The Necessity of Professional Carpet Steam Cleaners

Author: Mark Moretti

Deep cleaning a carpet will keep it looking new and make it easier to clean as well. Over time the dirt that collects on the surface of a carpet will work its way down deeper into the fibers and is beyond the reach of a traditional vacuum. To remove this deep-set dirt you\'ll need to contact one of the many carpet steam cleaners in your area to do a deep cleaning on your carpet to eliminate this deep-set dirt and stains.

Even though the term steam cleaning is used to describe a process of cleaning carpet, the term actually refers to a couple different methods that are all commonly referred to as steam cleaning. These methods are all based on the hot water extraction procedure and will do a great job of removing deep-set dirt from a carpet.

The most common method for carpet steam cleaners to use involves equipment that will heat up a water based cleaning solution to a very high temperature and then inject this solution deep into the carpet. The combination of the very hot water and the chemicals added to it will work to loosen the dirt and stains in the carpet and make them easy to extract. They do this by dissolving the adhesive that holds these stains and dirt to the carpet fibers and holds them in suspension within the liquid. The second part of the process then extracts this cleaning solution from the carpet through the use of a high-powered vacuum and the dirt and stains are carried away with the liquid. This process has been used for decades and is very gentle to the carpet and will remove most of the dirt and stains from a carpet. In some cases the carpet will also be pre-treated with a spot cleaner before the carpet steam cleaners do the work.

In addition to this basic steam cleaning service, other steps have been added by some carpet steam cleaners who promise even better results. The basic 2-step process has been expanded to a 6-step process in some cases and does a more thorough job of cleaning the carpet. In addition to heating and applying the cleaning solution to the carpet and extracting it, there are several additional steps that include a pre-treatment step, an agitation step to work the solution deeper into the carpet and a post-treatment step to adjust the ph of the carpet. These additional steps provide a more complete cleaning and are part of some carpet steam cleaners offerings. The key to the success of steam cleaning a carpet is the combination of heating the water to a very high temperature and the immediate removal of this solution. This ensures the carpet never actually gets wet and also means there is no chance of damage to the carpet from mold or mildew. Since the heat will help release any dirt of grease, the carpet is left clean of any residue as well, and won\'t have problems with retaining additional dirt. Other methods do a good job of cleaning the carpet, but may leave behind a slight residue that actually makes the carpet retain more dirt over time.

In addition to the standard steam cleaning, there are variations of this process that are also regularly referred to as steam cleaning. These all involve the application of a wet agent and the immediate extraction of the solution. One of these uses a low-moisture foam and is worked into the carpet with a rotating brush. This is referred to as the bonnet method and does a good job of cleaning the carpet without leaving behind excess moisture. Another method uses a cleaning solution that is applied called encapsulation which is rotary agitated and extracted by dry vacuum. All of these are similar to the standard steam cleaning process and basically rely on a wet cleaning solution being applied to loosen the dirt and then having this cleaning solution extracted immediately to clean the carpet.

If you plan to have your carpet treated by one of these carpet steam cleaners, you\'ll need to vacuum it fully before they arrive to remove as much surface dirt as possible if they don\'t offer it in their process. You also need to move as much of the furniture out of the room as you can to give them access to the carpet. Any furniture you leave in the room has to be protected with a piece of plastic where it touches the carpet so that the wood isn\'t damaged by the cleaning solution and any stain on the wood doesn\'t leech into the carpet.

Most carpet manufacturers recommend that you have your carpets deep cleaned every 12 to 18 months to keep them in great shape. Many carpet steam cleaners can put you on a schedule of cleanings and will call or send a note when its time to clean the carpet. Sticking to this schedule will ensure your carpets always look their best, and last you as long as possible.

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Metro Carpet Cleaning is a professional carpet cleaning company that offers carpet cleaning services, flood damage, upholstery cleaning services, steam cleaning as well as water damage, and water removal solutions.