The professional carpet cleaning industry has embraced low moisture carpet care, and many end-users now ask for it as well. Yet despite its growing popularity, several myths and misunderstandings about low moisture carpet cleaning still linger among cleaning professionals.
 
Mark Cuddy, National Sales Manager for U.S. Products, has addressed and clarified some of the most common of these myths here.
 
Myth: Low moisture carpet cleaning primarily applies to restorative carpet cleaning using extractors.
This is a myth. Low moisture carpet cleaning can refer to many different carpet cleaning techniques, including encapsulation, bonnet cleaning, dry, etc.
 
Myth: Carpets should dry in about four to six hours after being cleaned using a low moisture method.
This is a myth. The Low Moisture Carpet Cleaners Association defines low moisture carpet cleaning as any method that allows carpets to dry in about two hours.*
 
Myth: A low moisture extractor releases less water into carpets than a conventional extractor.
For the most part, this is true. While conventional extractors may release 1.5 gallons of water per minute into carpets, low moisture equipment reduces this to less than one gallon.
 
Myth: The big problem with low moisture carpet cleaning is the frequency of rapid resoiling.
This can be true, but it depends on what method is used. Chemical residue left in carpets after shampoo or bonnet cleaning can cause rapid resoiling; this is typically not an issue when using carpet extraction.
 
Myth: Low moisture carpet cleaning depends on the use of hot-water carpet extractors.
This is not necessarily true, however what is true is that heated systems are generally more effective at removing soils from carpets.
 
Myth: The primary reason for low moisture carpet cleaning is that carpets dry faster.
This is a key reason why clients choose low moisture cleaning, but it is not the sole factor. Low moisture carpet cleaning is also considered a more environmentally friendly way to clean carpets.
 
*Climatic and other conditions can impact drying times.