Carpet Cleaning Myths

Carpet cleaning myths begins with dirt,  dirt is an abrasive, like sandpaper, scratching and dulling your carpet.  Remember the feeling of sand between your toes
Its like that every time you step on your carpet, you grind dirt into the carpet, grinding your expensive yarns
down into those worthless fibers that fill up your vacuum bag.  A dirty carpet will not last as long as a clean carpet and every
moment you wait, your carpet wears out faster.  You should have your carpet steam cleaned at least once every 6 month.  Upholstery cleaning or furniture cleaning should be steam cleaned once a year.  We are the professional Carpet cleaners and upholstery cleaners in Michigan.  We are near your home or business.  Please avoid carpet cleaning myths.

Vacuuming helps, by itself, it is simply not enough.  The dirt causes micro-occlusions or microscopic scratches on the
carpet fibers.  Dirt will stick to these scratches and will not vacuum off.  The longer you wait to have your carpet steam cleaned, the more
damage you do to your carpet.

Oily residues from the street and air are bonding to the carpet.

You bring in dirt, from your shoes, or from the sweaty feet slightly sticky, they grab dirt and lock it on.  Soils bond with the carpet through a process called “oxidation” causing color change, and it becomes permanently attached.  If you wait too long, you are throwing away the key to unlocking dirt and oil in your carpet.  Clean before traffic, lanes show up!  The longer you wait between cleaning the more soiling becomes permanent.

MISCONCEPTION #1A:  You should wait as long as possible before having your carpets cleaned for the FIRST TIME!

Technicians that use poor cleaning methods creates carpet cleaning myth (described in Misconception #6).  Proper
carpet steam cleaning will remove soils and pollutants without removing any finish from a carpet, even a 5th generation carpet.  The
carpet will not re-soil faster nor will spots reappear sooner.

It will in fact last longer, look better, feel softer, and smell fresher.
If you waited 2 years or more before cleaning your new carpet it may indeed soil faster if you choose not to reapply carpet protection
Carpet protectors wear off after 6 months to a year just as polish wears off a car.  Therefore, carpet that unprotected will re-soil faster than protected carpet it worth cleaning to help preserve it.
By cleaning your carpet more frequently, i.e. on a maintenance plan, you will increase the life span of your carpet and save
money$$.

Steam clean your carpet for hygienic rather than for appearance.
It will be healthier and you will never see a soil build up or a traffic lane.  Excessive wear occurs when the carpet reaches the
“Unacceptable Appearance Level.”  It begins to wear faster, looks dirtier more often, and will need replacement sooner.  You will
save money in the end by hiring a professional cleaner more frequently.
You can Pay NOW, or pay LATER!
It usually costs more if paid later!

Misconception #2: The only reason to clean carpets is to remove the dirt.

No. Its another  carpet cleaning myths.  As you probably know, outdoor air contains pollen, fungus, bacteria, air pollution, cigarette smoke, car exhaust, and hundreds
of other chemicals.  When you, your family members, or friends come into your home, they carry those pollens, bacteria, and
chemicals in their hair and on their skin, clothing, and shoes.  Not surprisingly, all those chemicals and toxins wind up; you guessed
it, in your carpet.

How long you would go before washing your underwear.

How often do you wash your kitchen floor?  You clean these because of
hygienic, not just, because they might “look” dirty.  If you wash your kitchen floor once a week, it just makes sense to wash your
carpet once or twice a year.  Clean your carpet for hygienic reasons instead of for appearance.
Allergies will act up, when the air starts to smell stale. Example of carpet cleaning myths

If you have allergies, asthma, emphysema, or other breathing
problems, one major source of your problem could he the pollen, fungus, smoke, and chemicals in your carpet.  Carpets allow Pollutants in the air to be filter through.  The carpet traps them so you do not breathe them repeatedly.  However, what happens when that trap
gets full?  Your family starts breathing dust mite debris, pollen, pollutants, fungus, spores, bacteria, and a long list of other really
gross stuff.

Carpet Removal: Carpet cleaning myths

Tearing out the carpet is not the answer, its another, carpet cleaning myths.  The American EPA states, those homes with maintained.  Carpet are healthier, as long as they are
this is because of your carpets natural filtering ability, which traps that entire gunk, so your family does not
breathe it repeatedly.  Once your carpets natural filtering ability is full it’s time for a thorough cleaning for your health’s sake.
In addition, as you may know, tobacco smoke contains over 4000 different chemical compounds, 43 of which cause cancer.  In addition,
even if you do not smoke, those chemicals get on your shoes and clothes, you track them into your home, and you leave them in your
carpet.

If you are sensitive to cigarette smoke, you might find that you will breathe easier after you hire a company to get those
harmful chemicals out of your carpet.
Above all, it is important to clean your carpet.  Similarly in addition to getting rid of the dirt, is to get rid of pollens.  Pollutants, together with Fungus, bacteria,
residues from tobacco smoke and other

 

Carpet Cleaning Myths:

Misconception #3: Carpet cleaning Methods are not consistent

No.  Another carpet cleaning myths.  The dry cleaning methods, which are dry foam, dry chemical, and dry compound, are great for in-between or interim cleanings
or if the carpet needs to dry immediately, however, they do not rinse your carpet in any way, leaving soil and cleaning residue in the
carpet.  You might say they clean your carpet only halfway.  The most effective cleaning method is hot water extraction.
Hot water extraction means a hot water cleaning solution, under high pressure.  Shaw industries, the world’s largest carpet manufacturer, recommends hot water extraction as the primary method of cleaning carpets, along with an IICRC approved firm.

Carpet cleaners use one or two types of hot water extraction.  Truck-mount extraction refers to use a large unit that operates from a van or truck.  Subsequently portable extraction are used that can be brought inside.  Shaw’s
first choice is the truck-mounted unit-and it recommends the small, portable unit only in areas where the truck-mounted unit will not
reach.

Truck-mount Cleaning System

The truck-mount extraction cleans much better because it heats the water to a higher temperature-which breaks up the dirt,
bacteria, chemicals, and pollens in the carpet.  Then the machine uses high suction to draw the dirt and chemicals out of your
carpet.  Elite Carpet Cleaning uses this method of cleaning.

Carpet Cleaning Myth: Misconception #4: Having the right equipment is all a company needs to clean your carpets properly.

Truck-mounted steam cleaning units will remove ALL the soil from the carpet.
To the contrary, of many cleaner’s boasting, No they will not.  Steam cleaning is a specialized cleaning method.  Thereby removing only 20% of the soil trapped by a carpet is actually stuck to the fibers
and requires a bit.  Dry vacuuming only removes 20% of soiling.  The other 80% is loose soil and needs to be removed
by This why the “STANDARD for CARPET CLEANING”, written by the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning, Restoration
Certification (IICRC) states that:
‘per vacuuming is the first step in any cleaning method.’
Proper pr- vacuuming is crucial to the loosening soil and hairs will stick to the carpet when they get wet and the fine soil, at the
bottom of the carpet, will just turn to mud.

Hair

It is like having sand or hair in your hand.  When it is wet, it sticks like glue.  When it is dry, however, it blows off cleanly.
Generally when the carpet dries, wicking happens as the fine soil, now mud, rises with the water up surface of the fiber.  Carpet may look worse after cleaning, when the soil becomes visible.  This is a common problem for cleaners who do not pre-
vacuum or who rely on the customer’s inefficient machine.  It is for this reason that you insist on pr- vacuuming the carpet yourself with
the best dry vacuum system available.  Please avoid listening to carpet cleaning myths.

Dry methods used to avoid the wicking problem, by not vacuumed, before a dry method is
performed, the results still will not be any better.  In fact, if the carpets do look okay after cleaning, all they have succeeded in doing is to
giving you the illusion of a clean carpet.  Carpets will degrade, if all that soil remains what to look for in a Good Vacuum.

Vacuum

“A top-fill upright vacuum with brush agitation or a canister vacuum with a “power head” incorporating a brush agitation should be
selected and used with routine frequency.”  High efficiency filtering system is frequently used.  Bagging helps to keep dust from being
recalculated, and contributing to indoor air pollution.  (STANDARD for CARPET CLEANING)
Vacuum bags not maintained will lead to 30% to 40% of its airflow and just will not pick up any more soil, even though you think it is.  When choosing a vacuum, do not be
sucked in by a fancy name or a low or high price.  You get what you pay for but some sales clerk mark the price up so you think
you are getting a great deal when they give you a discount.  If you need a new vacuum recommendation please call us, will be happy to give you more advice.

Misconception #5: The Company that offers the lowest price is the company you should hire.

This may be true…   Two important points to consider:
1) the price you see offered might not be for the services you want performed.  You need to decide what you want to accomplish
before you choose a company.  If all you need is for a company to remove only the top dirt from your carpet, there are plenty of
companies willing to take your money, or you could rent a machine and do it yourself.

But should you want deep soil as well as the bacteria, fungus, pollen’s, dust mites and tobacco residues removed, then you need to
hire a company that is fully trained, takes the time to pre-vacuum, and properly equipped with a truck mounted steam cleaning unit.
This is the only way to assure that your carpet remains healthy and free from dirt, disease-causing bacteria, and hurtful chemicals.
You will not get the lowest price but what you will get is the best value for your hard-earned dollar, saving you time and money long
term.
Remember, you get what you pay for.

(2) The price you see advertised might not be the price you pay.  Many homeowners have learned the hard way that the low price
they saw advertised lasted only until the carpet cleaner got into the