If you clean your carpets “old school,” you first vacuum them. You then follow this up by using a carpet shampooer to wash the rest of the debris out. After this step, everyone sits around and waits for the carpet to dry. Some carpet cleaning companies continue to clean their clients’ carpets in this fashion. Others have found more creative and effective methods of making sure the carpets are completely clean, dry and free from any possibility of undesirable side effects.
Carpet Cleaning Using a Shampooer
Using a shampooer to clean the carpets and rugs of a residence or business is a traditional method. At its very basics, you can reduce its components to two:
1. Shampoo: Professionals use a type of shampoo created for handling carpets. The most common type is a form of manufactured chemical. Recently, however, natural products that are friendly to pets, children, and sensitive individuals are being employed with greater frequency. In addition to the basic shampoo, a cleaning agency or manufacturing company may add a brightener to perform that specific task.
2. Shampooing Machine or Similar Equipment: The most basic carpet shampooer usually is comprised of a solution tank for the shampoo and various cleaning attachments one basic type is the nylon brush
While such a system is moderately effective, it does present certain problems.
The Problem with Carpet Shampooers
Carpet cleaning of this nature is more time consuming than the latest steam or Empowered Water™ solutions. The main issues, however, are these:
* The carpet remains wet for an extended period. If it does not dry out completely, mold may grow unseen
* The soap used in the shampooing of the rug may not be completely removed. It may later rise to the surface
* Often shampooed carpets feel sticky to the touch
* Stickiness, soap residue and related material can actually attract more dirt (This is called resoiling.) defeating the initial purpose for cleaning the rug
* The use of strong chemically derived soaps and additives can create a toxic or at least harmful environment for pets and children
Such basic reasons explain why more people are increasingly turning away from traditional methods of cleaning carpets.
Carpet Shampooer: Becoming a Thing of the Past
In the past, carpet cleaning involved vacuuming and shampooing your rug. This two-step task was tedious and not always successful. Even good carpet companies could produce the perfect conditions for mold growth and/or resoiling. Today, the industry has begun to abandon the simple carpet shampooer, replacing it with a more effective methods of cleaning – ones that are environmentally friendly, safe for everyone and involves less preparation and drying time.
