Lesson 1: No matter how clean you think your home is, eventually, carpet cleaning will become necessary. For any carpet, whether area rugs or wall-to-wall, deep cleaning is recommended every 12 to 18 months.
It is best to hire a professional. All professional cleaning companies are not alike. Television or print ads that offer prices too good to be true, probably are. Many fly-by-night companies offer sub-standard work.
Do-it-yourself rental cleaners are a ‘fast food version’ when compared to quality professional carpet cleaning NYC . Reliable professionals will conduct an in-home inspection and provide a written price quote that covers everything.
It is impossible for someone to take particulars into account when issuing an over-the-phone quote. Frequent entertaining, messy hobbies, pets, and young children have an impact on the cleaning required. The job needs to be seen before giving a quote.
An indication that you are dealing with a reputable company is to find out if the company has technicians that have Institute of Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration Certification (IICRC) training. The training involves 25 class categories.
Lesson 2: Wall-to-wall carpet is mainly plastic. It is made of polypropylene or nylon thread. The carpet is attached to the building. Only the top is cleaned. The first step needed is to vacuum with a commercial-grade machine for an intense extraction of dirt.
Not having the carpet vacuumed is comparable to cleaning a carpet that is filled with mud. Quality companies use special equipment that offers a powerful and efficient water and recovery system. Special vacuums, wands, and hoses are used.
The dye in the carpet is spot tested to ensure cleaning solutions won’t damage it. Hot water and a cleaning solution are sprayed on the carpet. It is ‘raked’ to loosen dirt and work in the solution. The carpet is rinsed with hot water, and powerful vacuums are used to extract it.
Typically, it takes professionals approximately 2½ hours to complete the job and two to three hours to dry. Drying time can be decreased by leaving windows open while the cleaning is being done or turning up the heat a bit. Do not be in a hurry to put the furniture back in place. Metal furniture can leave rust stains, and wood furniture can be damaged.
Lesson 3: Many area and Oriental rugs are made of rayon, sisal, cotton, wool, wool blends, or other natural fibers. Special care is needed to treat them. Be leery of a company that promises to clean rugs in hours.
Those companies put rugs through a machine that resembles a printing press. The rugs go through rollers and are cleaned much like a car wash. Also, avoid companies that claim Oriental and area rugs can be cleaned in your home. The process can be compared to washing clothes while wearing them. The process takes minutes.
Oriental and area rugs are best removed from the home to be professionally cleaned at the company’s facility after an in-home inspection. In-plant cleaning means optimal temperature control and drying process. The cleaning will likely take a minimum of five days.
Loose dirt is removed by dusting with compressed air. Dye testing is conducted. The rug is then immersed in a warm soapy solution. Because of the non-synthetic fibers, low water temperatures are employed.
The rug soaks for three days. It is then flushed with water and compressed air. It is hung to dry. The final stage cleans the fringe and specialized work like removing wax, or gum, etc., mothproofing, deodorizing, and working on repairs.