Benefits of using a professional carpet cleaner

Benefits of using a professional carpet cleaner

Throughout the UK DIY (Do It Yourself) carpet cleaning machines are readily available in most supermarkets, hire shops and other commercial establishments. These come with little or no instructions on best practice, the correct cleaning techniques or whether certain carpet fibres are wet cleanable.

Pre-clean inspection survey

The first thing that a professional carpet cleaner will do is a pre-clean inspection and survey. This is to check the depth of soiling and signs of permanent staining. Whether the carpet is fixed with gripper rods (as this can run the risk of shrinkage if not), any seams as this could split if they are poorly joined, the various types of backing and secondary backing as this influences the cleaning method and solutions used. From this information, the cleaning technician can adequately set the customers expectations and provide real results pricing the job appropriately.

Next, the cleaning technician will conduct a fibre test. This is to identify what material the carpet is manufactured with and will determine the use of the correct cleaning solution. This will also pre-determine whether stains are removable or whether they’re permanent.

Following on from the above the carpet will undergo a dye test. All colours must be chemically pH tested to ensure the use of the correct cleaning solution. This shows whether any coloured carpets could run the risk of dye bleed where colours transfer or run into each other.

All the above steps are completed before cleaning the carpet. This is what makes up the pre-clean survey for carpet cleaning. If you have ever booked a carpet clean previously and they have turned up with their machine and got stuck in consider whether they cleaned your carpet correctly or is a “splash, cash and dash” operator.

Cleaning operations

The next step is the first of the cleaning operation and it is to comb the pile, this is to separate and release the matted pile for more effective dust extraction. We’ll dry brush your carpet in two directions (north & south) then (east & west) using a large carpet brush.

Once we’ve unmatted your carpet and its pile has been restored, we’ll use our SEBO BS36 (the same vacuum cleaner that is used in Buckingham Palace) to vacuum and extract all dust and grit and any other dry soiling to prevent turning dust into a muddy residue. Again, just like dry bushing above, we’ll vacuum in two directions (north to south, east to west) whilst ensuring every square inch of the carpet has been vacuumed including around the edges, behind furniture and underneath doors. If this step is missed, your carpet may become dirty quickly after cleaning and this is known within the industry as rapid re-soiling. Where dirt from deep within the carpet pile turns to sludge and when drying out will appear and sit on top of your carpet.

The next step is to treat any stains before the main cleaning operation to ensure that the full depth of the stain is removed. We carry 15 popular stain removers on our vehicles to treat a range of water-based and solvent stains including chewing gum, gloss and oil to name a few.

Following on from this we’ll use a pre-spray treatment which is a specially formulated traffic lane cleaner to dissolve any greasy soils. We use our SEBO DUO CRB (Contra-Rotating Brush) mechanical brush to ensure that we thoroughly agitate all carpet fibres. At this point, we may pop out to our vehicle to allow the pre-spray time to work its magic as it takes 5-10 minutes to break down any grease and release this from the carpet.

It’s now time to clean the carpet using the cleaning method and solutions as decided on the pre-clean inspection survey. Our carpet cleaning technicians use Ashbys Enforcer 400psi with adjustable temperature control which allows uses to clean carpet up to 60 degrees temperature, up to 200 feet away from the machine using the extendable solution and vacuum hoses. Our machines have three-stage vacuums which minimising drying time post cleaning allowing you to use the area within a couple of hours afterwards.

Once the main clean has taken place, we’ll then use a hand tool to get around the edges and any other inaccessible places.

Once the carpet has been cleaned, we’ll then align the carpet pile so that it’s correctly set whilst damp.

Depending upon circumstances, it may be necessary after cleaning for you to ventilate the area with a window or we’ll use a mechanical air mover to allow ventilation throughout your home. This aids the drying process by changing the air within the room, speeding up the drying process.

Our final task is to deodourise the carpet once the clean has taken place. We use a scent called fresh breeze and it’s gorgeous. Imagine you’ve just opened the washing machine and can smell fresh linen, it’s that exact scent, just 10 times stronger!

The above should take two visits. One visit to carry out a pre-clean inspection survey to set client expectations, followed by the cleaning visit. Sometimes it’s not possible to complete a pre-clean survey. So we still carry out the above, before cleaning, combined into the one visit.

Whilst cleaning carpet there’s a lot of chemistry behind the operation and whilst carrying out a clean, there’s a lot more than just shampooing the carpet. To effectively clean the carpet the operator must change the pH of the carpet to release dirt and return it to its resting position.

The operator should be aware of dangers associated with the pH scale to avoid using water-based cleaning detergents of mixes that are too strong and would damage carpet fibres or loosen the dyes or cause browning from jute carpet backing. If the carpet is left at the wrong pH after cleaning this can cause grease and dirt to attract and attach to the carpet fibres faster so your carpet will look dirty quicker.

All of the above steps are what a professional carpet cleaning technician should be following when cleaning a carpet, however, I know far too well that operators buy DIY machines and advertise on social media “PROFESSIONAL CARPET CLEANS – FREE QUOTES!” and this strikes me because anyone on social media can give themselves any name without any proof of institutional training. Without training, business insurance is void. If the operator hasn’t bothered to pay £140 for a days training, or two days to become an advanced carpet cleaner, with further training available for stain removal and upholstery cleaning. What are the chances of the uninsured operator replacing your carpet once they’ve made an irreversible mistake? Slim to none. Because by this point they’ve taken your cash and are onto the next job.

So, before you book your next carpet clean – check the operators’ credentials. Although not yet the law, carpet cleaners should be part of a trade association. We are members of the NCCA (National Carpet Cleaners Association) established in 1968, the NCCA is the only nationally recognised trade association dedicated to the cleaning, restoration and protection of carpets, hard flooring and upholstery.

The NCCA believes it can uphold its promise to potential customers, that every one of its members holds a recognised qualification, is fully insured for their work and can provide the highest standards of service and professionalism within the industry.

Read or leave a review on our Trusted Local Cleaner members portal if you have received a carpet or upholstery clean from us by clicking here.

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