What are the facts about carpet cleaning














CLEARING UP THE CONFUSION ABOUT CARPET CLEANING... FACT #1 - Over ninety percent of Professional Carpet Cleaners use Hot Water Extraction (Steam) Cleaning as their primary method for residential carpet cleaning. FACT #2 - No carpet cleaning method removes all soiling. Hot Water Extraction (Steam) Cleaning, when done properly by a trained, certified professional cleaner, is the most effective carpet cleaning method for removing the greatest percentage of soiling. FACT #3 - No carpet cleaning method leaves no cleaning solution or moisture residue. Hot Water Extraction is the only method that uses water to freely rinse cleaning solutions from the carpet the same way you use water to rinse your fabrics when they are cleaned in a clothes washer. Hot Water Extraction, used properly, leaves the least amount of residue behind after cleaning. FACT #4 - Hot Water Extraction contributes to a healthier indoor environment by extracting soil, pollutants, allergens and sources of bacteria and odor to the outside. FACT #5 - Many so called "dry" carpet cleaning methods mix their cleaning chemical with water. Other "dry" cleaning chemicals contain strong solvent chemicals which may actually be harmful if used improperly. Most dry cleaning methods are primarily recommended by fiber producers and carpet mills for appearance maintenance cleaning only of commercial carpets. FACT #6 - Today´s "Vacuum Balanced" Hot Water Extraction Cleaning not only is the most effective method of doing the best job of cleaning carpets, it dries faster than ever before, usually within four hours. WHAT DO THE EXPERTS SAY? How Often Should You Clean Your Carpets? "How often you'll need professional cleaning depends on soil build-up, traffic, type and color of carpeting. A good rule-of-thumb would be to professionally clean your carpet every eighteen months." DU PONT COMPLETE BOOK OF CARPETING "Carpets should be cleaned by professionals every one to three years, depending upon the color of shade, the amount of soilage and the degree of soiling." WORLD CARPETS CARE AND CLEANING GUIDE "Normal Maintenance - Steam Cleaning : The steam cleaning method is recommended every six months (commercial carpets); for heavy traffic, every three months." VECTRA CORPORATIONS (Olefin Fiber) "How often a carpet should be cleaned depends upon a number of variables - amount and type of soiling, color and style of the carpeting, number and type of pets, the number and age of children, the number and health of the building occupants and the life-styles of the inhabitants. As a general rule, carpets should be cleaned between every six to eighteen months and the intervals should never exceed three years." STEAM WAY TECHNICAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT

WHAT DO THE EXPERTS SAY?
Should You Have Your Carpets Cleaned?

"Du Pont recognizes that the value and beauty of carpeting is best maintained by periodic professional cleaning".
DU PONT FLOORING SYSTEMS DIVISION

"All carpets soil and will need to be cleaned as needed. For "Wear Dated" Carpets it is recommended that a professional cleaner be used."
MONSANTO FIBER DIVISION

"When you want to clean your carpet thoroughly, we recommend professional cleaning."
BASF ZEFTRON® CARPET CARE

"Anso V Worry Free Carpet performs best when properly cleaned by a professional cleaner using specially formulated cleaners."
ALLIED FIBERS SMART CARE® FOR CARPET BROCHURE

"Hoechst Celanese, makers of Trevira® polyester, realizes that proper carpet cleaning and maintenance by professional cleaners are essential for carpet longevity and superior appearance."
HOECHST CELANESE CARPET MERCHANDISING GROUP

"From a public health perspective, I would find it impossible to justify the installation of carpets indoor without the existence of effective cleaning methods using environmentally sound cleaning technology by individuals properly trained in the application of those methods and technology."
MIKE BERRY, Deputy Director - Environmental Criteria and Assessment Office - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

"In order to maintain a high level of appearance, carpet must be cleaned on a periodic basis to prevent soiling from building up to levels that cannot be removed."
SHAW COMMERCIAL CARPET CARE BROCHURE

WHAT DO THE EXPERTS SAY?
What Is The Best Method For Cleaning Your Carpets?

"ANYTHING GOES®" Carpet from Armstrong was installed in an exhibition at the Knoxville World's Fair, where it was exposed to an estimated 2,249,000 visitors. (That´s like more than 200 people walking through your living room every day... for twenty-five years!) Not only did steam cleaning restore the overall appearance, but a close examination of the individual tufts showed virtually no change!
ARMSTRONG CARPET AD - BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS MAGAZINE - SEPTEMBER 1985

"Steam Cleaning extracts the soiled solution immediately. This method does not use any pile agitation devices and , therefore, leads itself to cleaning of various textures without creating any adverse distortion of pile. If properly operated in conjunction with an appropriate detergent, this method effectively removes soil from the carpet."
LEE CARPETS - DISCUSSION OF CLEANING METHODS

"Ground-in soil can only be removed by professionals with high powered equipment. Choose a professional who uses van-mounted "steam" extraction units. These cleaners are usually more efficient, deliver a higher degree of soil removal and reduce drying time." WORLDCARPETS-CARE AND CLEANING GUIDE

The steam extraction cleaning method does excellent cleaning, does not cause pile distortion or flaring and the built-in vacuum removes soil. There is no residue of shampoo to collect more dirt and this method provides excellent pile restoration."
ALLIED FIBERS (MANUFACTURER OF ANSO IV NYLON) CARPET MAINTENANCE GUIDE

"Steam-Cleaning - by far the most thorough on-location method for removing embedded soil. Since there is no rotary brush, there is minimum pile distortion. This is especially important in shags or plushes. Detergent build-up is minimized because of immediate vacuum pick-up" HERCULON® CARPETS ON-LOCATION MAINTENANCE BOOKLET

Professional Cleaning - When you want to clean your carpet thoroughly, we recommend professional cleaning, because the extraction process employed by professionals leaves less detergent on the fiber, which can attract dirt and cover up your carpet's Scotchgard® Stain Release protection. BASF ZEFTRON® CARPET CARE

"We recommend the hot water extraction system, which research indicates provides the best capability for cleaning."
SHAW INDUSTRIES, Manufacturers of Philadelphia Commercial Carpets, Stratton Commercial Carpets, Shaw Commercial Carpets, E&B Carpets, Cabin Craft Carpets, Shawmark Carpets

Cumberland Mills recommends warm extraction by a certified technician using mild cleaning agents. CUMBERLAND CARE GUIDELINES

When correctly performed, hot water extraction is the best system for cleaning Networx® carpet modules.
SHAW NETWORX® CLEANING GUIDE

The VECTRA CORPORATION (olefin fiber)has this to say: The steam-extraction method is thorough: removes any residue or film left by previous shampooing, as well as soil retaining chemicals."
VECTRA CORPORATION

BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS - April 1987 issue contrasts various methods: "Steam Cleaning is the method most recommended by expert carpet cleaners. A two-headed machine blasts a hot-water detergent solution into the carpet, and then immediately vacuums out the dirty water. The process is excellent for badly soiled carpets."
BETTER HOME AND GARDENS

"Steam/Hot Water Extraction is recommended. Other professional cleaning methods are acceptable with proper use and thorough extraction." DU PONT FLOORING SYSTEMS DIVISION

"Hot Water Extraction (often referred to as steam cleaning) has been demonstrated to be an effective method of cleaning your Wear-Dated carpets, but other cleaning methods such as powder cleaners, bonnet and foam cleaning can be used provided thorough wet/dry extraction is used to insure maximum residue removal." MONSANTO FIBER DIVISION

"Professional extraction, often called "steam cleaning" is recommended for moderately soiled carpets. Heavily soiled carpets may need scrub and extraction." ALLIED FIBERS SMART CARE® FOR CARPETS BROCHURE

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