Carpet Cleaning Methods: 
Steam Cleaning Vs Hot Water Extraction Cleaning 

 

Dedicated homemakers and homeowners in Singapore know that carpets always add a cozy and elegant touch to any room or to an outdoor lounge.

But with more and more people having to stay and work at home most of the time, indoor carpets are used and abused every day. 

As for outdoor carpets, they are prone to become extremely dirty and ultimately, unhygienic as caused by the build-up of dirt and grime as well as mould that grow because of constant humidity and rain.

Everyone seems to be living a fast-paced life and cleaning carpets can easily be forgotten. However, most carpets do not come as cheap purchases and to maintain their lifespan, beauty and functionality, regular and proper cleaning methods need to be followed.

 

There are a few ways to keep carpets looking good as new and to maintain their softness and durability as long as possible.

However, bear in mind that the right way to clean carpets would depend on their materials and fibres.

Carpets that are made of natural fibres can suffer from shrinkage and water marks if they are exposed to too much water and harsh liquid cleaning solutions.

Normally, dry carpet shampoos or cleaning powders are used for carpets that are made from seagrass, coir and jute.

These materials may be very beautiful to the sight but they can be costly to maintain and to clean.

Currently, there are now synthetic or man-made materials that are used to make the most elegant and comfy carpets that can be washed in household laundry machines.

While this is time-saving way to clean smaller-sized carpets and removable rugs, it is not really a highly recommended method of cleaning carpets.

This is because a laundry wash is not enough to deep-clean carpets with tightly packed and very short fibres.

These kinds of carpets are very silky to the touch and lovely to sit on, but they can also have a lot of hidden and deeply embedded pieces of food, pests, dust, pollutants, dead skin cells and pollutants.

These organic compounds may cause your loved ones to suffer from allergic reactions and this is potentially dangerous for those with pre-existing conditions and respiratory problems.

 

When it comes to the office and business properties, wall-to-wall carpets are commonly used.

High-rise buildings and exclusive locations often and always have the best designs for their wall-to-wall carpets.

Nevertheless, constant foot traffic and even the wheels of bags and trolleys can easily cause carpets to look worn out and the colours to fade faster than normal.

More importantly, wall-to-wall carpets are breeding grounds for insects, dust mites and the dreaded viruses and germs which cause infectious diseases and allergies.

It is obvious that if your office space is heavily and pre-dominantly carpeted, it is not enough to have simple janitorial services to wash the carpets.

Thus, it is always best to seek the services of professional carpet cleaning company in Singapore if you need to get your carpets thoroughly cleaned.

 

Almost all carpet cleaning companies in Singapore can employ two major kinds of cleaning process for carpet cleaning services. One very efficient technique is to use a hot water extraction machine. 

This is the proposed cleaning method to wash and to disinfect wall-to-wall carpets. The system involves hot water to be shot out from the machine to the carpet.

Cleaning solutions are also used together with the water.

The power of the hot water being shot into the fibres of the carpet results in dust, grime and residue to be broken down and then dissolved together with the dirty water that is sucked back into the hot water extractor.

Hot water extraction as a method of carpet cleaning is also able to effectively eliminate mites, weevils and other pests that survive in dirty and damp carpets.

Stubborn stains from water-soluble liquids such as milk, fruit juices, and food scraps can at times be removed, if not, then their appearance will be diminished, by a hot water extraction carpet cleaning process.

Because of the term used for this cleaning method, many people believe that the drying time for hot water extraction to wash and clean carpets will take a long time.

With blowers, it only takes less than a day for wall-to-wall carpets to be completely dry after hot water extraction cleaning is done. 

Steam cleaning carpets follows the same method as when laundromats steam clean your clothes.

Water is heated up to very high temperatures until it transforms into vapor or steam. Because this process relies on steam, there is not much power and force to completely wash and rinse the dirtiest part of carpets.

Hard-to-remove stains will not be reduced just with steam cleaning carpets.

In addition, strong odours are not able to be eliminated with carpet steaming.

Certain particles from mud and oils are also very difficult to remove with just steaming carpets and as mentioned earlier, steaming may cause carpet fibres to shrink.

Just like the disclaimers for dry cleaners that use steaming to launder clothes, steam cleaning may seem like an easier process to clean carpets, but it is unable to fully dissolve debris and stain build-ups in carpets.

The drying time for steaming large sized and heavy carpets and wall-to-wall carpets can last anywhere from 8 to 24 hours.

One of the main differences versus hot water extraction is not just the drying time but also the fact that many carpet cleaning specialists swear by hot water extraction because it does not cause materials and fibres to shrink and there is little to no probability of non-removable water stains and mould development.

The hot water extraction machine is able to manage the right amount of water with the correct temperature to be released when washing a carpet.

The dirty water will then be pumped back into the machine so there is actually no water damage inflicted to the carpet and its fibres.

It is always helpful to remember that both steam cleaning and hot water extraction do not guarantee 100% odour and stain removal all the time.

As there are carpets that have already been severely damaged by flooding, permanent dye or ink spills and are already showing signs of being deteriorated over time due to massive mould and pest infestation.

So which carpet cleaning methods do Singaporeans prefer?

Yes. You have got it right, it is hot water extraction cleaning.

For hassle free carpet cleaning service, engage professional carpet cleaners for rug cleaning or office wall to wall carpet cleaning now!

 

5 Environmentally Friendly Ways to Clean Your Rug at Home

The current global pandemic has highlighted the importance of maintaining proper hygiene and cleanliness for our homes and the environment.

Specific tasks that have not been prioritized before now need to be on the list of very important household chores.

That list includes cleaning your rug at home.

Rugs are beautiful decorative items in our homes, but they are too often ignored even if almost everyone who resides in your house walks all over them.

Families with young children will often sit and play on rugs.

As such, rugs can easily become dirty and torn so it is necessary to keep them clean to maintain their beauty and function. 

However, not just any form of cleaning will do as it is necessary to ensure that cleaning your rugs involves environmentally friendly processes as well.

 If we can protect our family and loved ones, we should also do the same to our surroundings as this is to safeguard and secure our health and safety in the long run.

 In addition, it is very easy to forget that rugs can harbour harmful pollutants such as dust and grime as well as disease-carrying organisms.

This is a very important point to consider especially if you have family members who suffer from allergic rhinitis or hay fever and asthma.

 

Here are 5 environmentally friendly ways to clean your rug at home:

 

1.     Vacuuming

Using your trusted and reliable vacuum cleaner is probably the easiest and fastest way to clean your rug at home.

It could also be the first step to take when you want to finally start cleaning your rugs as most households already have vacuum cleaners.

Basically, you will rely on the power of your vacuum cleaner to effectively lift and remove dust, hair, pet fur, food bits and to some extent, pests that have inhabited your rug.

Rugs that are placed in outdoor settings such as entry ways and balconies are especially prone to become hotbeds of pollen, mold spores, soil and even fleas and ticks from pets.

Without regular and proper vacuuming, the fibres and the material of outdoor rugs will become filthy with the constant accumulation of trapped dirt, mud, pet fur and other organic matter.

 

A benefit from vacuuming your rug at the comfort of your own home is that you are not doing any form of direct harm to Mother Nature.

Simple and basic vacuuming does not require any dangerous chemicals to be used or to be released into the air, water and surfaces in your household.

It also helps to get an energy-efficient vacuum cleaner so you can save on electricity.

2.     Steam-cleaning

Another household equipment that is quite effective in deep cleaning your rugs and even carpets is the steam cleaner.

With steam from hot water and pressure, a steam cleaner dissolves hard-to-remove dirt, grime and particles that have been embedded deep into your rugs.

Steam cleaning can even remove light stains and kill germs and viruses. Cleaning experts even promote the use of steam cleaners as an ideal cleaning equipment for homeowners with large area rugs that are subject to everyday use.

 

You may be thinking how a steam cleaner can be an environmentally friendly way to clean rugs?

It only needs water and for a normal cleaning session for rugs, there is no need for toxic items to be used for your steam cleaner to do its job.

It can act as a sanitizer as hot steam is effective in eliminating dust mites and dissolving stubborn grime.

 

Bear in mind though that there are limitations to steam cleaners and because it involves water, make sure that you completely dry your rug before using it as a damp rug inside your house can cause moulds to grow.

Clean your rugs during warm days so you can leave it outside to dry instead of using your AC and electrical fans.

 

3.     Using Soft Bristle Brushes, Sponges with Cold Water

 

Many people think that they need to purchase expensive cleaning items to clean rugs at home.

You may be surprised to know that a humble soft bristle brush, sponges and cold water can be used for cleaning rugs and carpets in a sustainable way.

Use a soft bristle brush to loosen dried mud and pieces of dirt stuck between the fibres of rugs and also along the edges.

Soft bristle brushes are less likely to damage a rug’s material and with proper use, it minimizes the potential deterioration of a rug’s colours and designs.

 

A cleaning sponge can soak up liquid spillages.

Make sure you are using a clean sponge or even a damp cotton cleaning cloth to blot the area immediately after spilling liquids on the rug.

This takes patience as you may be tempted to aggressively rub the stain away but the key is to gently dab on the stained section until you see that most of the liquid has been absorbed by the sponge or cloth.

In addition, refrain from using hot water to dampen a soft bristle brush or cleaning cloth as cold water will minimize the damage to the materials, dye colors and fibres of rugs.

When you use regular tepid or cold water to clean your rug at home, you are saving energy and consequentially doing a good deed for the environment.

 

4.     Creating Your Own Home-Made Cleaning Solutions

 

A money saving and environmentally friendly way to clean rugs at home is to use ordinary household items to make your own cleaning solutions.

Not only are you going to save money but you are assured that you and your family will not be exposed to the dangerous chemicals that are commonly found in popular brands of cleaning solutions and powders.

These chemicals are often poisonous and therefore harmful to people and to the environment.

They contaminate the air and the water ways and in the long run, have severe negative effects to our natural surrounding.

Several over-the-counter cleaning products, once used or mixed with water and applied to surfaces and household items, release toxic fumes and are known to cause horrible skin allergies and chemical burns.

Multiple studies show that most store-brought products contain the same poisonous ingredients used in dangerous pesticides and some even have formaldehyde.

Being exposed to these products in the long run can result to health issues such as possible poisoning, nausea, vomiting, asthma, allergy attacks and even severe respiratory problems.

 

Below are common household items that you can use for cleaning solutions instead of using commercial cleaning products:

 

1.     Natural Vinegar

2.     Baking Soda

3.     Lemons

4.     Plant-based Soaps

 

An environmentally friendly and easy way to make homemade solutions to clean rugs at home is to mix equal parts of vinegar and water into a spray bottle.

Sprinkle baking soda on to the rug that needs to be cleaned and spray the solution on top of the powder.

Wear gloves before you do this process as there will be a fizzy reaction whenever mixing vinegar and baking soda.

A cleaning cloth and sponge can be used to blot the area you want to clean.

In addition, there are also plant-based soaps that you can mix together with water and vinegar to clean your rugs.

These are usually organic soaps that do not leave harmful chemicals. Mixing a bit of vinegar with plant-based soaps or even just plain water makes for an inexpensive and eco-friendly rug cleaning solution.

Vinegar has long been used as a safe and home-made cleaning ingredient as it is made up of acetic acid that is able to dissolve grime, grease, mineral deposits.

Vinegar is also known to be a simple form of disinfectant.

Distilled and organic vinegar is recommended for those who only want to use eco-friendly cleaning solutions as it is able to kill certain types of bacteria.

If the smell of vinegar is unpleasant for you and your family, lemons can be used as a replacement.

Natural lemon juice is also a form of acid that can disinfect and even degrease your rugs. The smell of lemons are highly rejuvenating and a number of cleaning items and products frequently use lemon as one of their natural ingredients.

 

All Natural, Eco-Friendly or Green Rug Shampoos

 

For those who lead extremely busy lives, mixing ingredients at home may not be the most time-saving way to clean their rugs at home.

There are now a sizable number of companies that sell environmentally friendly rug shampoos.

These are relatively easy to use and if you purchase from a trusted brand, you can be assured that your cleaning product will perform its function and at the same time it will not be a harmful agent to the environment.

Rug shampoos are highly recommended for deep cleaning rugs at home.

In the case of removing heavy stains for example, try soaking the area with your chosen environmentally friendly rug shampoo and water for a few minutes then rinse according to the instructions given for that product.

However, make sure that you carefully read the description of the product you want to use as it may not be the right solution for the specific material of your rugs.

There are still some brands of eco-friendly rug shampoos that are meant for synthetic materials only.

One advantage of using ready to use, eco-friendly rug shampoos is the assurance that they are made from natural ingredients and thus, not damaging to the environment.

**Disclaimer: Remember to do a patch test on a small area of your carpet/rug, results may vary and carry out the DIY cleaning at your own risk. If in doubt, feel free to reach the professionals at 67881788 or whatsapp us at 87881788 / 98860178!