Why Pretreating Carpet Before Cleaning Is So Beneficial
Pretreating your carpet is essential before shampooing or deep cleaning. It helps loosen dirt and grease and remove stains. The enzymes in the pretreatment spray break down stains and soil. Pretreating carpet before cleaning eases your work and shortens deep cleaning time.
After pretreatment, don't allow the carpet to dry. After pretreatment, don't allow the carpet to dry. Clean it immediately or wait a few minutes for it to loosen deep stains, dirt, and dust, but ensure it doesn't dry before you clean it.
This article explains why you must pretreat your carpet and how to steam clean or use hot water extraction afterward. Let's dive in.
7 Benefits of Pretreating Carpet Before Cleaning
Carpet treatment is essential because it helps keep the carpet cleaner for longer, extends its lifespan, and makes deep cleaning blissful.
Below are the major benefits of DIY pretreating spray for carpet.
- Microsplitters break down stains, dirt, and heavy soiling, making carpet cleaning stress-free
- Lowers the chances of overwetting when machine cleaning
- Prevents dirt from coming up from the underlay when cleaning
- Makes it easy to deep-clean carpets
- Makes machine cleaning effective when using a carpet cleaner
- Excellently cleans any carpet regardless of type and level of soiling
- Takes a shorter time to clean even heavily soiled carpets
Expert's Tips on Pretreating Soiled Carpet
To ensure that the pretreatment solution works effectively on your carpet, here are several things you must know:
- Apply the solution to the areas you'll be cleaning. After application, activate the pretreatment with a soft-bristled brush before steam cleaning.
- Steam clean immediately or a few minutes after activating it to extract the pretreatment to prevent it from drying. Once the pretreatment dries, it becomes ineffective in lifting dust, dirt, and stains from carpets.
Zerorez® starts our carpet cleaning process by first applying a citrus-based pretreatment solution to your carpets and then using the Zr™ Lifter, with its counter-rotating brushes, to gently work the pretreatment into the carpet fibers. The Zr™ Lifter also works to loosen embedded hairs, dirt, and oils that your vacuum couldn't reach.
How to Steam Clean Your Carpets Properly
After pretreating your carpet, the best method to clean your carpets is hot water extraction, commonly called steam cleaning.
If steam cleaning is not done correctly, it could cause overwetting, which could cause carpet wicking.
Steam cleaning uses high pressure and high temperatures to clean carpets, which if not at the right settings could damage some carpets.
It's really best to hire Zerorez, Experts in the Science of Clean™. They know how to verify the best and safest cleaning method for all carpets and floors.
Here are the necessities for DIY steam cleaning.
- Vacuum cleaner
- Pretreatment spray
- Cleaning solutions
- Carpet cleaning steam cleaner machine
Move the Furniture Out of the Room
Moving the furniture out of the room can save time, reduce the risk of accidents, and make the whole cleaning process stress-free.
Vacuum Clean and Pretreat the Carpet
Vacuum cleaning removes loose dust, debris, and dirt from the carpet. If there are any stains on the carpet, use a pretreatment to remove them.
Fill the Steam Cleaner With Hot Water
Fill the water tank with hot water (but not boiling), and add cleaning solutions or detergents. Always follow the manufacturer's instructions for the right water temperature and detergent dilution when cleaning.
Steam Clean the Carpet
Steam clean the carpet in small sections, going over each area twice or more, depending on its condition. Steam cleaning removes carpet dust mites and stubborn stains from carpets when correctly done.
Allow the Carpet to Dry
Once clean, allow about 3 to 12 hours before walking on wet carpet after cleaning.
You may speed up the drying process by using a humidifier, opening the doors and windows, or turning on the fans.
How Do You Make a Carpet Pretreatment Solution?
Mix a cup of vinegar (white) with a gallon of warm water. Put the solution in a spray bottle and generously spray it on the carpet. Allow a few minutes to sit to break down the stains, grease, dirt, and dust.
Steam clean before the pretreatment solution dries.
Is Pretreating New Carpet Important?
New carpets can have a repulsive smell, but it disappear after some days. If the smell doesn't disappear, you may consider pretreating the new carpet before steam cleaning. However, this can work to remove the fiber protector most new carpets have on them. Professional carpet cleaners can reapply this after cleaning, to help carpets last longer.
Hire Professional Carpet Cleaners
As mentioned, improper steam cleaning could cause more harm than good, if not done by professionals.
Save yourself the trouble by hiring Zerorez. We're the experts in carpet and whole home cleaning. We know how to clean each carpet based on its quality and soiling level.
Get in touch today through 866-937-6739 for Insanely Clean Carpets®.
