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How long will my carpets take to dry after cleaning?

The time frame for carpets to be totally dry depends on several factors, such as the level of soiling and the cleaning method used. Generally, it can be anywhere from 30 minutes to 12 hours. The Australian Standard states that up to 24 hours is acceptable.

If you use steam cleaning or hot water extraction by a professional, drying should take 2 hours to 12 hours. Take into consideration the following factors to determine how long it will take for your carpet to dry, and what you can do to make it dry much faster.

The type of fibre– This is by far the most important thing. Wool carpets take a lot longer to dry then synthetics. Wool carpets are about 30 % absorbent compared to the few percent range for synthetics.

Thickness and Weight of the Carpet – The thicker/heavier the carpet, the longer time it will need to dry.

Exposure to Air – If your room doesn’t have windows, or if the windows are shut, to create ventilation, evaporation will be lessened. Turn on the fan in your room to improve air circulation, making your carpet dry faster. During warmer months, turn on the air conditioner instead.

The Humidity and Weather conditions – Obviously the higher the humidity the longer it will take for carpets to dry. Is it a hot fine day or a cold wet day for example?

Now, if you really need your carpet to dry at a much faster rate, opt for professional carpet cleaners that offer speed drying services on top of state of the art equipment and years of experience.

Thank you.

Mark the Brisbane carpet cleaner.

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A safe and easy guide to stain reduction and removal from carpets

Red wine spills. Cordial catastrophes. Tomato sauce trickles. Don’t you just hate these colourful stains on your plush carpets? Like it or not, a party almost always guarantees a colourful, blotchy carpet. Good news is, you can do something to remove stains from your carpet, and or prevent them from ever reoccurring.

Here’s a safe, practical guideline that you can follow to help you out:

  1. Place doormats at all entrances and oblige everyone to wipe their shoes before stepping into a carpeted area. Doing so will not only save your carpet from wear and tear, but will also keep dirt and other pollutants from sticking on it.
  2. Act fast and attend to the stain right away. This means not letting it set while waiting for your guests to leave. Speed is a key factor here—the longer the delay, the more time the stain has to spread, and the harder and more time consuming it is to remove.
  3. Blot as much excess liquid as you can. Don’t soak, wipe or scrub it. Doing so will only damage the carpet fibres and cause the stain to spread. Just blot it gently using a clean white towel or paper towel to remove the stain. After sucking up the liquid, rinse the spot with water and blot again until dry. Repeat the process as needed.
  4. Gently scrape off any solids with a spoon or spatula. Wash the remaining spill and blot dry. Dried solids, on the other hand, can easily be broken up and vacuumed. Repeat until the stain is gone, then rinse with water and blot dry.
  5. To eliminate greasy stains, apply a volatile dry solvent like thinners to the spot using a white towel. Thinners are very strong and should not be used if you are sensitive to chemicals. Blot from the edges to the center. Continue dabbing until spot is clean. Remember to always patch test any cleaning agent on a hidden part of the carpet to avoid carpet damage or discolouration. CAUTION: If this step looks a bit difficult consider using a professional.
  6. Since stubborn or old stains may not respond well to DIY efforts, you may need to hire a commercial carpet cleaning service company. It’s highly recommendable and worth the extra cost, saving you a bigger cost of buying a new carpet.

Simply follow these steps above should you encounter unwanted stains to ensure your carpets are constantly in good shape, looking fresh and fabulous.

Also consider that some carpet fibre types actually get dyed by the staining agent and are essentially that colour for good ie. Permanent. Happy blotting!

Bye for now. Thanks for reading.

From Mark the Brisbane carpet cleaner

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Which method of carpet cleaning gets the best results?

Carpet is such a wonderful addition to any Brisbane home but just like all textile products, the beauty and life of a carpet hugely depends on proper cleaning and maintenance. Generally, proper carpet care involves regular vacuuming and cleaning using these methods: shampooing, foam cleaning, dry cleaning, bonnet cleaning, and steam cleaning or hot water extraction.

Now, the question is, which one of these methods deliver the best results?

Most carpet manufacturers, including professional carpeting and cleaning organisations, are unanimous with their answers. They deem that steam cleaning or hot water extraction is the most thorough way to clean even the dirtiest carpet. Steam cleaning is the most common technique used by professionals. In fact the Australian Standard even states that other methods are only interim cleaning methods and that hot water extraction is the primary method.

Steam cleaning uses a hot water cleaning solution that is sprayed on the carpet via a high pressure jet spray. A truck-mounted or portable machine is then used to thoroughly extract the solution (together with the dissolved dirt). However, note that the truck-mounted equipment is more powerful than the portable one and should be used where possible.

Steam cleaning also consists of a number of phases—from pre-vacuuming to eliminate the dry soils in the carpet before wetting and turning to mud, treating stains and spots (if any), pre-spraying with a cleaning solution, agitation (hand or machine operated) of the cleaning solution into the carpet, hot water extraction, rinsing with a neutralising aid, and speed drying.

But why is it considered the best? Because only steam cleaning does the following:

  • The high amount of heat it emits kills bacteria, molds, fungus, and dust mites, making it the most hygienic process to clean carpets.
  • It doesn’t leave any residue if done correctly, making your carpet soft, fresh and clean.
  • It is the only method that has the vacuuming process used the entire time which means more “nasties” are removed from your carpet.

As we all know, carpets are very expensive—so you want them to always be in great condition and to last as long as possible.

Highly recommended by professionals, steam carpet cleaning is the best way for you to maintain your valuable investment in soft floor coverings.

Bye for now.

From Mark the Brisbane carpet cleaner.

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