How clean is clean? (Part 3)

Boulder, Colorado Lawn Maintenance Jobs

The next method of carpet cleaning we want to address is called “Bonnet Cleaning.”

Bonnet Cleaning

This method is sometimes called “dry cleaning”, which is a misnomer, since water is used. Bonnet cleaning is a minimum moisture carpet cleaning method. Bonnet cleaning essentially consists of a cotton, rayon and/or polypropylene pad and a rotary shampoo machine.

The carpet can be sprayed with the cleaning solution and/or the pads can be soaked in the cleaning solution and squeezed lightly before placing the pad under the driving brush.

The maintenance brochure published by the world’s largest carpet manufacturer, Shaw Industries, suggests not using this method, especially on cut pile, due to pile distortion and fiber damage. This method has very limited capability for soil removal and leaves much of the detergent in the pile since it employs no real extraction. As a result, rapid re-soiling often occurs. Another disadvantage is that the spinning bonnet may distort the fibers of cut pile carpet, fuzzing the pile and leaving distinct swirl marks.

Bonnet cleaning is considered an interim carpet cleaning method used to maintain appearance levels, but it does not restore carpet appearance as well as other carpet cleaning methods.

Check with your carpet manufacturer because many leading carpet mills recommend against this method of cleaning.

Part 1 | Part 2