What is the best method for carpet cleaning?  There are several ways to clean carpets, even for us professionals.  Some carpet cleaning companies choose steam cleaning, and others choose lower moisture methods.  Some cleaning companies use portable extractors.

I’ll make this post quick and easy to understand so you’ll know what you’re getting when hiring a carpet cleaning service in Fredericksburg, VA.

What Is The Best Method For Carpet Cleaning?

Nine times out of ten, hot water extraction (commonly known as steam cleaning) is the way to go when using a truck mount. A truck mount is the absolute best machine to rinse and extract carpets- hands down thoroughly.  Truck mounts can generate constant 200-degree heat and have phenomenal suction.  Heat is great for greasy traffic lanes and melting away dirt.  The continuous suction allows water to flow through the hoses without being bogged down.  The next step down from hot water extraction is a portable machine.  There is also low moisture carpet cleaning known as VLM or encapsulation cleaning.  When you’re asking yourself, “What is the best method for carpet cleaning?” you’ll want to hire a company that utilizes a truck mount for hot water extraction.  But sometimes, VLM carpet cleaning is superior to cleaning commercial carpet.

What is the superior method for carpet cleaning? What About A Portable Extractor?

I had a portable setup when I first started cleaning carpets.  Portable extraction machines can also be effective; you must know what you’re doing.  With less suction power and sometimes no heat, the technician must rely on a thorough pre-treatment and mechanical agitation to achieve a good result.  Portable extractors usually have a small waste tank- ranging from 5-10 gallons.  This can be a massive pain because you’ll need to stop and dump the waste water after cleaning a few rooms.  You can get great results, but it costs time.    You must be thorough and efficient in professional carpet cleaning to get through your day.  When asking, “What is the best method for carpet cleaning?” portable extraction might be a second choice.  Portables can leave the carpets wet longer and take longer to complete a job.  However, the setup cost is much cheaper.

What is the cost difference between a truck mount and a portable extractor?

A brand-new truck mount costs about $20k, but a good portable is around $3k.  That’s a huge difference, right?  When using a truck mount, you won’t have any downtime.  With the constant heat coming out of your wand and the constant suction going through your wand, you’ll be able to clean the crap out of some carpets and do an excellent job.  Portable extractors have electric vacuum motors that have a 1500-hour life span.  I once had four vacuum motors linked up.  I was spending $1100 every year replacing those stupid things.  They also have electrical switches to turn the machines on and off.  The switches often go bad, and you have to replace them too.  There are just so many headaches that go with portables.  I used mine for 3 years.  I wish I had started out using a truck mount.  I could have easily added another job daily to my route without sacrificing quality.  But sometimes, you run into a job scenario where extraction is not your best option.  You might need to be on the 4th floor in an assisted living building, and the carpets must dry as soon as possible.  This is where VLM, or encapsulation carpet cleaning, comes in handy.

What is VLM Encapsulation Carpet Cleaning

Long story short, it’s a way to make the carpets look better.  It’s an appearance thing.  The dirt doesn’t get extracted.  The cleaning solution is a polymer that encapsulates the dirt and attempts to separate it from the carpet fibers.  This crystallized dirt is then vacuumed up with the subsequent vacuuming.  This is usually done with bonnets and a buffer.  The bonnets will absorb some of the dirt, and the dirt left behind is in encapsulated form.  This method performs better on commercial-grade carpets than plush residential ones.  However, this method is effective if the carpets are in good shape.  If your carpets have extra heavy foot traffic and dog urine, this method is not for you.  It doesn’t do a good job if there are heavy body oils from feet and pets.  Those kinds of conditions need hot water extraction to emulsify and melt away those tough body oils.

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