Hot Water Extraction (HWE) Carpet Cleaning
Part 1 - Carpet cleaning in general can be broken down into three primary methodologies: Hot Water Extraction, Low Moisture, and Dry Compound.
If you have followed our first series, "Taking The Street Out Of The Office," you will have gained insights into the types of soils that infiltrate your workspace and how best to control and remove them. Now, the next question we need to answer is: What is the most effective commercial carpet cleaning method for soil removal? We'll spend the next few articles tackling this issue head-on.
Carpet cleaning in general can be broken down into three primary methodologies: Hot Water Extraction, Low Moisture, and Dry Compound. Before we delve deeper, I want to clarify that all three methods are effective in cleaning carpets.
At Premrest we are not affiliated with any specific method. In fact, during my 30-year carpet cleaning career, I've worked extensively with all three. I started with the Dry Compound method for a decade, followed by another decade with Hot Water Extraction, and the past ten years with the Low Moisture method. Often, I found myself combining these methods to achieve the best results.
Now, let's explore the methodology, pros and cons, and best-suited environments for each cleaning system. We'll start with the Hot Water Extraction Method, or HWE.
Hot Water Extraction Method Scope:
Pre-vacuum carpet with a power head brush action HEPA vacuum.
Apply carpet cleaning solution to the carpet, focusing on high traffic areas.
Rinse and extract with hot water only, utilizing the HWE Unit and wand.
Allow to dry (2 to 6 hours) depending on the building environment.
This method requires intensive training and well-maintained equipment to be successful. However, in my experience, it is often implemented by untrained staff with poorly serviced equipment, leading to failures in the commercial carpet cleaning industry.
For the Hot Water Extraction method to work effectively, several components need to be controlled: pre-spray, water temperature, water pressure, and the wand for extraction. Additionally, machine maintenance is essential, including water pressure valves, filters, hoses, wand and wand jets, wastewater tanks, inlets, and outlets. With so many variables at play, experience is crucial to ensure all components are working optimally.
The HWE method has the highest power consumption, the highest water usage, and generates the most wastewater of the three methods. It's the noisiest, takes the longest time to dry, and is the most disruptive to the office working environment.
Despite these challenges, when implemented correctly with trained staff and well-serviced equipment, it is extremely successful. It's excellent for restoring heavily soiled carpets and pairs well with the Low Moisture method for certain carpet restoration projects. It's ideal for annual carpet cleans, one-off projects, extracting spills, and removing difficult builders’ spills, debris, and marks. However, it is not as environmentally friendly as the other methods.
Next week, we'll tackle the Low Moisture and Dry Compound methods.
-Colin Saddington