Cleaning Methods
Scimitar Clean operate Hot Water Extraction (HWE) as the principle method of cleaning for carpets, rugs and upholstery. We use powerful, professional machines including a truckmount, typically 10 times more powerful than the portable units operated by many of our competitors. HWE is the most thorough, safe and effective system in the majority of situations. It cleans deeply (not just the surface), emulsifies soiling and stains when combined with professional solutions and equipment, and uses safe non-toxic solutions.
Where carpets & rugs are made from certain man-made fibres and of suitable construction, a dual cleaning method may be used: HWE followed by bonnet buffing with a rotary cotton pad. This is an extremely effective combination as it ensures the removal of excess soiling and aids drying. We do not use dual cleaning methods for wool however. Rotary cleaning and/or buffing (with certain exceptions) is not approved by Woolsafe due to potential damage to the wool fibre.
Some fibre and construction combinations, are unsuitable for HWE. Damage such as shrinkage, dimensional change, colour loss, colour bleed or fibre degredation may result. If you have carpets, rugs or upholstery which cannot be cleaned by HWE, we will explain other cleaning options.
Safe – Green - Effective
Effective cleaning does not mean unsafe or damaging cleaning. These are a few things we do to make our service as green as possible:
- Extensive use of non-toxic, hypoallergenic and biodegradable solutions
- Tools with fine jets to reduce water usage and heating
- Using solutions capable of working effectively at reduced temperatures
- No use of aerosols unless alternatives are not available
- Recycling all cardboard and plastic packaging
Ask about our optional service using only natural ingredients
The Importance of Woolsafe
As a Woolsafe Certified Operator you can be sure we are fully trained, experienced and competent at cleaning wool fibres. We do so according to Woolsafe standards, using approved techniques and Woolsafe Approved solutions.
Carpets and rugs made from wool should be cleaned by a Woolsafe Certified Operator to ensure satisfactory results without damage.
Whilst most upholstery fabrics do not contain wool we usually opt to use Woolsafe Approved professional cleaning solutions. This approach gives good cleaning results with minimal risks as fabrics are left in a pH stable condition with little chance of colour change or bleed.
Drying Times
Carpets
Drying times for cleaned carpets can be measured in hours rather than the days. The precise time depends upon:
- Fibre content (wool for example is very absorbent)
- The level of soiling prior to cleaning
- Depth and density of pile
- Atmospheric conditions (it will take longer on a wet day).
On average we look for around 2 hours for a synthetic fibre carpet to dry and a little longer for wool.
Rugs
Drying is a particularly important aspect of rug cleaning. The factors listed above relating to carpets apply here also. Many rugs however have an exceptionally dense and thick pile and drying can take much longer. It is for this and other reasons that we prefer to take many (although not all) rugs away to clean at our unit as we have facilities to dry them much more quickly than in a domestic setting.
Upholstery
Drying times vary enormously and depend upon fibre content, construction, soiling prior to cleaning, and atmospheric conditions. Some fabrics dry vary rapidly whilst a few will take several hours or even overnight. We will give you a good idea of how long before we start the job. We try to accelerate drying by towelling if the fabric is tolerant and by using fans.
Be wary of claims that carpets will be dry in 30 minutes or even 1 to 2 hours. Such claims suggest the use of rotary cleaning or buffing which may be damaging to wool or the use of methods less effective than HWE. In the case of upholstery, short drying times may be dependent upon the use of dry solvents. The claims may of course be pure and simple exaggeration.
Carpet Cleaning
Scimitar Clean treat every carpet upon its own characteristics – we do not take a “one size fits all” approach. We decide upon the method of cleaning and pre-conditioning and the solutions to be used after assessing the carpet, noting in particular:
- Fibres – wool, other natural fibre, synthetics or a mix
- Construction – woven, tufted, flocked
- Pile – velvet, twist, looped – and how much wear there has been
- Soiling, staining and other marking such as filtration soiling or browning
- Whether the carpet has been cleaned before using inappropriate methods
We will move furniture within reason. Sofas and chairs rarely present problems and this is true of coffee tables, small cabinets and other sturdy furnishings. Cabinets containing fragile items such as crystal, china or electrical equipment can be moved but you should remove the contents before we arrive. Computers and TV/Videos/DVDs are generally not moved unless specifically requested, in which case we cannot take responsibility for damage or the inadvertent disconnection of cables.
Example of the effectiveness of Professional Carpet Cleaning
Rug Cleaning
Rug cleaning is rarely the same as carpet cleaning but on a smaller scale! This is especially true for oriental, Persian, Afghan, Indian, Zeigler, Pakistan, Chinese, silk, and expensive contemporary rugs. Why should this be the case?
Rugs tend to have dense and thick piles and can contain much higher levels of dry soiling
- Thicker and heavier rugs often have to be cleaned two or more times to achieve an even result
- Thicker and heavier rugs often take much longer to dry
- Most oriental rugs have non-colourfast dyes and need to be dye locked
- Flat weave rugs such as kilims and tapestries also present challenges for cleaning & drying
- Many rugs have fringes which require specialist cleaning to avoid browning
- Silk rugs require different and specialised treatment
These characteristics often mean that we need to take rugs away to our unit as safe, effective cleaning and rapid drying is not attainable in a domestic setting. As with carpets, rugs made from wool should be cleaned by a Woolsafe Certified Operator to ensure satisfactory results without damage.
Example of the effectiveness of Professional Rug Cleaning
Upholstery Cleaning
Upholstery cleaning is just as much a specialist task as carpet cleaning and in many cases even more so. It is also time consuming – expect a typical 3-piece suite to take a full morning to clean. Whilst most upholstery fabrics do not contain wool we usually opt to use Woolsafe approved professional cleaning solutions. This approach gives good cleaning results with minimal risks as fabrics are left in a pH stable condition with little chance of colour change or bleed.
Upholstery fabrics vary enormously in construction (woven, tufted, flocked, prints), fibres (natural and synthetic) and dyes (many being unstable or reactive). Each type requires appropriate cleaning methods, solutions and temperature to achieve a safe, effective clean. Scimitar Clean will ensure that the correct process is used.
Example of the effectiveness of Professional Upholstery Cleaning
For Free Advice and a No Obligation Quotation
We are a LOCAL Company Serving ALL AREAS