Carpet cleaning 101

[BigCat]

What is a proper way to clean carpets without a crapet extractor? Is there any videos or any other forum post that show you or give you any techiques? how would you get heavy stains out? what are some techinques you use? I know that a steamer or a extractor is key. but that is a invistment espically when someone is starting out like my slef. What are some products that use you use for carpets? How about carpet shampoos? please help....

[BostonDetails]

Folex & elbow grease. You can get one of them at Home Depot. I don't own an extractor.

[RhetoricMixes]

Spray your product on the affected stain or area and let soak (per manufacturers instructions) then agitate with your choice of upholstery brush (i use tampico brushes). Blot with a microfiber towel to extract the stain and product after agitating and voila your stain should be gone. Thats what i do since i dont have a extractor either.

[Ted S.]

1. A really good vacuum is Key as a first step in my book! Sometimes a brush is needed to bring up some of the deeper dirts/hair/misc stuff trapped in the carpet. Some detailers will actually use air-guns or vacuums with a dual action motor to blow whatever out of tight spots and under seats before vacuuming. Cool idea that works and can possibly save time if the situation merits it.

2. Now after the carpet has been vacuumed very good, you will want to proceed with caution when using chemicals to clean the carpet, mainly because going overboard and using too much chemical can carry stains/dirt deeper into the carpet and cause a stale musty odor in the future. But that is only if you use quite a bit.

3. When cleaning with chemicals, I like to categorize two situation that merit chemical use: large areas that are dirty (think whole carpet cleaning, or the outline around where mats set) and spot carpet cleaning. Generally, cleaning large areas is straight forward: spray the chemical on the carpets sections at a time, scrub with a carpet brush or MF (some carpets are either too cheap or fragile to use a brush; think Corollas). I scrub the area, and then dry with a MF(separate dry MF if you scrub with an MF). Cheap MFs are more that fine for cleaning and drying carpet, as they will usually get pretty soiled anyways. For spot cleaning, I've found that just spot spraying and an MF to scrub the spot works more than fine for each spot. Of course, this depends on the spot/s you are cleaning; some spots may require a brush.

4. Repeat step three as necessary until the carpets are as clean as desired. I like to go back after cleaning and do a final vacuum (usually the last thing I do to an interior, after carpets, trim, windows, etc...). The final vacuum will usually get up fiber left by the MF, and just about everything that has gotten on the carpets since the cleaning was done.

I don't want to convey that the above is the best method, but it is the method that works best for me.

I'm just trying to give you some ideas that you can take and create your own process that works best for you.

[BigCat]

Thanks for the info I will give it a shot. I will have to pick up some Folex I have good things about that product. @ Ted could you coud you the same method on seats?

[Ted S.]

Thanks for the info I will give it a shot. I will have to pick up some Folex I have good things about that product. @ Ted could you coud you the same method on seats?

Certainly. Depending on what they are made of you can follow an almost exact method. (Would only recommend this method on fabric, not leather vinyl, etc. You may want to stick with MFs vs. a brush though.)