Outlined in the IICRC Standards instructions are the following details that are essential steps in providing a properly cleaned carpet.
- Proper removal of dry soil through dry Vacuuming.
- Technician should be specially trained in removing hard to remove stains.
- All products used in the cleaning process must be properly neutralized
- Carpet must dry within 6 – 8 hours. Total drying times should not exceed 24 hours.
1. Proper dry soil removal.
This is a very important step that is often overlooked or under emphasized by many “cleaning professionals”. Research from industry leaders shows that up to 70% of all soil found in carpets is not water soluble. So if your technician overlooks this step you could find yourself less than satisfied with the final results.
2. Technician should be capable of removing hard to remove stains.
Through proper identification stains can be correctly removed by looking at them in 5 categories. These categories are organic stains, synthetic stains, petroleum stains, protein stains and last but not lease misery stains. Through the process of oxidizing, metabolizing, dissolving and reduction most stains can be removed. Specialized cleaning agents are used to remove each type of stain and additional time and attention is required in order to achieve success.
3. Carpet must be properly neutralized.
This standard refers to the importance of a thorough rinsing with a neutralizing formula. Carpet cleaning detergents by nature are alkaline. By using an acidic rinsing formula the remaining moisture has a PH of 7 or neutral. If this step was not done correctly or overlooked carpeting tends to rapidly re soil.
4. Carpets must dry between 6-8 hours and should not exceed 24 hours.
This is by far the most important standard in the industry. If this process isn’t completed correctly then the technician risks exposing his clients to bacteria and mold growth.
Environmental conditions can also slow down the drying process. Many things however can speed up drying times and insure you that your carpet is safe to be around. A good technician should use high temperatures to clean as that promotes evaporation.
Multiple vacuum strokes prevents over saturation of carpet backing. By using air moving equipment and proper ventilation the drying times can be drastically reduced.
