With so much talk going around about carpet cleaning, whose advice do you take? You might hear someone say, “Don’t damage your carpet by having it cleaned too much!” Or “If you clean your carpets once, they just get dirtier faster.” But what if you see an article on the internet talking about the necessity of cleaning your carpets frequently in order to avoid damage caused to the carpet fibers? Whose advice do you take? Well, according to some of our lead carpet cleaning technicians, the answer to these questions is yes and no. I know, right now you’re saying “why can’t there just be a fast way to Google search this.” The problem with questions like these is that the answer may vary according to who is giving the response. So here are some common questions I hear about carpet cleaning with some responses given by the cleaning technicians.
Question: Can you clean your carpet too much?
Answer: This all depends on the equipment being used and the cleaning procedure. First, the equipment needs to be powerful enough to extract the water back out of the carpet. If the carpet is not properly extracted then delamination (separation of carpet fibers and backing) may occur. One thing to note is – does the cleaning service use a truck mount or a portable to suck out the water? A truck mount will always have more power for suction. Delamination may also happen when oversaturating the carpet with too much cleaning product. However, with the right equipment and correct cleaning knowledge, it is not possible to clean your carpet too much.
Question: Do carpets get dirtier faster after they have been cleaned?
Answer: This is also a combination of improper cleaning and poor equipment. The answer is YES, if the carpet is not properly extracted or too much cleaning product is used, then it will get dirty very quickly. If you dunk a t-shirt into soapy water and then let it dry, the shirt will have a sticky residue left on it from the soap. That sticky residue will attract soil fast making it look dirty in no time. But when you throw that shirt into the washing machine you don’t think twice because it’s always cleaned correctly. In reality, when the carpet is rinsed well and cleaned correctly, it will not get dirtier faster.
Question: Should I clean my carpet and if so, how often?
Answer: Replacing carpet in your home or business can be expensive, time consuming, and a big hassle. In order to avoid replacing the carpet they must be maintained and cleaned. Little particles of soil fall down in between the carpet fibers and over time rubs against those fibers causing damage. Vacuuming the carpet is a must and significantly helps remove the soil on the surface, but a deep cleaning is needed to clean the soil that is deep inside. Large industries like Shaw and Mohawk recommend professional cleanings every 12-18 months. In some cases, where there is heavy traffic or pet hair, we would recommend twice a year. Keeping your carpet cleaned will help you keep your carpet for longer.
I hope this article is helpful as we continue to learn and grow in the industry. If you have any comments or thoughts please leave some. I always enjoy reading what experiences people have had with cleaning services.
Have a wonderful Merry Christmas!
David Pollard
First Choice Cleaning & Restorations