The carpet cleaning industry has been around since, well, since carpet was invented. As soon as people started weaving area rugs, they had to find a way to clean them. In the early days, people cleaned them themselves or simply had the maid do it. With the advent of wall-to-wall carpet in the 1930’s things changed.
Once wall to wall carpet became more prevalent, the need for professional carpet cleaning increased dramatically. The go to method at the time was shampoo cleaning and that gradually transitioned to hot water extraction as the years passed. For decades, this has been the prominent method in the industry, but times are changing.
The Problem with Steam Cleaning
You must think about more than just getting the carpet clean. Sure, those big truck mounted steam cleaning units can get a carpet clean, but there are several unwanted side effects.
With steam cleaning you must deal with carpets that can stay wet for days leading to potential mold growth and carpet damage. In addition, these machines are powered by old school industrial engines. This equipment is unregulated, meaning that they are spewing out toxic fumes and pollution with no emission controls.
There must be a better way to clean carpet, and one Central Florida company may have just found it. We spoke with the owner of a local carpet cleaning business called Carpet Prodigy of Melbourne Florida and they told us all about this new way to clean. You can learn all about it at carpetprodigy.com, but here is the just of what they had to say.
A Modern Approach
Today, you do not have to depend on moving massive amounts of water through a carpet. This will get a carpet clean, but it causes too many potential issues.
The main problem is that when you run as much water through a carpet as steam cleaners do, you get a carpet that takes a very long time to dry. This is a big problem throughout the country, but even more of a problem where Carpet Prodigy is located, in Florida. As you can imagine humid climates will have much more trouble with carpet drying.
Smart carpet cleaners are now leaning on technology and modern science to get a carpet clean. The newest technology, and one that Carpet Prodigy uses is called “encapsulation” and it allows for a carpet to be professionally cleaned and dry in about an hour.
Encapsulating A Carpet
Here is how encapsulation works.
Your carpet cleaner will first thoroughly dry vacuum your carpet and then apply an encapsulating carpet cleaning solution to the fiber. This solution is then agitated to break down and absorb the soil. It is then allowed to dry and in the process the solution becomes a brittle crystal.
Once the encapsulating chemical is dry, the carpet cleaner will vacuum your carpet to remove the encapsulated carpet cleaning solution and all the soil from your carpet. That is it, a process that is incredibly simple but has only been possible in the last few years, due to advancements in chemistry.
Benefits Of Encapsulation
So just what are all the benefits of encapsulation carpet cleaning.
Fast Dry Times
This is the biggest difference and the one most people will notice and appreciate. Instead of waiting all day or even days for a carpet to dry, you can have a carpet that is dry in a matter of minutes. Most carpets with normal wear will dry in about 15 minutes while those that are more heavily soiled can take as much as an hour to dry.
No Residue
The cleaning solution dries to a crystalline form that cannot physically adhere to your carpet. This means that it can be easily vacuumed out, leaving no residue to attract soil. A carpet with no residue will stay clean much longer.
Quiet Cleaning Process
Steam cleaning systems are loud and require you to leave your front door open so that the cleaner can run hoses into your home. Encapsulating equipment can be used with closed doors and is very quiet. For those of you that are now working from home, this is a big deal.
Environmentally Friendly
No polluting gasoline engines and less water usage means that your carpet cleaning does not have to affect the environment.
Where Can You Find a Carpet Cleaner?
If you have decided to pursue this method of carpet cleaning, you should have no issue finding a local carpet cleaner. If you are in the Melbourne area, simply pick up the phone and call Carpet Prodigy at 321-284-8387.
For those of you in another part of the country, just do a search for “dry carpet cleaning” and you should be able to come up with several names of companies that can help.