Can Carpets Be Dry Cleaned?

Yes, carpets can be dry cleaned with specialised professional carpet cleaning equipment such as industrial dry soil vacuum machines, CRB brushing machines, low speed Rotary buffing machines with related accessories like Soil-Sorb Bonnet pads or micro fibre pads.

Also some hand tool accessories are involved such as – pile brush, hand carpet grooming brush for manual agitation of the dry cleaning compound powder or the pre-sprays cleaning solutions into the carpet.  Not every carpet could be dry cleaned , that depends of the level of soiling and condition.

Some carpets will definitely require hot water extraction method, if they are subject to Corrective care system or Salvage System. In the carpet cleaning industry, dry cleaning methods are more relevant to Preventive Care System where the soil penetrates up to 25 % of the depth of the pile light soiling.

Dry carpet cleaning methods has advantage over wet extraction (wet cleaning method) when cleaning particular natural based carpet fibers extremely sensitive to moister. Excessive moister could significantly reduce the natural fabric carpets’ life, reduce the fabric function and properties and even ruin the carpet structure and piles.

Dry carpet cleaning methods are more known as Very Low Moister systems where some moister usually pre-treatment solution (pre-sprays) are applied as mist at the surface of the carpet.

WHAT IS DRY COMPOUND ABSORPTION (Dry Carpet Cleaning) ?

There is one particular method, used by the professional carpet cleaning companies, which is completely waterless and it is called Dry Compound Absorption (or dry carpet cleaning ).  No pre-spray cleaning solutions are used in this method, although some isolated stains or small heavy soiled areas could be treated with stain removal spotter products or pre-spray cleaning solutions.  First and important stage of the dry cleaning process is the dust vacuum extraction.

A professional carpet cleaner will use professional industrial vacuum machine which has rotating cylindrical brush which opens up the carpet pile and extracting the dust much better that any other vacuum machine. Often people are surprised of the huge amount of dry soil, dust and dirt gathered in the vacuum dust bag extracted from relatively small area of the carpet or the most heavily used high traffic areas such as entrance hallways or landings.

Professional vacuum carpet cleaning machines are so efficient , they can clean up to 80 % of the dirt, dust and other allergens like bacteria and dust mites. Stage two would be the dry compound distribution over the carpet. Before you open the compound box, make sure to rotate and shake the box for 10 min, so you can mix the compound well.

The compound at the bottom of the box has more moister than the one at the surface, that’s why we need to mix it well before use. Put protective gloves and spread the compound evenly over the carpet. Dry compound consist of dry corn husk impregnated with solvent agent which dissolves the dirt , stains and other spots , then the dry corn husk acts like sponge and absorbs the dirty residue.

The dry compound must be agitated into the carpet for st least 10 min by either professional CRB machine with rotating brushes or manually with agitation carpet brush. If you agitate manually the compound you might have to repeat the process and apply more compound over certain heavily soiled or stained areas. Those areas might need a bit of more extraction , so more product will be need.

CRB machines not only pushed the compound into the carpet piles , the also collecting the dirty used compound. After completion you can notice substantial colour difference between the used compound and the one inside the CRB machine collector which looks much darker due to dirt absorbed within. After completing the agitation of the compound, the carpet must be vacuumed again , so the remaining compound residue is extracted completely from the carpet.

You might experience difficulty extracting completely the dry compound from carpets with long piles or from shug rugs. Dry carpet cleaning method has disadvantage in that particular case.

Dry cleaning method leaves the carpet dry at the end and it is ready for immediate use after completion compared to the steam cleaning. Modern chemicals and technology allowing dry cleaning method to gain more and more popularity among private and commercial carpet owners.

Most of the dry cleaning compounds and powders are chemically safe , competing to wet cleaning detergents and pre sprays. Less moister or no moister cleaning extending the life of natural based carpets, like wool and other vegetable based carpets.

WHAT ARE VERY LOW MOISTER METHODS (VLM)

Dry cleaning is very often related with other low moister methods. These methods used advanced modern crystal detergents, pre-spray solutions and carpet cleaning buffing machines with spacial bonnet systems. No hot or steam extraction is used in these methods, although some moister is poured into the carpet. Drying time is up to an hour , usually between 30-60 min , which makes this method preferable when cleaning large office spaces or Court communal spaces which require fast drying. Low moister methods are simple, but required equipment and skills.

BONNET

First stage would be-the use of professional dry vacuum cleaning machine in order to extract as much as possible dry soil from the carpet. Application of pre spray or pre spotter solution in order to dissolve the remaining dirt and stains is necessary. These solutions brings a bit of moister into the carpet fibers.

Stage two would involve rotary buffer with an appropriate absorbing pad. The pad will rotate over the carpets and it will absorb and extract the pre-spray detergent and the remaining soil. The pad must be reversed to the other side when it gets dirty.

No solution must be put into the buffer thank in order to feed and keep the pad moisturised in this carpet cleaning method. The method relies on the cleaning power of the pre-sprays and the absorbing properties of the pad.

SOIL ABSORPTION CRYSTALLISATION

Method requires buffer and advances crystallising shampoo. New chemical which is low moister more solvent. Soil is removed by the carpet by rotary agitation of cotton bonnet pad pre-wetted in a mix of crystallising shampoo.

Go over the carpet with wet pad , the pad should be heavily soiled at certain point. Turn it over the other side and you can continue. Change the pad is necessary. Drying time is usually 30-60 minutes.

Any residue left in the carpets will crystallise and they can be vacuumed cleaned. In conclusion dry cleaning method and low moister cleaning methods are getting more popular, because of their fast drying time.

New Advanced chemicals and equipment makes this methods fast and chemical safe. They are preferable methods for cleaning light soiled large areas. Dry cleaning methods are used on expensive natural based carpets , which are sensitive to moister.