Cleaning Methods

Hot Water Extraction
"Sometimes referred to as steam cleaning "

Using the hot water extraction method, hot liquid is sprayed under pressure into your carpet pile and simultaneously vacuumed back out along with soils. The liquid is usually hot water containing a detergent or cleaning solution.

The professionals at Unique Upholstery, Carpet, & Rug Cleaning Inc. can remove the residue and detergent left behind from previous cleanings where another method was used and the detergents were not extracted.

While this type of cleaning can be performed with portable equipment, truck-mounted equipment does a better job on soiled carpets. The truck-mounted equipment allows the technician to heat the water from the truck-mounted tanks to a high temperature. This solution is then sprayed, and extracted at much higher pressures than is possible with portable equipment. This truck-mounted high pressure system allows the deep cleaning of fibers in your carpeting.

Some hot water extraction machines enhance the effectiveness of the process by using rotating brushes or other agitation device to work the cleaning solution into the carpet and help loosen soil. At Unique Upholstery, Carpet, & Rug Cleaning Inc. we take extra step to Rotary shampoo and deodorize your entire carpet with soft nylon brush. (This step ensures complete loosening of both surface and deeply embedded soil particles and oily grit.)

Many truck-mounted units are simply portable units bolted to into a truck and they lack the power need to deeply clean your carpeting. The most effective machines such as the on Unique uses, are powered by an engine in the truck rather than the customers home electrical power.

Absorbent Dry Compounds
Dry powder compounds that contain detergents or solvents can be sprinkled onto the carpet, and are then worked in the pile by machine. The detergent or solvent dissolves the oily film on carpet fibers helping to free the soil and soil and the powder compound is then removed by a vacuum cleaner. This method only cleans the surface or contact area of your carpet is not as effective as hot water extraction, which deep cleans the carpet pile.

Bonnet Cleaning
Bonnet cleaning uses a round absorbent pad called a bonnet, which is attached to a rotary floor machine. Detergent is sprayed onto the carpet, the pad is rotated over the carpet surface removing soil that adheres to the bonnet. When one side of the bonnet is soiled it is reversed until both sides are soiled. Then in some cases the carpet is then rinsed. This method is generally used in some commercial buildings, again with this method the carpet is only surfaced cleaned.

Foams
Foams are just a form of shampoo. Foams used by homeowners are available in aerosol cans, and applied in a thin layer and rubbed in with a sponge. Once dry the residue is simply vaccumed away. While the carpet is unlikely to get overwet with this method, the low moisture content of this methods also means that much of the soil remains in your carpeting, this method only cleans the carpet surface. Many foams are difficult to rinse out of carpet fibers and may interfere with later attempts to clean your carpeting by use of hot water extraction.

Shampooing
Shampoo for carpets operate in a similar to laundry detergents that you use to wash your clothing. Shampoo is released onto the carpet through openings in a rotary brush. The rotary action causes a foam that works into the carpet. The shampoo then dries leaving dry particles that can be removed by a vacuum cleaner.

Unfortunately many of the loosened soil particles are never removed and simply work their way deeper into the carpeting. Use of either too much detergent, low quaility detergent, or impoperly mixed detergent will lead to a buildup of a sticky residue on carpet fibers. Further, repeated cleanings without proper extraction (see hot water extraction above) will overload the carpet with residues and contribute to accelerated resoiling (your carpets get soiled faster and require more frequent cleanings).

Shampooing followed by clean hot water rinsing and extraction:

• Unique uses a combination of both shampooing and hot water extraction.
• What is most important is that this is a multiple step process (see my 12-point promise).
• After vacuuming, we shampoo your entire carpet with a soft rotary brush to loosen the deep embedded soil particles as well as the surface oily grit.
• Then in a separate step, we follow up with a clean hot water rinse and extraction process, which we perform on your carpeting at least twice, to ensure complete deep down soil and residue removal from your carpeting.
• We get on our hands and knees to get at those hard to get areas along the baseboards, door jambs and around floor vents.

This process takes longer to perform, but our "Unique" results will astound you!

Please visit Why Clean Your Carpet to learn many more useful tips and information that you should know. Please visit our Frequently Asked Questions page for a wonderful insight of the complete cleaning methods the Unique Upholstery, Carpet, & Rug Cleaning Inc. Your carpets will be cleaner than ever before and stay cleaner longer.