Carpet Cleaning Methods – Advantages & Disadvantages

Professional carpet cleaning businesses make use of several different methods for their residential as well as commercial carpet cleaning services. Each of these different methods has its own benefits and limitations. It is always a difficult task to spot and select the best method from among the lot. However, reviewing the probable pros and cons of each method would be extremely helpful in selecting the best method for getting the carpets cleaned. 

Basically, the carpet cleaning methods are placed under two broad categories, dry cleaning and wet cleaning. The dry cleaning methods make use of chemical powders and dry foam and apply them, using special machines having counter rotating pads, cylinders, or brushes. On the other hand, the wet cleaning methods use hot water extraction techniques and clean with the help of absorbent pads. 

All the methods under these two categories have their own advantages and disadvantages and it becomes imperative to be aware of them before making the final selection. 

It is probably one of the oldest and the most widely used methods for cleaning carpets. It makes use of rotary floor machines that inject shampoo in the carpet through brushes, which is then whipped for making foam. When the foam dries along with the carpet dirt, it is vacuumed carefully, thereby rendering the carpet clean. 

The prime advantage of this method is the low consumption of water and relatively better cleaning. The problem only occurs when the foam doesn’t dry completely and leaves behind a sticky residue on the carpet fibers that attracts even more dirt than before. 

This method doesn’t actually make use of steam because the actual temperature would be too hot for the carpet and might permanently damage its fibers. It is, thus, widely referred to as ‘Hot Water Extraction’ method. The extraction systems used in this method spray the cleaning agent on the carpet, which dissolves the soil and dirt, and extract it instantly through a vacuum pump. 

The main advantage of this method is the lower-than-normal carpet cleaning cost and quick cleaning. The problems arise when the soil doesn’t dissolve instantly and some solution still remains on the carpet after being vacuumed. This can leave the carpets wet, which can often result in shrinkage, splitting of the seams and can even lead to mildew or mold formation. It often keeps the customers waiting for days before re-shifting the furniture to the cleaned area. 

These methods were primarily invented for solving the problems occurring from the wet cleaning methods. The Dry Powder method makes use of cleaning powders, which are saturated with several detergents and dry cleaning solutions. The Dry Foam method makes use of machines as well as detergent for creating dry foam for removing the dirt from the carpet. 

With the moisture level in these methods being negligible, there is no risk of carpet wetting. However, since adequate water is not used for cleaning, some soil and dirt cannot be completely removed and the remaining particles attract more soil. The residues of cleaning solutions, if left behind, might also contribute to attracting more dirt. 

Now, as the benefits as well as the limitations of each method of carpet cleaning are known, making an intelligent decision regarding the choice of method for cleaning the carpets would be much easier.