Five Star Cleaning Tips From An Old Hand

When your home's carpets need cleaning, you may assume that steam cleaning is your only option. However, today there are other methods that use little to no water to clean your carpets; these can be less messy, require no time to dry, and will mean not wasting water just to get your carpets cleaned. If you've never had your carpets cleaned with a chemical or dry cleaning process, note a few questions you might have about the process. You can then discuss this cleaning option with a contractor to see if it's right for you.   

1. How does chemical or dry cleaning work if there is no steam?

Steam cleaning a carpet works because the hot water loosens the dirt and allows it to be lifted from the fibers of a carpet. Chemical or dry cleaning works the same way, but usually involves carbonation. The tiny bubbles created by carbonation loosen dirt from carpet fibers and lifts that dirt so that it can be vacuumed away. Depending on the company and method chosen, this carbonation may involve a small amount of water mixed with carbonating materials, or the carbonation may be created with certain chemicals that don't require water at all.

2. Is chemical cleaning unhealthy?

People often hear the word "chemical" and think of something bad, but remember that not all chemicals are harmful and especially not in small amounts. A carpet cleaning process that uses chemicals to create carbonation or otherwise separate dirt from carpet fibers may use chemicals that are very eco-friendly and not harmful to people and pets. Many also don't contain soaps or detergents that are bothersome to your skin and sinuses. Discuss your options with a carpet cleaning service if you're worried about your health, allergic reactions, and the like.

3. Does chemical cleaning allow the carpets to get dirtier again, faster than usual?

One major reason for carpets to get dirtier again after they've been shampooed is that many steam cleaning processes leave detergent residue behind. This residue can be somewhat sticky and may allow dirt, dust, and other such debris to cling to the carpet fibers more readily than before the carpet was cleaned. Chemical or dry cleaning of carpets may actually eliminate that problem since these processes often don't use detergents at all. A cleaner may suggest a protector that is put over the carpet to keep fibers from getting matted down, and this can also keep your carpets looking their best after they've been cleaned.