When the term carpet cleaning is used, those not working within that industry might think it refers to a single process.
However, those more familiar with carpet cleaning, especially those whose expertise is office carpet cleaning, will know that it covers a multitude of office carpet cleaning techniques.
The reason there are several different carpet cleaning methods for offices occurs for two main reasons.
The first is the diversity in the types of office carpets that have to be cleaned. There are several fabrics used to make carpets, some of which are man-made, and others are natural.
Also, the pile in carpets differs, for example, many office corridor carpets have a thin pile, whilst the boardroom carpet might have a thicker pile.
The other factor that will determine which method a carpet cleaning company uses is what specific carpet cleaning tasks they have been asked to complete.
This could be anything from removing an ink stain, to simply giving a carpet its monthly shampooing to keep it looking great.
Please continue reading and we will briefly outline seven of the most common office carpet cleaning methods.
Shampooing
Shampooing will be used by carpet cleaning companies for office carpets that suffer from heavy soiling.
This occurs in heavy traffic areas such as the entrance and reception areas.
This does take time, so it is likely to be done outside of office hours especially as the carpet needs time to dry.
Hot Water Extraction
Also referred to as ‘steam cleaning’ this popular process involves injecting high pressure water which is at a very high temperature.
This dislodges dirt and stains within the carpet, and these are then immediately removed using suction.
This process should occur regularly to keep office carpets clean and in the best condition.
Dry Cleaning
Dry cleaning of office carpets is a relatively new technology that requires little to no water and thus there is no drying time required which speeds up the entire carpet cleaning process.
A carpet cleaning powder is applied to the office carpets which acts like micro-magnets in attracting dirt and grime from within the carpets’ fibres. The final step is to vacuum up all the clumps of dirt from the carpet.
Encapsulation
This process involves a special machine that applies synthetic carpet detergents. These detergents penetrate the carpets’ fibres and then start to crystallise.
As they do so, they encapsulate particles of dirt and grime that exist within the carpet. The carpet is then vacuumed with the drying times for encapsulation being relatively short.
Dry Foam
This is a similar process to shampooing but it does not require as much drying time although is still likely to be done at night or at weekends when the office is closed.
Instead of liquid shampoo, a carpet cleaning foam is applied to the carpet and then a machine with rotating brushes is pushed across the surface which dislodges dirt after the foam has helped to loosen that dirt.
Bonnet Cleaning
This is a low-moisture office carpet cleaning process that is regarded as somewhat advanced as it does require skill in using the equipment to ensure the carpet is not damaged.
A pad is first immersed in a cleaning solution and then attached to a machine which then rotates the pad at high speed to clean the carpet as it is pushed across its surface.
This method is used mainly for thin pile, industrial-type carpets.
Preconditioning
Different types of hot solutions are used based on the material of the office carpet being cleaned.
For plush, natural carpets such as a woollen one in executive offices, a mild acidic solution is best, whereas, in corridors where the carpets are likely to be synthetic, an alkaline solution is used.
Either way, the solutions dislodge the dirt and bond to it before it is vacuumed away.
