Carpet Steam Cleaning in Perth

We do, and hot water extraction is the method we recommend for wool. Wool is a protein fibre, so the wrong chemistry or too much water does damage that can't be undone:

• Strong alkaline products attack the fibre itself, causing alkali damage that leaves it harsh and weak, and they can make acid-dyed wool bleed
• Over-wetting, alkaline residue and slow drying cause cellulosic browning: brown staining drawn up from a jute backing into the pile as it dries, and it can be permanent
• Excess heat, water and agitation felt the fibre and can shrink the carpet

So wool gets its own process. The water goes on cooler, every product is WoolSafe-approved, agitation stays gentle, and a mildly acidic rinse finishes the clean, leaving the pile at the slightly acidic pH wool is most stable at. Our extraction passes pull back all the water the carpet will give up, so it dries quickly. A wool blend gets the same treatment, even when wool is only part of the pile.

As a WoolSafe Approved Fibre Care Specialist, we identify the fibre and the backing at the inspection, so a wool carpet is never cleaned like a synthetic one. Our fibre guide compares wool with nylon and olefin from a cleaner's point of view.

Most steam-cleaned commercial carpet is dry within 4 to 8 hours. Four things decide whether your floor dries at the quick or the slow end:

• The fibre: wool absorbs water into the fibre and releases it slowly, while nylon and polypropylene hold very little
• The soiling: heavier soil needs more rinsing, so more water goes through the pile
• The construction: dense cut pile holds more water, and glued-down carpet can only dry upwards
• The air: cool, humid or still air slows evaporation

Dry passes are part of our extraction, so we take out all the water the pile will release before we leave. Air conditioning or ventilation after the clean carries off the rest, and where you need the floor back quickly, we set up air movers. The drying plan is settled with you when we quote, and we time the clean around it. Our guide to drying commercial carpet shows what the building can do to speed it up.

We can, though steam cleaning works best when the area is empty. The carpet stays damp for some hours after extraction, damp pile picks up soil from passing shoes, and wet soles slip on the hard floors beside it. That's why we choose a window when nobody needs that part of the floor, so the pile dries free of foot traffic. The time is yours to choose, any day of the week.

Where part of your premises has to stay open, we clean in sections and keep a clear path through the rest. That's how we steam cleaned a Perth cinema without cancelling a single screening. Where an area can't close at all, low-moisture encapsulation is the better fit: so little solution goes into the pile that people can usually use the area again within an hour or two.

Yes. On upper floors, where the hoses from our truck-mounted unit can't reach, a portable extraction machine comes up in the lift with us. It does the same job: hot water rinses the carpet and strong suction draws the water and loosened soil back out, with the products and heat set for your carpet.

We confirm the machine for your building at the site inspection. High-rise buildings usually have rules about lift bookings, loading docks and contractor access, and we sort those out with you or your building manager before the clean. If management asks for paperwork, we'll send our Safe Work Method Statement ahead of the job.

That's usually wicking. When a spill soaks right through the pile, some of it settles in the carpet's backing, or on the floor under a carpet tile. The clean removes the mark from the pile, but residue stays below. As the carpet dries, moisture rises from the base to the tips of the fibres and carries that old residue up with it, so the mark shows again.

Strong extraction and quick drying keep wicking to a minimum, though a large spill that soaked in deep can still come back.

A returning mark is treated again and extracted, which lightens it further. A deep spill can take more than one round, and residue that has stained the backing itself can leave a trace. If a mark does return, tell us and we'll check it on site.

Our advice is to steam clean commercial carpet at least once a year, and more often where the carpet needs it. How often comes down to a few things:

• The type of premises: a medical centre, school or restaurant needs more than a quiet office
• How many people walk across it each day
• How much sand and grit comes in from the car park and street
• Whether food and drink are part of the workday
• The type and colour of the carpet
• What your lease, carpet warranty or industry rules ask for

Some workplaces have their cleaning schedule set for them. Government buildings, for example, often require some of their carpet to be cleaned every quarter, and we're happy to set up a schedule that meets it.

You don't have to do the whole building at once: cleaning the busiest areas more often and the rest less keeps the carpet looking even and the cost down. At the free site visit we'll walk the floor with you and suggest a schedule that fits.

We'll tell you honestly when we inspect the floor, before you spend anything. Many carpets that look ready for replacement are heavily soiled rather than worn out, and heavy soiling is what our agitation and steam cleaning method is for: we scrub the soil loose first, then extract it.

What cleaning can't fix is damage to the fibres: bleach spots, burns, sun fade and worn-away pile. We'll point that out before you book. If the damage is confined to a few carpet tiles, replacing just those tiles can be enough. If the whole carpet is worn out, we'll tell you that replacing it makes more sense than paying for a clean. Our guide to repair, restore or replace sets out the signs to look for.