As we all know carpets accumulate a lot of dust and dirt over a period of time. A dirty carpet may accumulate microscopic organisms like dust mites, fungus, bacteria etc which is unhygienic and bad for the user. Further a dirty carpet not only spoils the aesthetics but may also emit bad odor spoiling the feel of the room. Hence frequent cleaning of carpets is a necessity. The frequency may vary from once in six months to once in two months depending upon the usage of the carpet and other factors such as presence of kids or pets in the house and whether anybody is suffering from allergies in the house.

Choosing the right carpet cleaning method is important because if you choose a wrong method your carpet's life may be reduced. Choose a method which is compatible with the fiber and underlay of the carpet. Most carpets can be cleaned using a hot water extraction method. However if your carpet bleeds dyes then you should opt for dry cleaning. The correct method can be determined by doing a simple fiber burn or chemical test.

There are various types of carpet cleaning methods as explained below. All the carpet cleaning methods employ vacuuming in the beginning to remove dust.

Steam cleaning

This method is very popular at homes and with people having allergies as it is very effective. Steam cleaning machines are available at a reasonable price for residential use. In this method hot water mixed with detergent solution is worked into the carpet and then extracted. Some machines use super heated steam, but most machines use hot water.

Dry cleaning

If you do not want to wait for the carpet to dry, then you can opt for a dry cleaning method. In this a powder which has affinity to dirt is spread over the carpet and is worked into the carpet. The powder sticks to the dirt in the carpet. The carpet is then vacuumed to remove the powder and the dirt.

Shampooing

Detergents are applied to the carpet and a carpet cleaning machine agitates the carpet. The detergent is then extracted by vacuuming from the carpet. Deodorizers and brighteners are employed to deodorize and brighten your carpet. This is the least effective of the methods as it still leaves dirt and microbes in the carpet.

Foaming

This method is a hybrid of dry cleaning and shampooing. The idea is to use as little water as possible so that the carpet can dry quickly. A foam detergent is used that has affinity towards dirt. This foam is worked into the fibers of the carpet and then extracted along with the dirt.

Bonnet carpet cleaning

This is mostly used in commercial and industrial carpet cleaning. The purpose of this method is to restore the look of the carpet and does not provide a deep cleaning. In this method a detergent is applied to the carpet and a rotary carpet cleaning machine with absorbent pads is used to extract the dirt from the carpet.