Many homeowners opt to bypass professional carpet cleaning services in favor of renting a cleaning machine from the local home center. While this option is fine for occasional cleaning, most carpet manufacturers require that professional, certified carpet cleaning services be used at least once each 18 months to maintain the warranty. The Institute for Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) is the organization that certifies carpet cleaning services for residential cleaning. They recommend that carpet cleaning services should perform the following basic steps during all residential cleaning visits.
Step 1
Carpet cleaning services should start by thoroughly vacuuming the carpet with an upright, brush, agitation vacuum cleaner that has a high-efficiency, double-lined bag. This step will remove up to 99% of the particles in the carpet.
Step 2
Following vacuuming, the soil suspension process should begin. This step will apply preconditioning agents to the carpet to separate the soil from the carpet fibers. Pre-treating can be done to spots and/or high traffic areas, but should, in theory, be done to the entire carpet.
Step 3
The next step carpet cleaning services should undertake is extraction. This step physically removes the soil and allergens from the carpet. The most popular method for residential cleaning is hot water extraction. Hot water extraction is also known as steam cleaning. This type of extraction will provide the deepest level of cleaning. Most residential carpet cleaning services specialize in this type of cleaning.
Step 4
Grooming is the fourth step in the process. Grooming is done to restore the carpet to its original appearance. Grooming lifts the pile and prevents matting of fibers.
Step 5
Drying is the final step in the carpet cleaning process. Carpet cleaning services should strive to leave your carpet as dry as possible after the cleaning is done. However, running fans and opening windows can help to speed the drying process. A carpet that is left damp for a long period will re-soil easily and can encourage bacteria growth.
Choosing carpet cleaning services that follow this 5 step process will ensure you get the best cleaning for your money. It is also recommended that you verify that the cleaners visiting your home are IICRC certified. To find certified carpet cleaning services in your area, visit the online directory at http://www.carpetcleaning.org/listing/.
Tags: Carpet Cleaning, Carpet Cleaning Service, Carpet Cleaning Tips, Residential Carpet Cleaning