Different Types of Carpet Cleaning Methods



What’s up Tallahassee! Over the past month, I have had a lot of customers asking me about different types of carpet cleaning techniques. So I decided to put together this list of most common methods for you guys! Below you’ll find the most common methods and why you should chose them. Enjoy! – Jay Main

Your home’s ambiance depends a lot on your flooring choices. Carpets, for one, can enhance the appearance of your living space through their elegance, beauty, and impressive style. But while rugs add character, warmth, and beauty to your home, they can also be a significant source of discomfort when not cared for.

This is because they can become a stain magnet for everything from dirty shoes to pet hair, pet urine, dust mites, insect husks, insect feces, mold, dead skin cells, bacteria, and volatile organic compounds, dust, red wines, nail polish, among other allergens. (For our article one how to get red stains out click here!)

All of these dirt particles stick to the fibers in the carpet, irritating individuals with environmental allergies or other health problems. When they are not well maintained, carpets can cause health hazards such as skin problems, respiratory problems, and even weaken the immune system. Hence, it is recommended to get your carpets cleaned regularly to keep your living space safe.

Routine cleaning with Main Cleaning of your carpet not only keeps it presentable and prolong its life-cycle, but it also makes a big difference to your health and home. That being said, knowing the right cleaning solutions and when to use them plays a significant role in keeping your carpets bright and fresh.

With that in mind, this article looks at a variety of carpet cleaning techniques in order to provide clear options, rather than limit you to specific ones.

Steam Cleaning

The steam cleaning technique involves the use of a pressure washer and vacuum attached to a van to rid the carpet of dirt and debris caught up in its fibers.

Steps to Clean Carpet Using this Technique

Typically, professional carpet cleaners take the following steps to clean carpet using the steam cleaning process:

  1. Move all furniture out of the way
  2. Use a vacuum cleaner to vacuum the carpet. This will eliminate loose dirt particles and fluff the carpet fiber, loosening dirt caught up at the bottom.
  3. Get the steam cleaner, pour a hot water solution into the container.
  4. Spray the heated water into the carpet under high pressure and simultaneously extract the water out to dislodge the dirt in the rug and suck it away.
  5. After cleaning is done, the carpet is left to dry.

Why You Should Choose this Carpet Cleaning Technique

Steam cleaning is ideal for those times when you need a deeper, more thorough clean. You may opt for this technique if your carpet is heavily soiled through spills or pet problems.

Final Result:

Steam cleaning is very effective at removing deeply planted dirt and grime!

Bonnet Cleaning

Bonnet Machine Cleaning Carpet in Action in Tallahassee Florida

The Bonnet Cleaning technique is a method of care that involves the use of rotary floor machines and a cleaning pad which has been drenched in a cleaner solution and wrung out to clean the face fibers of the carpet.

As the motorized machine is moved over the carpet, the pad spins, absorbing dirt from carpet surface. The cleaning solution used for bonnet cleaning contains optical brightening agents like bleach, which help to enhance the appearance of the carpet.

Professional cleaners often prefer pads made with absorbent cotton or microfiber because they produce the best results. In addition to the floor machines, pad, and cleaning solution, you will also require equipment and supplies such as a mop bucket and wringer combo, carpet dryer blowers, a pump-up type sprayer, etc. for the cleaning. Bonnet cleaning is quick and the drying time is very short.

Steps to Clean Carpet Using this Technique

To clean carpet using the bonnet cleaning process, a professional carpet cleaning service will:

  1. Remove all furniture and other items that may stand in the way or get damaged while the carpet is scrubbed.
  2. Use a household vacuum cleaner to thoroughly clean loose debris and dirt from the carpet’s surface.
  3. Dilutes a bonnet scrubbing solution for the pump-up sprayer as well as for use in the tank of the buffing machine.
  4. Fill the bucket with clean water, and drench the bonnet in the water.
  5. Set-up and cordon off a 10′ x 10′ area.
  6. Spray the area with the mixed solution in the pump-up chemical sprayer, without over-wetting or soaking the carpet. After applying the solution, your technician may let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes to loosen dirt and debris from carpet fibers.
  7. Wring out the pre-soaked pad and place it under the floor machine.
  8. Run the floor machine with the pad driver and pre-soaked carpet bonnet, moving it slowly over the carpet, focusing on the areas with high soil so that they can clean the surface as much as possible.
  9. Allow the machine to float as you scrub, dispensing the pre-mixed solution in needed areas as they go.
  10. Typically, the bonnets used for the cleaning will pick up a lot of dirt from the carpet, so it usually gets flipped over or replaced as it becomes soiled. Doing so helps ensures that the bonnet does not move soil from one area to another.
  11. Once both sides of the bonnet are soiled, set it is aside to be laundered for the next job and place another under the floor machine.
  12. After the cleaning, all bonnets are rinsed out and allowed to sit in a warm water bath to loosen the accumulated dirt.
The Bonnet machine in Action - Carpet Cleaning Tallahassee Florida

The Bonnet Machine in Action – Floor  Cleaning – Tallahassee, Florida

Why You Should Choose this Method

Being a low-moisture cleaning system, the bonnet care method is ideal for those who are looking for fast dry time. It is an excellent solution to use in heavy-traffic areas such as hotel which need to be cleaned quickly, as it minimizes downtime.

The bonnet cleaning method is also great for removing oil stains which cannot be removed by vacuuming. It is also great for spot cleaning and for maintaining the look of a carpet between extraction care.

Final Result

Bonnet cleaning helps to restore the bright, shiny appearance of a carpet, in addition to giving it a cool, refreshing scent!

Rotovac Cleaning 

The Rotovac cleaning system is an efficient and robust solution that helps a carpet to retain its original appearance. The cleaning is carried out using the Rotovac cleaning machine, a Rotary Extraction Power Head system that relies on rotary vacuum heads that are designed to gently and thoroughly deep clean virtually any carpet

Steps Your Carpet Cleaner May Take to Clean Carpet Using the Rotovac Cleaning System:

  1. As with other methods of cleaning, carpet cleaners begin by carefully moving items like chairs, sofas, table, and other furniture out of the way.
  2. After that, they use a turbine vacuum system to vacuum carpet thoroughly to remove bonded dry soil and pet hair. They then pretreat high-traffic areas and spots for a more thorough cleaning.
  3. The next step is to pre-groom rug using a rotary cleaning machine or carpet groomer to further loosen the soil in traffic areas.
  4. After that, the carpet is extracted using the Rotovac Heated Rotary Extraction Power Head system.
  5. After extraction, the Rotovac Fiber Rinse is used to rinse the carpet. The Fiber Rinse is not harsh or intense on carpet fibers. Instead, it leaves the carpet soft and clean by removing soil and detergent residues.
  6. Technicians then carpet-groom by moving carpet fiber back and forth using a carpet rake. This action will get the fiber nap back into its original shape, speed up dry time, and enhance the appearance of your carpet.

Why You Should Choose this Carpet Cleaning Technique

The Rotovac cleaning process is one of the best and most thorough technique in carpet cleaning. It ensures the recovery of carpet fibers and that your carpet will continue to look as good as new, even after many years of use.
Its effectiveness makes this method of care ideal for removing tough carpet stains and ridding the carpet of foul smells.

Final Result 

The Rotovac cleaning process leaves your carpet looking cleaner and pleasingly more colorful! See the final result below!

Rotovac-Carpet-Cleaning-After-Tallahassee FloridaRotovac-Carpet-Cleaning-After-Tallahassee


Encapsulation is a cleaning process that involves the use of chemical agents such as a polymer to clean carpet. When applied to the carpet, the chemical agents loosen and encapsulate loosened dirt particles in carpet fiber into powder, forcefully detaching them from the fibers.
When the applied solution dries, the carpet is then vacuumed to suck up the dirt particles, giving the rug a clean appearance. Encapsulation uses less water during the cleaning process, and as such, results in short drying times.

Steps a Professional Cleaning Company May Take to Clean Carpet Using the Encapsulation Process

To clean a carpet using the encapsulation method, a professional service will:

  1. Vacuum the carpet thoroughly to rid it of dry soils.
  2. Dilute the cleaning solution for a pump-up sprayer per manufacturer’s instructions.
  3. Use a pump-up sprayer to spray the solution, working it over the rug at a moderate pace.
  4. Allow it to sit for ten to fifteen minutes.
  5. Work the encapsulant into the carpet using a grooming brush, bonnet machine, or cylindrical brush machine.
  6. Vacuum the carpet after the foam dries to pick up the encapsulated soil particles.

Why You Should Choose this Carpet Cleaning Technique

Being a low-moisture system, encapsulated cleaning is beneficial in commercial and high traffic environments due to its short drying times. You might want to employ this cleaning method if you are looking to put carpets back into use within a short time of the cleaning.

Final Result

Excellent results can be achieved with encapsulation when appropriate steps are followed.