Domestic Carpet Cleaning

1. Carpet/Fabric Identification and Visual Inspection

Our carpet cleaning experience starts with a pre-inspection to identify the carpet construction, fibre content, and soiling conditions. Any stains will be noted, and advice will be given before cleaning commences. Cleaning Innovations Ltd. makes sure we propose a favourable and affordable solution. Once the cleaning prices have been agreed, there will be no unforeseen adjustments during or after the service.

2. Vacuum

It is said that 70% of carpet soiling could be removed with a commercial vacuum cleaner. For this reason, we take extra care and time during this step. You will be amazed at the amount of dirt extracted during this step. You may be even more impressed when you see what the carpet agitation removes!

3. Pre-Spray and Stain Treatment

We only use WoolSafe approved products to clean and rinse carpets and furnishings. For stains that cannot be removed with Woolsafe products, we resort to stronger cleaning solutions which must be rinsed out thoroughly before the rest of the carpet or upholstery is cleaned.

We begin by using solvent-based solutions (enzymes that break down food proteins or solvents that can remove shoe polish or make-up oils), and if this does not work, we conclude that the stain has damaged the carpet by seeping into the fibre cuticles. Examples of such stains are rust spots, tannin from tea spillages or food-colouring. Before using colour-changing products we first obtain approval from our customer. These last-resort products are mild but deep-cleaning, and each application takes about 15 minutes before any change is seen, which is why we may charge a little extra.

The second phase of the stain removal process is only applied in extreme cases, removing the stain from the wool fibres might also remove the wool’s dye and the area could end up being lighter than the rest of the carpet / upholstery. Keep in mind that acidic stains such as urine and vomit may have already lightened the carpet fibres prior to any removal attempts.

We have a range of professional carpet cleaning pre-sprays and stain-removal solutions that break down a variety of heavy soiling, grease, and staining. Most pre-sprays benefit from a short dwell time of around 5 to 15 minutes. Carpet fibres are sensitive to differing pH of solutions and the pre-inspection would have already identified the carpet cleaning solutions for each room.

4. Agitation

Contra-rotating brushes gently agitate the pre-spray into the pile being treated, detaching the soil particles from the fibres and making it easier for the extraction wand to wash the pile clean. This step also extracts a lot of dirt and hair that were not taken up by the vacuum. This method can be used on various carpet types, including natural fibres, allowing us to clean carpets with milder solutions in a shorter space of time.

For carpets and rugs that require dry cleaning, we use this machine too. In which case we skip step 5 and 6, and instead use a vacuum to remove the dry-cleaning solvent which has encapsulated the dirt. This method is used commonly in commercial buildings where there is no tap facility to fill a hot water extractor machine.

5. Hot Water Extraction

Hot water extraction with an integrated heater or steam cleaner, is much quicker and more effective after an agitator is used. With fewer wand passes needed to extract the pre-spray and soiling, this leaves the carpet drier. The steam cleaning offers a much faster drying time. In addition, our powerful machine allows us to use much longer piping which can reach up two flights of stairs. The machine can be left on the ground floor or outside the building without losing any water pressure or suction power, keeping the house quieter.

6. Grooming

During the drying phase, you are welcome to use your domestic home fan to move moist air out of the room. When required, we groom the carpet pile back to its original state using a specialist carpet rake. This speeds the dry time by allowing air to move between the fibres and leaves the carpet looking and feeling plush.

7. Inspection and Client Walk-Through

Upon completion of the job, we walk the customer through each room to ensure they are happy with the result. Any shortcomings will be dealt with immediately while the cleaning equipment is still in place. Once the carpet is completely dry after 24 hours, we contact the customer to ensure that everything is fine and ask them to remove any plastic lining that may have been placed under furniture. During this time, we may request an online review. Our customers’ feedback provides us the greatest opportunity to grow our business and it goes a long way, we are grateful to those customers who take the time to spread the good word.

Carpet Protect (Scotchgard)

Carpet protectors help carpets and upholstery stay cleaner and stain-free longer, enhancing their longevity and protecting against abrasion. It is important that when a spill occurs, it is dabbed up immediately to prevent seeping into fibres. Applying a fluorocarbon protector forms an invisible barrier, temporarily protecting against spillages such as wine, juice, oil and cosmetics. This is also useful when you have little ones and pets around, for unexpected spillages and mess, giving you a chance to grab a cloth or paper towel before this soak into the furniture or carpet. Applying the protector is a very quick procedure, however carpets will take a little longer to dry. The protection gives you peace of mind lasting 18-24 months.

Carpet Deodoriser

Carpets can sometimes have an odour. Once cleaned, we apply a deodoriser which refreshes fibres, leaving the carpet smelling fresh and clean.

Rugs

Most rugs can be cleaned. Please bear in mind that our cleaning method for rugs is hot water extraction so your rugs will get wet. We follow the same 7 step procedure as for our carpet cleaning.