The dry foam machine is equipped with a pressure tank in which a mixture of water and shampoo is placed. A compressor on the machine converts the solution into foam which is then dispensed onto the carpet with a revolving cylindrical brush.  The brush works bubble of uniformed size foam into the pile of the carpet so that each individual fiber of the carpet is cleaned.  Once the foam has dried, the carpet needs to be thoroughly vacuumed to remove the dried crystals of dirt that have been left behind.

Steps of the dry foam procedure:

1. Vacuum the carpet and spot clean to remove spots and stains.
2. Mix the dry foam solution following the directions of the manufacturer. Using too little or too much chemical can result in poor results so stick with the measurements stated in the directions.
3. Shampoo the carpet.
4. If the carpet is a cut pile or shag, groom the pile to speed the drying process and leave the pile running in the same direction.
5. Place aluminum foil or furniture blocks under the furniture legs to prevent wood stains or rust.
6. Once the carpet has dried thoroughly vacuum it.

Advantages

• The process of dry foam cleaning is capable of covering a lot of area in a very short amount of time.
• There is little danger of saturating the carpet simply because the moisture content is low.  This will also help you to minimize the problems that are commonly associated with over wetting.
• Dry foam is a good choice if you have older, more soiled carpet that you want to get as clean as possible.
• You can rent a machine at many hardware or equipment rental stores.
• They don’t cost that much to rent, which is great for those who just want to give it a shot and see what happens.
• Dry foam carpet cleaning isn’t that hard to do, as you’ll be fine even if you have no experience with these types of machines.

Disadvantages

• The dry foam method is capable of removing average levels of soil.
• There is the possibility of excessive residue and soil build up if the machine you are using has inadequate extraction capabilities.

Dry foam can make a carpet look really good as long as you follow the manufacturer’s directions on mixing the solution and take your time with each step of use.

Spot removal products are available at the local hardware store, supermarket, big box store, department store or carpet store, the only problem is deciding which product you need for every type of conceivable spot that you may experience in the future. When looking for a product always read the labels thoroughly. Even with a thorough reading you may still find the information on the packaging vague and the stores salesperson only knows what they have heard others, information that is often wrong.

To help you prepare for those carpet spill accidents here are a few tips on both spot cleaning procedures and also the products you should keep on hand.

1. Stains and spots are a carpet’s worst enemy, which is why you should always get them out as soon as you can – to prevent things from getting any worse. A wet area be-it water, beverage, etc needs to be blotted up immediately.  If left for an extended period of time, wet areas and the residues from almost any type of spill will pick up soil making it more difficult to clean.
2. Most spots can be removed with a water-dampened towel.
3. To help you clean the spots, the tips below may come in handy:

1.  You should only use white rags or towels when you clean carpet and upholstery to reduce the risk of ruining colors or color transfer.

2.  You should always test your product of choice first on a hidden area to save yourself heartache and embarrassment in case things don’t turn out the way you hope.

3.  For information on removing a new spot or a spot that will not come out, the Carpet and Rug Institutes offers a toll-free information line for assistance.  The CRI can be reached at 1-800-882-8846.

4.  If you need the help of a professional, you shouldn’t hesitate to contact one.

If you have a red dye stain on your carpet such as those left by many beverages, you will probably want to call a professional carpet cleaning company.  When you call let them know what the spot is so that they can send out a cleaning professional that is prepared to clean this type of stain.

1. Recurring Spots: In most situations recurring spots are a maintenance problem and not a carpet problem.  Often it is the spot cleaning that is causing the problem.  A spot removal product is used on the carpet and the spot returns.  The spot is again cleaned and returns.  The most common cause of this is the spot cleaning residues are not being removed and they are attracting soil.  Many detergent residues leave behind sticky residues that attract soil.

Test your spot removal and other cleaning products to make sure that they are not leaving behind sticky residues.  This evaluation is accomplished my mixing the solution to the recommended dilution ratio.  Place an ounce or two of this solution in a petris dish, bowl, dish or another flat, clean, container.  Allow the solution to evaporate and examine the residue to determine if it is sticky, waxy or has turned to a hard crystal like or powder consistency.  You will want to stay away from products that dry to a waxy, sticky or oily residue.

Another common cause of recurring spots is the over use of a product.  All too often a person will believe that if a drop does a good job several drops will do a better job.  Detergents do not work that way.  They are formulated to work efficiently at specified concentrates.  While the correctly mixed product would have done a great job the higher concentrate will leave residues to attract soil.

ADD SPOT REMOVAL CHART

Tip

An easy way to test fiber for the presence of a fluorochemical is to cut a couple of fibers from a non traffic area and apply a few drops of oil and water mixture.  If it beads up, then there is an active fluorochemical present.

Whenever testing for the presence of the acid dye blocker, you should again cut a couple of fibers from a non traffic area, then immerse the fibers in a red kool-aid mixture and wait for 5 minutes or so.  Remove the fiber from the liquid and flush with neutral detergent solution.  If the acid blockers are present and active, there will be no discoloration.

Optical Brighteners

While optical brighteners can make a carpet appear cleaner, they have a harmful effect on carpet fibers. Technical people in the carpet industry have unanimously taken a stand against the use of brightening agents in the cleaning process. But, even with all of the adverse publicity, optical brighteners or color brighteners, as they are often called, are still used in some spot cleaning products, shampoo, dry-foam and extraction detergents.

Optical brighteners are actually dyes, which reflect the light and eventually cause yellowing in carpet fibers. For this reason alone, every legitimate carpet cleaning company should outlaw their use.

Tip 1 Vacuuming

The dry soil types are easily removed by vacuuming.  As long as they are removed on a daily basis, it will help to minimize the damage to the carpet. Regular thorough, deep vacuuming is surely the most important step when it comes to carpet care.  While non-traffic areas can be vacuumed quickly major traffic areas should be vacuumed in more than one direction as you run the vacuum slowly giving it time to pick up the deeper soil. Not all vacuum cleaners are equal and a good quality vacuum will do a better job of cleaning. A good quality vacuum is not necessarily the most expensive. Visit some of the websites at the Carpet and Rug Business Directory to learn more about vacuums that they have tested.

Tip 2 Walk Off Mats

Keep those dry and gritty outdoor soils from being tracked on to your wall to wall carpet. One of the best and easiest ways to do this is to use walk off mats and area rugs at entrances. Always use entrance mats outside of your doors and make sure that anyone who enters your home use the mats to help get debris and dirt off of their shoes before they enter. Where possible also use an area rug or walk off mat inside your door to help trap soil missed by the outside mats. All mats and rugs need to be vacuumed and cleaned regularly so that they are trapping dirt and not placing dirt on to your shoes.

Tip 3 Shoes

Many people prefer that their family and guest go shoeless on their carpet. This can be helpful, especially if you have slippers that are only worn indoors that you slip into upon entering.  The oils from oily bare feet will transfer from ones feet to the carpet.

Tip 4 Pets

If you have pets you need to understand that oil does transfer from pet hair to carpet. Placing an area rug in areas where your pets like to lay will provide excellent protection for your carpet.

Tip 5 Spots and Spills

Keep your eye out for spills and take care of them in a quick manner to keep your carpet clean.  Most spots and spills can be easily cleaned by blotting with no more than clean tap water and a towel. If water does not work you will need to use a cleaning product for the specific type of spot you are experiencing problems with.  See Spot Cleaning Chart.

Tip 6 Deep Cleaning

Have your carpet professionally deep cleaned before it becomes too soiled.  A good thorough cleaning for your higher traffic areas should be performed at least every 12 to 18 months. See More on Cleaning Methods

A well maintained home and clean carpet will not only add value to your home it will also extend the life of your carpet, protect your carpet warranty, reduce household and pet odors, assist you in keeping your family healthy and your friends and other visitors will be impressed at how nice your home looks.

Optical Brighteners

While optical brighteners can make a carpet appear cleaner, they have a harmful effect on carpet fibers. Technical people in the carpet industry have unanimously taken a stand against the use of brightening agents in the cleaning process. But, even with all of the adverse publicity, optical brighteners or color brighteners, as they are often called, are still used in some spot cleaning products, shampoo, dry-foam and extraction detergents.

Optical brighteners are actually dyes, which reflect the light and eventually cause yellowing in carpet fibers. For this reason alone, every legitimate carpet cleaning company should outlaw their use.

There is a false myth that cleaning a carpet before it is necessary will result in rapid resoiling.  Many years ago coconut oil shampoos were used for cleaning carpet and some of them did leave residues that resulted in rapid resoiling. Today almost all carpet cleaning products leave very little residue. The fact is that carpet in a typical household should be cleaned every 12 – 18 months depending on the number of people and pets living there and the amount of traffic. A good way to tell if a carpet is due for cleaning is by moving a chair or sofa so that the trafficked and non trafficked areas can be compared.

Professional Carpet Cleaners

While there are many do-it-your-self cleaning machines for purchase and rent, it is usually advisable to use a qualified professional carpet cleaner such as those Certified by the IICRC – Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration. A professional cleaner will have the experience that enables them to do a much better job than you can do yourself. The equipment they use has more extraction power than the units available to you, and the carpet will dry faster as well.  They know the cleaning agents to use, and they know the differences in carpet construction and fibers.

Doing it Yourself

If you have made the decision to rent a steam cleaning machine and do the job yourself, you should check on several systems before you make a selection.  Most of the units available for rent don’t clean well enough and may end up damaging your carpet.  Therefore, you should always consider the following:

• A number of rental companies offer cleaning equipment that is similar to what a professional will use.  You need equipment that has enough vacuum power to allow the carpet to dry rapidly, preferably in less than 12 hours.  It is best to avoid rental units found in many retail, hardware and grocery stores that don’t have the power to extract the cleaning solution from the carpet fast enough. Over wetting combined with slow drying can be damaging to a carpet.
• Avoid over wetting the carpet.  Prolonged dampness combined with traffic can cause a separation of the backing.  When a carpet remains wet for an extended period of time, this can lead to mildew growth and bacteria in the carpet backing.
• After cleaning your carpet place fans to increase air movement and speed the drying.
• Today most carpet has stain resistant treatments. Make sure that the carpet cleaning products you purchase are designed for the type of fiber you are cleaning. Failure to properly clean a carpet is action to void a stain resistant or carpet performance warranty.
• Never use cleaning or spotting solutions that contain bleaches as they can mess up the color of the carpet.
• Never use any silicone based treatments on the carpet. Silicone treatments are not needed and not designed for most of the carpet that is manufactured today.

A Comparison of Carpet Cleaning Systems

With all cleaning methods a wall to wall carpet needs to be thoroughly vacuumed prior to cleaning to remove any heavy soil such as silicates (the primary constituent of soil), without this pre-vacuuming, dirt and sand are forced to the backing of the carpet. It is highly recommended that you give your carpet a very thorough vacuuming prior to the arrival of the professional carpet cleaning company. While vacuuming make not of any special areas of concern and point these out to the cleaning crew upon its arrival.

Absorbent Powder / Dry Extraction Cleaning

An absorbent granular material that has been incorporated into a mixture of detergent, solvent and water is brushed into the carpet pile with a machine incorporating a double cylindrical brush.  Once the material has dried the carpet is vacuumed to remove the powder and the soil that it has captured. The best use for the absorbent powder cleaning method is the commercial installation where the carpet is cleaned regularly and requires quick drying.

Bonnet/Spin Pad

This method in appearance is similar to the rotary shampoo method. The machine used is essentially the same. A detergent is usually sprayed onto the carpet.  A rotating absorbent pad spins and agitates the carpet fibers as the soil is collected into the pad. This method improperly preferred on cut pile carpet can cause untwisting of the face pile. While this method is reasonably quick drying it must be done more often as it is more of a surface cleaning.  The best use for this method of cleaning is the commercial installation where they clean regularly and require quick drying.

Cylindrical Foam Shampoo

The cylindrical foam method uses a machine with an air compressor that whips the shampoo solution into heavy foam.  The foam is brushed into the carpet with a cylindrical brush. Once the carpet has dried it is vacuumed to remove the shampoo and the particles that have theoretically bonded to it. Not all of the shampoo and soil is actually captured but instead much of it is forced deeper into the pile. While this method is reasonably quick drying it must be done more often as it is more of a surface cleaning.  The best use for cylindrical foam cleaning is the commercial installation where they clean regularly and require quick drying.

Rotary Shampoo

The Rotary shampoo method uses chemicals similar to those used with cylindrical foam. The rotary floor machine usually has an attached solution tank for the shampoo solution.  The diluted solution is fed through a tub to a “shower-feed” where it is applied to the carpet.  While the shampoo is being applied a round brush on the machine is scrubbing the carpet.  This shampoo method uses more moisture than the cylindrical brush method. The rotary shampoo method is not recommended for use on cut pile carpet as it can cause untwisting of the face pile.

Steam Cleaning or Hot Water Extraction

With this method a non-foaming detergent is injected into the carpet fibers and is almost simultaneously vacuumed out of the carpet taking the dirt and soil with it. The extraction method when performed a skilled technician and quality chemicals will leave very little residue to attract to soil. You can use a truck mounted unit or a portable self contained unit as well. In the hands of an unskilled person a carpet can be over-wet during extraction cleaning so be sure to take extra dry passes when cleaning it yourself.

If you have concerns with the performance of your carpet it is suggested to have a thorough professional carpet cleaning prior to submitting a claim. While you cannot expect a 5 year old carpet to look brand new in traffic areas a Certified Carpet Inspector will be able to draw a fairer conclusion as to a carpets performance if they are inspecting a clean carpet.

Warmth

Carpet is the best choice you can make for your bedroom, family room, and other areas where you need warmth underfoot.

Insulation

Both carpet and carpet padding will provide an extra layer of much needed insulation between the floors of your home.  Depending on the density and weight of the carpet, it contributes to the R-value of your home, which adds to the energy efficiency as well.

Safety

Carpet offers a slip resistant surface that will prevent accidents along with a natural cushion in the event of someone falling.  For young children and the elderly, this is very important.

Reduction in sound

Carpet will also reduce noise better than any other type of flooring.  Carpet works to dampen noise in three ways:

1.  Reduces surface noise from foot traffic

2.  Absorbs airborne sound

3.  Blocks transmission of sound These qualities are valuable in apartments as well as semi-detached homes.

Surface

Adding carpet to a room can also disguise any existing damage to the floor and also hide any other problems such as warped floors.  The thicker density the carpet is, the more problems it will be able to hide.

Easy to care for

The carpets of today are more stain resistant than they have ever been in the past, which makes cleaning even the worst possible spills easier than ever.  No matter type of spill it may be, there is always a way to clean it up.

Clean air

Research has proven that carpet can indeed improve the quality of air by trapping allergy causing dust and allergens if it is properly cleaned and maintained.

Variety of use

Carpets aren’t only for floors anymore, which is a really great thing.  You can easily add carpet to steps, stairs, walls, posts, and other non level surfaces, without having to worry about it slipping, lifting, or buckling.

Flexibility

Carpet is the primary foundation in almost any room.  Because it is available in a variety of different colors and textures, it helps to create an unlimited number of possibilities for decorating.  From the neutral tones to rich solids, carpet is the first step you can take to make your home look better than ever.

Low cost

Carpet doesn’t cost a lot of money, as it offers an economical alternative to the other types of expensive flooring.  Even with professional installation, you won’t pay near as much as you would for hard surfaces.  Unlike hard surfaces, carpet can keep you comfortable if you decide to lay down on it.

Life span

The carpets of today are very durable and can outlast most other types of flooring available on the market.  All you have to do is select a type of carpet that has a life span of 5 – 30 years or more, which is very common now days.

Warranty

With most manufacturers, you can get great warranties with your carpet purchase.  This way, you’ll be protected when you install your new carpet.  Once installed, all you have to do is enjoy it – as the warranty will ensure that you are very well protected.