Carpet Cleaning Altrincham

We are often asked "do carpets get dirty quicker after they have been cleaned?"

This so called ‘rapid re-soiling’ is caused by the following:

1. Poor quality, cheap chemicals and shampoos leaving a sticky residue behind that attracts soil immediately

ANSWER: Our Eco friendly cleaning solution is a natural free rinsing product which leaves no residue to attract soil after the clean.

2. Long drying times which leave carpets wet and ready to attract soil from shoes and dogs paws.

ANSWER: Part of the cleaning process involves drying, and although no deep clean can guarantee total drying in minutes, our extra powerful machinery and the enhanced drying fans leave your carpets ready to walk on shortly afterwards.

3. Under powered cleaning. Low powered machines only penetrate the surface and don’t rinse out all of the dirt that is sat in the bottom of the carpet, the remaining soil lifts to the top in a short space of time and the carpet fibres look dull again.

ANSWER: We use state of the art cleaning equipment which was developed to clean thoroughly to the bottom of the carpet retrieving more dirt and leaving the fibres ‘fluffier’ and cleaner.

See FAQ and Misconceptions of Carpet Cleaning for other queries you may have here.

The different methods used to clean carpets can be confusing. We have a choice from all methods to best suit the situation; other cleaners may use only one method, common amongst certain franchise firms who have to use the equipment given to them by the parent company. Here is a run down of the main carpet cleaning methods:

Hot Water Extraction (HWE) often and incorrectly called steam cleaning, is the method we recommend for deep restoration cleaning. It is also the method recommended by Shaw Industries, the world’s largest carpet manufacturer, the National Carpet Cleaners Association NCCA) and the IICRC. Combined with a pre- treatment this is the most thorough method of cleaning and uses jets of hot water followed by vacuum extraction. 'Sandpaper like' grit, the main reason for wear and tear, is also removed from deep within the carpet.

Along with soil and stains carpets also hold onto Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC'S) dirt, dust and various chemicals which can be harmful to children, pets and adults. With a thorough HWE, carpets release these substances providing a healthier environment.

There are various standards of HWE, some equipment cleans more thoroughly and leaves carpets drier than others. With the high performance equipment that we use the standard is always the highest and drying times are relatively short, in fact some areas may be left touch dry as we leave. For our detailed procedure see Hot Water Extraction Method at the bottom of the page.

The following lower moisture methods are suitable for light to moderate soiling when performing interim maintenance cleans :

Dry Powder cleaning – a very low moisture method using a powder or sponge substance containing an active cleaning ingredient which is agitated into the carpet to break down soiling. The soil is then absorbed by the powder/ sponges which are then vacuumed away after about 1 hour when dry. More suitable for longer pile carpet than bonnet buffing.

Bonnet Buffing – using a low moisture solution along with rotary machine and pads which skim over the carpet to attract soil. Often more suitable for shorter pile than Dry Powder cleaning and less suitable for longer pile. There are variations of Bonnet buffing equipment with different brand names, some better than others. We use a high performance micro splitting system.

and for problematic carpets which can't handle moisture:

Dry Solvent Cleaning – True dry cleaning with the use of solvents is rarely used to clean carpets and is only used in extreme cases where the carpet cannot accept moisture due to instable dye or a potential shrinkage problem. This method does not remove as much soiling and staining as HWE methods and is left 'solvent wet' for a short period of time.

A method we do NOT use:

The All-In-One shampoo, brush and vacuum machine – typically seen in the domestic market or as popular hire machines. These machines are slow and underpowered by professional standards and leave carpets ‘half’ clean and very wet; rapid re-soiling is a common problem with this method due to the shampoo residue left behind.

 Our Hot Water Extraction Process in Detail:

COMMERCIAL HIGH-FILTRATION VACUUM  First we vacuum with a High filtration cleaning system specifically designed for the highest performance professional cleaning.

MOVE LARGE FURNISHINGS  We will move larger furnishings eg. chairs, sofas,  tables.

PRE-SPOT DIFFICULT STAINS  We then  pre-spot your carpet for all difficult stains and we carry out specialist stain removal techniques on stains which are of particular concern to you.

PRE-SPRAY  Next we will apply a biodegradable pre-spray specially designed to electro-mechanically lift oily dirt and pollutants from your carpet fibres and suspend them floating in an aqueous solution ready to be quickly and safely extracted using our state-of-the-art extraction machines.

TRIPLE-VACUUM HIGH-PRESSURE HOT WATER EXTRACTION MACHINE  This machine cleans much better because it shoots the rinsing solution into the carpet at high pressure which helps to break up the dirt, bacteria and pollens in the carpet. The machine then produces a huge vacuum to draw the dirt and pre-spray out of your carpet.

RESIDUE RINSE  We use the extraction machine to ensure a residue free rinse that ensures the integrity of your carpet and helps to retard resoiling

PROTECTIVE FOIL TABS  Furniture is replaced back onto the carpet with protective foil tabs and Styrofoam blocks under the legs. Why? Well sometimes the moisture left in the carpet will leach out any colour-stain finish from the furniture leaving a (very difficult to remove) stain on the carpet.

GROOMING  Where, appropriate we will groom your carpet to leave it in best possible condition. This usually means we run a grooming rake over the carpet to ensure the fibres are tangle-free and lifted again.

RAPID DRY SYSTEM  We use special carpet drying equipment to help reduce the drying time so you can use the carpets quicker.

INSPECTION  Our job is nearly done and we now look to you for your reaction. We will walk the cleaned areas with you and will only apply the optional protector when you are totally satisfied.

STAIN PROTECTOR  An application of StainShield to increase the life of the carpet and protect against soiling, spillages, staining, and dust mites is of great benefit.