle and spray it directly onto the area you want to clean. Then take your scrubbing brush and scrub the area to loosen the dirt and stain from the carpet fibers. Be careful not to scrub too hard, because it can damage your carpet. Take your rags and press into the carpet to absorb the moisture out of the carpet. If necessary, repeat these steps until the stain is gone.

Andi Perullo de Ledesma

I am Andi Perullo de Ledesma, a Chinese Medicine Doctor and Travel Photojournalist in Charlotte, NC. I am also wife to Lucas and mother to Joaquín. Follow us as we explore life and the world one beautiful adventure at a time.

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