Educate Yourself

Carpet cleaning

Carpets and rugs are quite interchangeable term, but when it comes to choosing the right cleaning service it’s important to understand the slight difference in terms. Carpets generally extend throughout the whole floor or area they cover, whereas rugs are generally smaller pieces covering a portion of the floor or wall. Even though rugs rhyme with rags they are often made from more exquisite materials than carpets, and can be quite expensive and are even sometimes considered family heirlooms. As such it is important to understand what cleaning methods best fit your rugs and carpets, and that sometimes the cleaning is best left to professionals. Periodical cleaning is recommended as carpets and rugs gather dust, dirt and work as air filters as well. Industrial cleaning also has the advantage of restoring the product rather than simply cleaning it.

Industry cleaning and equipment

Carpet cleaning companies offer two different services: cleaning at the spot and at their location. Wall-to-wall carpets or larger pieces, including furniture, can be cleaned at home by using several different methods. Most companies offer easy delivery services for smaller pieces, with perhaps even more thorough cleaning as they can use heavier industry tools than onsite.

Rugs and carpets are made from many materials and for this reason alone it’s a good idea to contact a cleaning company to help you with your rugs. Materials such as animal skins, wool or silk require more care to clean than common products made from cotton or synthetics.  The experience and expertise of professional cleaners guarantees the best productions. As mentioned often old and worn out products can also be restored to their original quality.

Hot water extraction

Hot water extraction is usually referred to as steam cleaning, though the steam does no actual cleaning and is just a product of the hot water. The carpet or rug is sprayed with heated water that together with the cleaning agents give it a thorough wash. The machines used for this come in all sizes and can even be found as household appliances. Industrial cleaning machinery come from portable to truck mounted varieties that can be used anywhere and is also capable of drying the carpet completely after the wash.

Dry-cleaning

From household appliances the basic vacuum cleaner is a perfect example of dry-cleaning. It however is extremely misleading as it only picks up a fraction of the dirt and dust, and doesn’t do anything with greases and other spots. Dry-cleaning in industry terms means applying methods such as cleaning agents, chemicals and the specialized machines that come with these to clean the carpet or rug.  The methods used are slightly more expensive with new green technologies leading the way towards cheaper solutions. Dry-cleaning doesn’t stress the fabric as much as other ways, and naturally there is very little risk of added moisture meaning minimal drying times.

Other methods

A mix of methods can be used to clean more expensive and fragile materials. Specialized machinery is required as well as experience and knowledge of using the chemicals and agents used to clean the rugs and carpets.  Shampoos and absorbers are often used to encapsulate the organic material so that it can be extracted without harming the fiber and texture of the rug.

Organic or toxic

The chemicals used in the industry are non-toxic and the trend today is towards using more organic compounds than straight up industrial products. As rugs are living and breathing decorations they have an active impact in filtering the air. This is why it is extremely important to make sure your chosen company doesn’t use anything that can leave traces of toxic in the carpet.

Professional cleaning versus household cleaning

Most carpet companies recommend that their products are periodically cleaned by carpet cleaning professionals. The basic household cleaning such as stain removal or vacuuming is of course a necessary part of keeping the house clean, but the thorough wash and cleaning is best left to experts who can restore your old carpets into their original shine and pride. The difference in available methods, equipment and knowledge make carpet cleaning companies the better choice. This is especially true in expensive products that require extensive care.

Old wives’ tales and other misconceptions

One way to make sure you’ve chosen the right company for cleaning your carpets is ask the cleaners to simply explain the best methods as well as why they are doing what they are doing. Carpet cleaning used to be a household chore and as such there are lots of misconceptions associated with it, such as not walking on carpets barefoot to waiting to clean your carpet because it won’t look the same.  A good cleaner knows exactly what he is doing and what you should do to keep the rug in perfect shape before next wash.

Reliability, quality and performance – how to choose a company

When choosing a company for carpet and rug cleaning there are several factors to consider.

1. Customer service and industry experience is the first of these, as the most important thing is that your cleaner knows what he is doing and can explain it to you, starting from the materials used for making the product in the first place. Company services are of course important for thing such as pick-up and deliveries, but this depends on what kind of service you require and what extra options you require.

2. Price comparison is always a good idea, and its best to make distinctions between regular carpets and specialized rugs that might require restoration. The money you are prepared to pay for the cleaning services is perhaps the most important factor, so it is important you are not overpaying for the services you receive. Even more important is to make sure you are not under-paying, as this would most likely lead to a worse outcome for you in cost-cutting.

3. Carpet cleaning is one of those professions that require an unexpected amount of expertise, and as such it is important to do your research on the local companies that offer these services.  Most trustworthy companies offer no hidden fees, and are clear of the extra charges required for example to clean carpets stretched across stairs, or are clear about what happens in case the material is damaged. Be sure to choose a trusted and recommended expert when choosing the right carpet and rug cleaning company.