Carpet Cleaning FAQ’s
Question: How often should I have my carpets cleaned?
Answer: We recommend a professional cleaning at least every 12 months. However, frequently used carpets or homes with indoor pets, children, or high foot traffic should be done 2-3 times annually especially in homes occupied by respiratory sensitive or allergic persons. One thing to remember is if you have newer carpeting most manufactures require annual documented cleanings to retain texture retention warranties on carpeting.
Question: Which method of carpet cleaning should I use?
The most widely recognized and what 88.6% of professional carpet cleaners are using is the deep-steam or hot water extraction method. This is the method most carpet manufacturers recommend. There are many other types including; absorbent pad or bonnet cleaning, rotary shampoo, portable machine, and dry-foam powder as well as the do-it yourself method. When done properly these are acceptable but have longer dry-times and leave traces of detergent behind allowing for easier re-soiling and are not the most popular.
Question: Why should I have my carpets cleaned?
For reasons other than the obvious. Neatness and appearance of your home, the reasons most do not think about all that much, include such things as; dust mites, parasites, asbestos, chemical contamination, pesticides, bio-contaminants, volatile organic compounds, combustion products, grease and oil deposits, sand, soil, food particles and a host of other things. Think about the things you walk on in the course of a day and track into your home. Your carpets act as the filter for these things by trapping them. If these contaminates are in your home, your family’s health and allergic reactions could be at risk. So just like any other filter you would change or clean periodically, so should you clean your carpets & upholstery allowing you to live and breathe in a much healthier environment.
Question: How long does the carpet cleaning process take?
This depends upon the size and scope of the job. Varying factors include; set-up time, the amount of soil in the carpet, spotting procedures, and how much furniture needs to be moved. But typically, the average room should take between 15-30 minutes.
Question: How soon can I walk on the newly cleaned carpets?
Immediately after cleaning is fine, with shoe protection such as booties (shoe covers) or plain white socks. You should try to keep pets and children as well as heavy traffic off the carpet for at least 4-6 hours. You should be mindful that un-carpeted floors will remain very slippery until carpet is fully dry. Carpets usually take between 6-8 hours to dry. In some cases when extra cleaning is required, or a protection solvent is applied after cleaning, it may prolong the drying process up to 12-18 hours. Never should normal cleaning take this long. If it does, the process was done improperly and will most likely promote musty odors or possibly mold & mildew issues. Leave all protective tabs and Styrofoam blocks left by the technician under furniture for at least 48 hours.
Question: Should I Scotchguard my carpets or furniture after cleaning?
The factory applied stain resistance will gradually wear away after some time due to foot traffic, and the grit or sand it carries in from the bottom of shoes, as well as repeated cleanings. Having carpet protection reapplied will aid in the removal of spills acting as a barrier to resist moisture and reduce the wear of the carpet fibers. This will extend the life and beauty of your carpet if properly applied after the initial cleaning with a “pilator” or carpet rake.
Question: What steps should I take to maintain my carpets after cleaning and on a normal basis?
Vacuum Daily! We can’t stress this enough. Doing so will prevent the soils and debris from becoming trapped or imbedded in the fiber. It’s always a good idea, whenever possible, to remove shoes. Keeping things like grass-clippings, sand, and other items you don’t want tracked onto your carpet off of walkways is also a good idea. You should purchase a good sized entry mat (nylon faced) to collect these things and keep your floors from deteriorating and prevent debris from being tracked into the house.