Back to Carpet Cleaning Business home
Berber carpet cleaning challenges
Some carpet cleaners hate cleaning Berbers here are a few tips to make the chore easier.
By Jeff Cross, senior editor
From the August 2004 edition of Cleanfax magazine.
Most Berber carpet today is either olefin (polypropylene) or an olefin/nylon blend.
The physical cleaning of a Berber weave can be difficult, because keeping a solid vacuum presence on the carpet's surface takes constant effort. "Wand chatter" is a common complaint.
When a water-based cleaning solution is applied to a wool or nylon carpet, some of the solution is absorbed into fibers, while the rest flows toward the backing due to pressure and gravitational forces.
However, olefin fibers don't absorb the solution, resulting in wet soils moving to the base of the fibers. When extraction equipment doesn't keep proper airflow and lift on the carpet's surface because of "wand chatter" as mentioned above overwetting occurs.
Wet soils left in a Berber will then work back to the surface during evaporation.
As a result, water-soluble surfactants, detergents or additives will be carried to the surface as well.
And this means recurring spots and "streaks" that will result in a call-back, sometimes several call-backs, for the same job. Call-backs are never profitable.
Learning a better approach
The Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) approved Carpet Cleaning Technician training course (CCT) at CM Expo provides assistance for Berber cleaning challenges.
CCT seminar tips:
Remove as much insoluble soil as possible before applying your cleaning solution.
A quality commercial vacuum or a turbine-driven power vacuum will remove more insoluble soil than if the carpet is cleaned by machine only.
Control the moisture you apply. Consider reducing your water pressure, letting off the trigger sooner at the beginning and end of your cleaning stroke.
Keeping the trigger engaged when you switch directions means more solution is left at the beginning and end of the wand stroke, leaving these areas ripe for recurring soil problems.
Utilizing the proper carpet cleaning chemistry will keep wicking and other problems to a minimum. There are specially formulated olefin cleaning agents on the market that aid in removing troublesome oily soils.
Give extra drying passes, and use air-movers.
Remember the cleaner's motto: Get it clean and get it dry.
Even if you are a die-hard hot water extraction cleaner, consider alternate cleaning methods if you have difficulties with Berber carpets. The most important aspect of cleaning is the final result.
One tip is to run a dry bonnet over a freshly extracted carpet.
You will remove more moisture, allowing it to dry fast while keeping wicking and streaking to a minimum.
You will find that bonneting after extraction also removes more soil, resulting in a cleaner carpet.
After cleaning
It's true that olefin fibers are inherently stain resistant, but that doesn't mean they can't use a quality fabric protector.
Most carpets are a blend. You should consider this when applying protector.
Any carpet fiber needs protection from tracked-on soiling. Fabric protectors aid in keeping carpets free from foot-traffic grunge.
Back to Carpet Cleaning Business home