10 Carpet Cleaning Facts You Need to Know

1)  All carpet cleaners should do a pre-vacuum at the start of the job. This is because dry soils (dust and dirt) turn to mud when they combine with moisture in the cleaning process. Mud is heavier than dry dirt and is harder to remove, so a thorough pre-vacuum will get the best possible result.

2) Most stains should be removed in the general cleaning process. Some stains that contain tannins, dyes, acids or caustics may not come out in the general cleaning process and may require specialised stain removal treatment. Unfortunately, some stains cannot be removed from carpet no matter what chemicals or cleaning processes are used.

3) An acidic conditioning rinse should be used in the cleaning process. This is because almost all cleaning chemicals are alkaline in nature and an acid balances out the cleaning products.

4) Not all carpet cleaning services are the same. The results of a carpet cleaning service depend on the skill of the technician, the time taken, and the chemicals and equipment used.

5)  Carpet cleaning is not a regulated industry. Look for firms certified by the IICRC (International Institute for Cleaning and Restoration Certification), the primary training and accreditation body in the carpet cleaning industry.

6) The 'wet-dog' smell that occurs when cleaning wool carpet is primarily caused by an off gas from the natural sulphur in wool when wool gets wet. This is natural and dissipates when the carpet dries.

7) Carpet cleaning does not remove the stain protection applied to carpets by the manufacturer or your carpet cleaner. Wear and tear is the primary reason stain protection coatings break down. It is sometimes best to have a carpet protector such as e-Gard applied to the traffic areas on your carpet before your stain protector reaches the end of the warranty period to maintain stain protection.

8) Carpets should be groomed after cleaning to ensure that they dry quickly and that the pile sits in the same direction (not falling to the side).

9) Carpet cleaners are legally required to warrant their workmanship. If you are not happy with the carpet cleaning service provided, call the carpet cleaning company and they should offer to return to re-clean the carpet free of charge. If your carpet cleaner does not return to re-clean your carpet, call the Office of Fair Trading or equivalent in your state.

10) Regularly cleaned carpets last longer and look better than carpets that are rarely cleaned. Cleaning helps remove the abrasive soils in your carpet pile that wear away at the carpet fibres when the carpet is walked on.