Equipment and technique for effective carpet cleaning. There are a few basic rules to follow when cleaning a carpet; never aim to make a carpet look new again this is nearly impossible because carpets wear out over time, especially if they are not regularly cleaned, and therefore can never look new again. Some stains are nearly impossible to remove, so no matter how much you clean them you will never remove them completely. However with hard work and the right stain removers most stains can be removed. Always examine the carpet before you start a job and if you spot a potential problem never be afraid to make your customer aware of it as this will help to avoid disputes after you have finished the job. Nylon carpets are easier to clean because in most cases you can safely use strong cleaning solutions with very hot water without damaging them so learn to identify the type of carpet you are cleaning. Wool carpets need special care because strong cleaning solutions with very hot water can loosen dyes and make them run so always test a small area before you start, wool carpets can also shrink if you over wet them so try and minimise the amount of water you use and get them dry in the shortest time possible, use a turbo dryer where possible. It takes time and experience to become a good carpet cleaner so start off by cleaning your own carpet and carpets for friends and family, this will give you an idea of the time involved, which will be useful when pricing jobs it also gives you a chance to perfect your technique before you go out to clean for a living. I have put together the following guide to cleaning carpets, its not perfect but will point a beginner in the right direction Pre vacuum. Before you start cleaning a carpet you must thoroughly vacuum the area, this removes any loose dirt and dust and will allow the pre-spray and cleaning solution in later stages to penetrate deeper into the carpet pile for more effective cleaning. I recommend using a Henry by Numatic for pre vacuuming because it is small, powerful and only costs around £95. It has been said that a good vacuuming alone will remove 80% of the dirt in the carpet making your job of cleaning it later that much easier. Another benefit of pre vacuuming is that it will prevent any large bit of debris entering your extraction cleaner and clogging up your wand or machine. Pre spray. Once you have vacuumed the area you should lightly spray the entire carpet with a pre spray such as "Prochem Multi Pro" which costs about £9 for 5 litres, you should use an 8 litre pump up sprayer with a long nozzle this type of sprayer is available form Wicks for about £20 and is used for spraying things like wood preservers. Once you have lightly sprayed the entire carpet go back over heavy dirt marks, usually found in doorways and around settees. Let the pre-spray dwell on the carpet for about 5 minutes before moving on to the next stage. |
