It’s quite obvious that carpets could add beauty and style to any workplace but they can also give people comfort as compared to tile flooring— walking leisurely from one place to another. But as many people come and go, they leave residues from food or beverage, mud, and stains causing the wearing and tearing of the carpet.
A good cleaning can help maintain the appearance of the carpet and help extend its lifespan. Not only that, but it would also help in maintaining and improving the indoor air quality of the workplace. Good thing, it is now easy to call for the help of a professional.
Before you go and ask for the help of a professional, there are a few things you need to know. To help you, we prepared a guide to the things you need to know before you hire a carpet cleaner.
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Surprisingly, today there are different carpet cleaning methods to choose from. You need to know the advantages and disadvantages of each method to ease you in selecting the best type of method suitable for your carpet problems.
One of the choices you need to make is whether you go green with your cleaning products or choose the conventional ones.
Conventional cleaners are very common. You can easily spot it in the market and it is cheaper to buy. But the green, eco-friendly cleaners are as powerful to use in carpet cleaning. It may cost you a few dollars more compared to conventional cleaners, but the green cleaners are better for the health of your family and pets.
Green cleaners use safe and biodegradable ingredients without losing the strength needed for carpet cleaning. It does not leave behind a sticky residue and is the perfect solution for people with allergies.
As more people are environmentally conscious today, there is a rise of carpet cleaners that use these green methods of cleaning.
This may be the most common method known to people who usually have their carpets cleaned by a professional.
In this method, the carpet is soaked in a chemical that turns oil and oil-based substances found in carpet fibers into liquid. The cleaner then boils water, pressurize it, then injects it into the carpet. After a few minutes, the liquid is vacuumed.
This is a hot water extraction method that most people are probably familiar with.
The carpet is pre-conditioned with a chemical that turns oil and oil-based substances that are found in the carpet fibers into liquid.
The carpet cleaner then heats water to almost boiling, pressurizes it, and injects it into the carpet. After a few minutes, the liquid gets vacuumed up.
For workplaces that have employees who have allergies and are allergic to scent, steam cleaning could be your best option. The water vapor has no smell and it effectively kills bacteria and removes the dirt in the carpet. It would also not leave any residue on the carpet fibers. The restorative effect of this method can be seen especially when the carpets are placed in high traffic areas.
The disadvantage of using this method is that it leaves moisture that could last up to 24 hours to dry. It could also not be used regularly as it could leave unnecessary damage to the carpet.
This method is also called bonnet cleaning. It is usually considered a light maintenance routine but it could also be used for regular carpet cleaning.
In this method, the carpet is vacuumed first. After vacuuming, a chemical solution is sprayed using an electric sprayer. The solution is soaked in the carpet for ten to fifteen minutes. A rotary floor machine with the bonnet (dampened with cleaning solution) will be spun around the carpet. The spinning will saturate the carpet fiber which will release the dirt. The dirt will then be collected after.
This method is not costly, simple, and quick. It would give you great results without spoiling the carpet too much.
The disadvantage of this method is its inability to reach the dirt deep down the carpet. It only cleans the top of the carpet fibers. It could also leave chemical residue and dirt at the bottom of the carpet fiber.
Compared to the first few cleaning methods, encapsulation is a dry carpet cleaning method. It is one of the few dry methods used by carpet cleaners.
Encapsulation was introduced in the 1990s. It uses a low moisture method that is more effective than the dry powder method.
The dry powder method is applying cleaning powder into the bottom part of the carpet using a rotary cleaning brush. The brush opens up the carpet fiber, allowing the cleaning compound inside. This results in thorough deep carpet cleaning.
With the encapsulation method, cleaning compounds are used to encapsulate particles. It uses synthetic detergents that will crystallize into powder form when it dries. Loosened particles will be capsulated into powder which enables them to be picked up by brushes. It is a fast-drying method, and very portable. It is good to use in hard-to-access buildings as it will not need heavy equipment.
Although the encapsulation method shows great results, it cannot thoroughly clean heavily soiled carpet.
Aside from the different cleaning methods, you should also familiarize yourself with the costs of carpet cleaning. This will protect you from spending too much.
Generally, carpet cleaning costs would be ranging from $75 to $350, depending on the carpet problem, location, size, and cleaning method.
Some companies charge per room and some per square foot. It also depends on the difficulty of removing the stain. Some stains are difficult to remove even for professionals.
Here are the factors that could affect the costing of the carpet cleaning service:
Depending on the method, the cost of carpet cleaning could change. Some cleaning methods require more equipment than others. Some would require more work, and some would need more expensive materials.
Depending on the carpet type, it could affect the cost of carpet cleaning. Some types of carpet are more difficult to clean compared to others. Berber carpets are the easiest to clean while the cotton and wool carpets are the hardest to clean, thus would be more expensive.
Depending on the amount of stain in your carpet the cost could go higher. The stain size and its type will increase the carpet cleaning cost.
Some cleaners charge more if you choose to use green carpet cleaning methods.
1. Misleading claims – In selecting a cleaning company, it is important to choose the one with a good reputation. With this in mind, some cleaning companies make misleading claims, claiming for exclusivity when in fact it is not the case.
2. Disguise – When a cleaning company refuses to be open about their cleaning process, claiming it is unique, that is a red flag. This may lead to overcharging and fraud.
3. Testimonials – If you see testimonials without names on their website, that is a red flag. Satisfied customers will be happy to include their names in their reviews.
4. Appearance – If you see beat-up cars and unappealing looks (dirty and without proper uniform), that is a red flag. Carpet cleaners should be particular about how they look.
5. Booties – Wearing booties over their shoes is a good sign that they are trained and they know what they are doing. If they don’t do that, that is a red flag.
6. Firm quote without details – If the cleaning company doesn’t have details on their quote, that is a red flag. This may lead to excess charges and/or rushed work.
Carpet cleaners will surely help you with your carpet problems. But not all in the market offers honest commercial cleaning services. It is important to familiarize yourself with the different cleaning methods, costing, and what to look out for. These things will protect you from dishonest companies in the market.
When you have more questions, contact us. We have trained individuals who can surely answer your question about commercial cleaning.
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