Wicking Carpet Cleaning

Bonnet clean with matrix brite look bonnet cleaner.

Wicking carpet cleaning. The water that wicks to the surface isn t always clean water. One of the biggest causes of wicking is the use of too much moisture and or cleaning solutions when spot cleaning or having carpets professionally cleaned. Carpet wicking is a process where spots re appear on carpets and rugs. Another cause of wicking is a drying process that is too slow.

Residues remaining after carpet cleaning can wick up to the tips of carpet fibers during the drying process. Wicking is the upward migration of moisture or other substances during drying. The powder could be removed with dry vacuuming. What is in the backing of the carpet and in the pad is what causes most wicking problems.

Without replacement of pad and cleaning and sealing of subfloor wicking may reoccur with next deep cleaning. There were some variations from one product to another but they all did the same thing. For carpet cleaning where the water goes is where the soil goes. Encapsulants on the other hand behave more like protectors making it difficult for soils to find a resting place.

Part of wicking prevention is regular and proper vacuuming. All too often we remove a carpet spot only to find it has reappeared through wicking after the carpet has dried. Many would call wicking their greatest challenge when it comes to carpet cleaning. The powder was applied to the affected area and the spot would then wick out of the carpet into the powder.

Ten years ago most manufacturers of carpet cleaning products made absorbent powders for this purpose.