If the thought of wetting your carpet bothers you, welcome to my world!
You might also be wondering if powders, sprinkle cleaners, sprays and other such products work well, especially for wet stains like food or wine.
Perhaps you’re worried about whether these “dry” solutions are safe to use when you have kids or pets running around the house all day.
What is Dry Carpet Cleaning?
You may remember a Jerry Seinfeld joke that dry cleaners must use some type of liquid! Real ‘dry’ cleaning can only be scraping stuff off with your fingernail, he quipped. Well, dry cleaning is not always entirely dry either. It uses powders, or liquid chemicals, that break down and absorb dirt particles. The surface can then be cleaned by simple scrubbing.
Even though the liquid chemicals are not water-based and evaporate very quickly, there is still some moisture present in the solution.
The best thing I like about this cleaning approach is that it takes very little time and your carpet is ready to use almost immediately after.
Why I Choose The ‘Dry Route’
Here are the main reasons why I choose dry carpet cleaning methods above all else:
- The process is much quicker compared to other methods.
- They are simple to use and no equipment is needed.
- They are more affordable than the alternatives.
- They clean many kinds of dirt effectively.
Safety
Most of these products contain powders and liquid solvents, which are placed onto the surface. These chemicals are mostly synthetic polymers designed to absorb and hold the dirt particles for easy removal. As such, they are not aerosols that get into the air.
Also, they are used in a specific area in limited amounts, and do not pose a significant health risk. Because you would clean the surface after applying the chemicals anyway, they are not likely to linger around, if at all.
Vacuum Cleaners
Indeed, regular vacuum cleaners can also be considered dry carpet cleaners. Of course, they may not be as effective at dealing with liquid spills and stains. They are electrical appliances and are a bit more cumbersome to use.
What About Regular Carpet Cleaning Options?
Steam cleaning is the route that most people take when they want their carpets cleaned. Carpet steam cleaners are usually readily available to buy or rent. Such cleaners use water and other cleaning solutions which need to be poured in. Not all of them have heaters inside, which means you may need to heat the water before pouring it in.
It is important to remember that some advertised steam cleaners do not actually use steam, it just uses really hot water. They work much like regular vacuum cleaners in that you have to move them back and forth over the surface.
The cleaning solution and water are released onto the surface where they do their job, and then quickly sucked back in. Carpets cleaned in this fashion are usually not usable for an entire day while it dries. Some carpets made of natural materials can shrink when exposed to too much water.
I like to avoid all these problems, and this is why I am such a big fan of the dry approach to cleaning my carpets.
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