Carpet Cleaning
Carpet cleaning involves extensive knowledge and experience
to be an expert at it. We will just cover basic information that does not
involve too many pages.
If you are serious about getting into carpet cleaning business- I would
recommend taking Certification Classes offered by IICRC
Certification Classes on Carpet Cleaning, Flood Restoration and etc
http://www.iicrc.org
Or check with your local Janitorial supply company and see, if they offer
any Certification Classes locally.
To Clean the carpet properly, you need to know what kind of carpet that
you are attempting to clean.
These are some of the most common commercial carpet types.
Nylon- New Generation Carpets.
Olefin
Wool
There are several ways to find out the type of carpet you will be
working with.
Simple testing-
Nylon: Burn Test
Melts and shrinks from an approaching flame.
in the flame, melts and burns slowly and is smoky.
Once out of the flame, burns slowly and tends to
self-extinguish. Burning nylon smells like
celery. Its burned residue is a hard, shiny brown or
or gray bead.
Olefin is easily tested for – it is the only fiber that
floats in water.
Wool Add some water on it- if it smells like a wet
dog. It is wool carpet.
Simply ask the owner of the homes or business,
if you are not sure of what kind.
After, you have determined the type of carpet, check with
the local carpet cleaning suppliers for following
items that you will need.
Wet floor sign
A Good vacuum.
Extraction machine
Floor machine/buffer,
Bonnet pads,
Spotting kit or basic spotting solutions.
Carpet brush- as needed
Prespray solution
Extraction solution
Boosting solution for prespray-as needed
Bonneting solution,
Carpet fabric pile lifter- as needed.
Scotch Guard- recommended.
Pile lifting groomer or rake- as needed.
Neutralizer
Measuring cup
Steps need to take-
Note: Carpet cleaning is best done when no one is around to
walk over the area just cleaned for 3 to 4 hours,
until the area is completely dry.
If you have to do it during the day, during business hours-
block the area that you are cleaning and do not let anyone
walking over it. If not- area will get dirty very soon again.
Note: If the soil is not heavy- you have few options.
Option 1: Bonnet clean the carpet.
Option 2: Regular extraction.
Bonnet Cleaning
Step 1: Vacuum thoroughly.
Step 2: Work on the spots 1st, if needed, such as colored spots, removing
gum, and etc should be worked on first, before doing the
rest of the area.
Note: Working on carpet spots- see Spotting Section
Click right to see- see- Carpet spots.
Step 3: Dilute prespray solution into a spray pump as recommended by
the manufacturer.
Note: If available always use hot water.
Note: Do not use hot water on wool carpet.
Note: You may add a Booster to have more cleaning power
to your solution without increasing the PH.
You can also add, deodorizer for great smell.
Please check with your local supplier.
Note: There are different bonneting solutions available.
Try- Capuclean- This method is new. Idea is to
encapsulize the dirt, as the solution dries into
tiny crystals with remaining dirt and that when you
vacuum, it will be picked up by vacuuming.
Also available with the Scotch Guard built in
the solution which is great idea. Clean and leaving
carpet protector at the same time.
Step 4: Spray on to the area that you will be cleaning.
Wet the entire carpet area that will be cleaned.
Apply little bit more on the spots.
Let it sit for 10-15 minutes for solution to break down the dirt
and bring it to the top of the carpet fabric.
Step 5: Spray solution to the bonnet or dip the bonnet pad into a
mop bucket with bonnet cleaning solution. Gently
squeeze the solution with the wringer and put it under
the pad holder. Run the buffer/floor machine side to side
to clean the carpet.
Note: Do not drip the solution all over the carpet as you carry
the wet bonnet pad. It will cause, watermarks to appear.
Step 6: After a few runs, check the bonnet pad (it should be soiled).
Turn it over and keep bonneting until you need to either change
the bonnet pad to a new one or rinse out into the solution
mop bucket and repeat step 5.
Note: Go over several runs on the same area to make sure
carpet is cleaned thoroughly. If you see any darker area,
go over one more time.
Step 7: Use Air movers to dry the area as quickly as possible. This is to
avoid bad, wet carpet odor.
Note: Do not let anyone walk on the area that you just cleaned
1 to 2 hrs, until the area is completely dry.
Extraction Method
Step 1: Vacuum thoroughly.
Step 2: Work on the spots first, if needed, such as colored spots, removing
gum, etc.
Note: See spotting section- Carpet spots.xls
Step 3: Dilute prespray solution into a spray pump as recommended by
the manufacturer.
Note: If available always use hot water.
Note: You may add a Booster to have more cleaning power
to your solution without increasing the PH.
You can also add deodorizer to get a great smell.
Please check with your local supplier.
Step 4: Spray the area that you will be cleaning.
Wet the entire carpet area that will be cleaned.
Apply a little bit more on the spots.
Let it sit for 10-15 minutes for solution to break down the dirt
and bring it to the top of the carpet fabric.
Note: If the carpet is really dirty, try using the buffer/floor
machine with the carpet brush and gently scrub the carpet
before extraction. If you do this one, you have to have shampoo
formulary in the solution tank on your buffer and create
some foam on the carpet to run the brush, if not, the brush
will have a hard time turning. It will either kick off the electricity
or damage the carpet.
If this is too much trouble- then use the bonnet pad and do
light bonnet scrubbing before extraction.
(You do not need additional solution for this method, just
make sure that you have enough moisture on the carpet
and the bonnet pad by spraying also on to the pad itself.)
Step 5: Dilute extraction solution into the tank as recommended by
the manufacturer.
Note: If available always use hot water.
Note: You may add the deodorizer into the solution tank
with the extraction chemical.
Note: If you use solution that has a built in neutralizer
in the extraction solution, you can avoid one more step of
neutralizing the carpet later.
If you are not using extraction solution that has neutralizer in it,
then you should pump spray the carpet solution neutralizer
after extraction is completed.
Dilute neutralizer as recommended by the manufacturer into
a spray pump and lightly mist the carpet.
Step 6: Use the wand to scrub and extract the carpet.
Note: Give extra attention to the spotted areas.
Note: Find the right angle of your wand to the floor for the
maximum results.
Step 7: After extraction is completed, you can scotch guard the main
traffic area.
If you are not using extraction solution that has neutralizer in it,
then you should pump spray the carpet solution neutralizer
after extraction is completed.
Dilute neutralizer as recommended by the manufacturer into
a spray pump and lightly mist the carpet.
Dilute the scotch guard into a spray pump as recommended
by the manufacturer.
Spray lightly over the heavy traffic area to be scotch guarded.
Edges do not have to be scotch guarded.
Step 8: Use the Air mover, to dry the carpet
as soon as possible.
Step 9: Do not let anyone walk on the carpet for 3-4 hours until the
carpet is completely dry.
Shampoo Method
Step 1: Vacuum thoroughly.
Step 2: Work on the spots first, if needed, such as colored spots, removing
gum, and etc. This should be worked on first, before doing the
rest of the area.
Note: Working on carpet spots- Carpet spots.xls
Step 3: Dilute prespray solution into a spray pump as recommended by
the manufacturer.
Note: If available always use hot water.
Note: You may add a Booster to have more cleaning power
to your solution without increasing the PH.
Please check with your local supplier.
Step 4: Spray on to the area that you will be cleaning.
Wet the entire carpet area that will be cleaned.
Apply little bit more on the spots.
Let it sit for 10-15 minutes for solution to break down the dirt
and bring it to the top of the carpet fabric.
Step 5: Use buffer/floor machine with solution tank built in. Fill the solution
tank with shampoo solution. Have a carpet shampoo brush into
the buffer and start moving to side by side to scrub the carpet
as you create lots of foam on the carpet.
Step 6: Use Dry/Wet vacuum and vacuum off the form from the carpet.
Or use extraction machine to extract out moisture from the
carpet.
Step 7: Groom the carpet.
Step 8: Use Air Movers to dry the area quickly as possibly, to avoid
problem that could come up, such as bad wet carpet odor.
Note: Do not let anyone walk on the area that you just cleaned
1 to 2 hrs, until the area is completely dry.
Most common problems
Browning
Browning will occur, if too much carpet solution residue
with High PH balance is left behind to dry.
Use either Browning Treatment solution or neutralizer and
bonnet the affected area with it.
To avoid browning- either use extract solution with a built in
neutralizer or spray pump the neutralizer after
extraction is done.
Recurring Spots
Possible causes: spotting was done incorrectly, carpet was walked
on by people before it was completely dried or
spot is very old and padding on the bottom is
also spotted and it is wicking.
Use spotting solution and treat these spots a day or two before
hand.
Soak the carpet with spotting solution, until it is sure to reach
the padding, or use carpet injection needle to shoot
in the spotting solution deep into the padding
and let it sit over night.
Make sure that spotting solution is properly diluted
for it to stay on the carpet for a long period.
(Do not use full strength- unless direction says it
is ok to do it).
Removing spot solution will be done when you are doing the
actual extraction. If not, extract it out with the
small spotting extractor with hot water.
Let it dry completely and block off and do not let anyone
walk over the area for 2-4 hrs.
Bad odor
If drying process was not done properly. It could cause a
foul wet carpet odor.
If this happens, extraction has to be done again, with
enzyme solution to break down the bacteria that are
causing the bad odor and deodorizer into the
extraction solution and let it dry quickly as possible
by using air movers/blowers.
Do not let anyone walk over the cleaned area for 3-4 hours.
Other types of Bad odor- Animal and human urine, and etc.
Treat the affected area with Urine treatment solution and let it
sit for 10-15 minutes.
Extract the affected area with enzyme extraction solution,
along with deodorizer in it.
Dry carpet by using air movers/blowers quickly as possibly can.
Do not let anyone walk on the carpet for 3-4 hours.
