TOP 10 REASONS PEOPLE THINK ABOUT HAVING THEIR CARPET CLEANED:
THE MOST IMPORTANT REASON TO HAVE YOUR CARPETS PROFESSIONALLY CLEANED?
THINK ABOUT YOUR HARD FLOORING SURFACES:
WHY IS A CLEAN INDOOR ENVIRONMENT IMPORTANT?
I HAVE HEARD THAT CARPET IS BAD FOR ALLERGIES AND THAT HARD FLOORS ARE BETTER.
HOW OFTEN SHOULD MY CARPETS BE PROFESSIONALLY CLEANED?
WHY DO YOU RECOMMEND TRUCK MOUNT HOT WATER EXTRACTION, OR “STEAM CLEANING”
OVER OTHER METHODS?
I HAVEN’T HAD MY CARPETS PROFESSIONALLY CLEANED IN YEARS, WILL CLEANING THEM NOW MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE?
WHAT ABOUT STAIN RESISTANT PRODUCTS?
HOW DO I FIND A “PROFESSIONAL” CLEANER?
TOP 10 REASONS PEOPLE THINK ABOUT HAVING THEIR CARPET CLEANED:
Company is coming over - tomorrow.
The kids invited friends over to play in the house, LOTS of them.
The dog decided that the living room was preferable to the yard.
The carpet looks like you drew a racecourse through it. It’s spring - you clean everything.
The holidays are coming/over, schools starting, etc.
The pale blue carpet looks like it is patterned with brown and black spots.
The kids won’t lay on the floor because it smells funny.
Your company is throwing a party - at your house.
Your husband was working on the car, and didn’t wipe his feet.
The most Important Reason to have your carpets professionally cleaned?
Your family’s health. Professional hot water extraction, or steam cleaning, will remove the obvious dirt and spots from your carpet, but it will also remove the hidden dirt and debris. Your carpet acts like a filter, similar to an air conditioning filter. The carpet collects all the dirt, dust and soil that is tracked into your home, and holds it. Carpeting is specifically designed to hide soiling. A piece of carpeting 4 inches by 2 inches, about the size of a playing card, can hold one pound of dirt. So what’s the big deal with dirt in the carpet? For most homeowners, it’s the appearance but there are many other reasons why keeping the carpet clean is important to you health. Did you know that the “dirt” in your carpet is actually composed of:
| Sand |
Quartz |
Gypsum |
Soil |
| Dirt |
Food Particles |
Allergens (dust mites) |
Asbestos |
| Bio-contaminants |
Oil and grease deposits |
Volatile organic compounds |
Combustion products |
| Epidermal waste (dead skin cells) |
Carpet filters these products, and holds them until they are removed. Vacuuming will remove some of these contaminants, so proper vacuuming using a high powered, well maintained vacuum on a regular basis is extremely important. Professional cleaning of the carpets a minimum of once per year is also important in removing these contaminants and creating a healthier home environment.
THINK ABOUT YOUR HARD FLOORING SURFACES:
Your kitchen or bathroom area probably has a hard floor, either tile or linoleum. These surfaces collect dirt and contaminants just like your carpet, but they do not hold them. This allows these contaminants to become airborne, polluting the indoor environment. Your hard surface floor areas show the dirt more than the carpet. These surfaces are generally swept every day or every few days, and mopped frequently to remove the dirt and contaminants. What would your hard floor look like if you only mopped it once per year?
WHY IS A CLEAN INDOOR ENVIRONMENT IMPORTANT?
Bacteria, pollutants and allergens trapped in the carpet are estimated to cause between 500,000 and 1,000,000. hospital visits each year by patients allergic to biocontaminants, as reported by Dr. Thomas-Platts-Mills, head of Allergic Medicine at the University of Virginia Medical School. Dr. Michael Berry, Deputy Director of the Environmental Criteria and Assessment Office of the Environmental Protection Agency has stated that “carpets and fabrics not cleaned and properly maintained have the potential to cause a variety of health problems inside the building environment.” Dr. Berry also stated that “Every time carpet and fabrics are emptied of their pollution buildup through professional cleaning methods, there is a health benefit. ...........Cleaning, especially through extraction, improves environmental conditions and health protection.”
I HAVE HEARD THAT CARPET IS BAD FOR ALLERGIES AND THAT HARD FLOORS ARE BETTER.
There were intensive discussions and reports in the seventies claiming that carpet was the source of harmful contaminants, resulting in allergic reactions. As a result of these discussions, most allergy doctors recommend their patients remove carpeting and install tile or other hard surfaces. In the early nineties, Professors Roshan L. Shishoo and Alf Borjesson of the Swedish Institute of Fibre and Polymer Research, published an article for Carpet and Flooring Review, pointing out that, based on historical data, while the use of carpet in Sweden had steadily decreased since 1975, the occurrence of allergic reactions in the general population had nearly tripled. Professors Shishoo and Borjesson argue that the removal and decline of carpet usage did not mean improved conditions for allergic patients, on the contrary they missed the advantages of carpet such as comfort, insulation and noise reduction.
HOW OFTEN SHOULD MY CARPETS BE PROFESSIONALLY CLEANED?
The decision as to how often to have your carpets professionally cleaned is dependent on several factors. Pets, children, smoking, traffic patterns, allergy conditions and the outdoor environment are all factors which need to be considered. Most manufacturers recommend cleaning carpets professionally a minimum of once every 18 months. For areas with higher usage, such as a family room, the carpet may need to be cleaned every three months. The largest carpet fiber manufacturers recommend periodic professional cleaning. The major carpet mills, such as Shaw, agree that regular professional cleaning is necessary. Shaw Industries, the world’s largest carpet manufacturer, recommends hot water extraction carpet cleaning by a trained professional.
WHY DO YOU RECOMMEND TRUCK MOUNT HOT WATER EXTRACTION, OR “STEAM CLEANING” OVER OTHER METHODS?
Hot water extraction, or “steam” cleaning is the cleaning method nearly all carpet manufacturers and carpet fiber producers recommend. The carpet maintenance brochure distributed by Shaw Industries recommends this method because their own research indicates that it provides the best capability for cleaning. Truck mounted hot water extraction equipment is recommended over portable equipment, because truck mounted equipment provides more vacuum pressure and cleans the carpet with hotter water than a portable can produce, allowing the carpet to dry more quickly. Also, with a truck mount system, the dirty air and humidity are exhausted outside rather than re-circulated in the house. This is the only cleaning method classified as “deep cleaning”. All the others - rotary scrub, “dry” cleaning, bonnet cleaning, are considered light surface because they are incapable of removing soil deep in the pile. Also, all other methods leave large amounts of cleaning agents in the carpet after cleaning, unless they are steam extracted. Choosing the proper cleaning method is very important, not only from a health standpoint but to maintain your carpets appearance and prolong it’s life. Some systems leave residues that promote re-soiling and defeat the whole purpose of cleaning. Some methods may actually damage the carpet fibers and shorten the carpet life. “Do It Yourself” carpet cleaning is not recommended by most manufacturers. The rental equipment available to the homeowner is not powerful enough to adequately extract the residues and moisture from the carpet. Also, there are issues such as yellowing, over-wetting, fiber tip damage, severe re-soiling, and over use of detergents. Professionally trained technicians with the proper knowledge and equipment can avoid these issues. These types of machines should only be used for “spot” cleaning, and you must follow the manufacturers instructions exactly. You must also empty the machine after cleaning the affected area, and re-fill it with hot water to rinse the fibers, or you may cause yellowing or recurring spots.
I HAVEN’T HAD MY CARPETS PROFESSIONALLY CLEANED IN YEARS, WILL CLEANING THEM NOW MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE?
There are many times when a regular truck mounted steam cleaning will not remove the dirt and contaminants from the carpet, especially in situations where the carpet has not been professionally cleaned in a long time, or unusual soiling has occurred. For these instances, a process called an RX-20 is recommended. The RX-20 cleaning process is similar to the truck mount extraction method, as it cleans using hot water, which is extracted into the truck mount. The difference with the RX-20 is that instead of using a traditional carpet wand, the RX-20 machine utilizes five powerful rotating cleaning heads, which flush the carpet and remove deeply imbedded soil and debris. Unlike “rotary” or “deep” scrub machines, which utilize a hard rotating brush to agitate the fibers, which can cause distortion or fuzzing, the RX-20 wands utilize hot water under pressure to cause agitation.
WHAT ABOUT STAIN RESISTANT PRODUCTS?
Most new carpet manufacturers treat the carpets with stain protectors, such as Scotchgard, Teflon or anionic dye blockers. While these protectors will not prevent spots or soiling from occurring, they will make spots and soils easier to remove. Wear of the carpet caused by traffic and cleaning will eventually remove these protectants, and they need to be re-applied. Protectants do not need to be applied with every cleaning, but should be re-applied after every third or fourth professional cleaning, especially in high traffic areas. To properly apply protectants, the technician must be properly trained, and utilize the right type of equipment. An electric powered sprayer is required to ensure proper pressure, and it must be applied with a specialized sprayer tip. The products which are sold in stores are not adequate to protect your carpets and furnishings.
HOW DO I FIND A “PROFESSIONAL” CLEANER?
Your first step to finding a qualified professional cleaner in your area is to contact the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration certification at or by calling 1-800-835-4624. The IICRC is an international organization which trains cleaning professionals, and membership in this organization signifies that the technicians have been trained in proper carpet cleaning procedures, and that the company upholds the code of ethical business practices instituted by the IICRC. There are many companies out there who advertise carpet cleaning. Don’t be misled by advertisements offering hard to believe “low” prices. This tactic is called “bait and switch” - they “bait” you by offering a low, low price, then when they get into your home, they attempt to “switch” you into buying a much more expensive service or product. These types of tactics are illegal, and if you feel you have been a victim of this type of advertising, you should report it immediately to the proper authorities, and enclose a copy of the ad. Many of these companies are not trained or certified, and can damage your carpet.
