October 2007

Isn’t carpet cleaning... just carpet cleaning?  I mean is there really a difference in the way you would clean one kind of carpet compared to another?

What a great question!

On the face of things, one might think cleaning one type of carpet would be the same as another.

The reality though is that while cleaning principles will remain the same no matter what carpet or surface you are cleaning, different fabrics have different characteristics. Each of these has to be understood by a carpet tech. It is the small percentage of unforeseen situations that will often result in a poor cleaning, or even worse, a ruined carpet.

Here are a few examples:

Berbers are typically olefin.  They are prone to damage from soiling.  Improper or incomplete rinsing by a carpet tech can leave a damaging amount of residual cleaning agents behind.  These will re-soil rapidly.  This means they will continue working after the cleaning tech has left and will attract new soil - causing premature wear.  Overworking a soiled area can result in carpet wicking.  (A process where soils from the sub-floor or underlay can present on the carpet surface.)

Some Berbers are wool.  Treating a wool carpet with a highly alkaline cleaning agent will damage the wool permanently.

Commercial carpets usually have different wear and soil load patterns than the same carpet in a residential setting.  Many commercial carpets are loaded with oil-based soils that do not react in the same manner as residential applications.  Many carpet cleaners will over-use oxidizers or other powerful additives in their cleaning solutions in an attempt to remove soil that doesn’t easily break down.  This will often damage the vibrant colors typical in places like hotels.  Bleaching, or color loss from this situation is usually (1) not reversible  (2) occurs in highly conspicuous areas  (3) is avoidable & (4) means costly replacement of carpets.

What is the best to avoid situations like these?

Make sure your carpet-cleaning contractor has the tools, the experience, and the training to understand potential problems and avoid them before they damage your flooring investment.

If you have questions about your carpets, talk to the proven, experienced professionals at Graham’s.

Les Graham - Graham’s Carpet Cleaning  (403) 952-0318
An IICRC Certified Firm

or email your question to
question@theexperts.ca