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The Different Types of Carpet Fibres

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A Look at the Different Types of Carpet Fibres. There are several different kinds of carpet fibres. When deciding to buy patio rugs or carpets you should first weigh the pros and cons of different materials. Here, we will examine a few of the most prominent types of carpet fibres so you can make an informed decision about which kind to buy when you need to purchase carpet for your home or business. And of course which carpets are easier to clean then others.

Nylon Carpet Fibres

You will find nylon being used in the vast majority of carpet fibres today. It is generally accepted that this carpet fibre offers the most value for your money, as it is incredibly strong and resistant to mould growth. You may want to note that there are two types of nylon fibres, and they are classified as type 6 and type 6,6. There used to be quite a gap between the two in resiliency and strength, but now that gap has basically closed to where they are practically identical.

Polypropylene

The cheapest carpet fibre on this list and the one that is seeing the largest growth rates in installation in the UK is polypropylene. This carpet fibre is resistant to most types of stains. It is actually more resistant to pretty much every stain except oil based ones than the other carpet fibres on this list. On top of that, it is very resistant to fading from harsh light sources, such as sunlight. But the weaker composition makes it a poor choice for high traffic businesses, such as airports or universities.

It is a good choice for homes, as it is economically priced and fairly resilient. When purchasing polypropylene (also called olefin) be aware that there are different pile types and heights out there. Ideally, you should get a low pile high-density carpet. This will last you’re the longest and provide the most value. If you choose to go with a low-density olefin carpet, then it may flatten out quickly.

Wool

Wool continues to be the gold standard for carpet fibres. Nothing else is as strong or will retain its form and integrity for as long. The drawback to using wool carpet fibres, however, is that they are incredibly expensive. In fact, they are usually priced out of the range of most consumers, making wool desirable as a carpet fibre but unattainable for most. Wool, while glamorous and strong, is not very resistant to mould growth and moths. Consumers using this type of carpet will need to maintain it well for it to still look beautiful years later. It has a few serious weaknesses that hold it back from being the carpet fibre of choice for most people. The below table shows some of the benefits and characteristics of each type:

types of carpet fibre table

Which is Better – Wet or Dry Carpet Cleaning?

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The two primary ways that professional carpet cleaners will remove dirt and stains from carpets are through wet and dry carpet cleaning techniques. These both have similar outcomes and objectives, but they are accomplished in very different ways. We’re going to look at these two methods here and compare them. Then we’ll let you know which is the best one, so you can make the right choice for your carpets.

Wet Carpet Cleaning

This method is sometimes called steam cleaning, because of the steam that comes off the carpet during the cleaning process. For this cleaning measure, hot water is pumped onto the carpet with a powerful hose. This forces the water and the cleaning agents that are put into the water down into the carpet fibres. As the water rushes through the carpet, it pushes out the dirt and particles trapped in there. The cleaning agents are able to break up the stains and make them easy to remove.

Once the carpet has been completely hosed down, the hot water is extracted the same way it came out. The carpet then needs some time to dry out completely before it can be used.

Dry Carpet Cleaning

Not as common, but similarly effective is dry carpet cleaning. This involves using dry chemicals that are applied to the carpet and sprayed with some water to help them react on the carpet. So in a sense it is not truly dry, but once the process is complete, the carpet is usable right away since it will be dry by that point.

After the chemicals are applied, they are then vacuumed up and pile lifted. This removes all the chemicals from the carpet and gets rid of the dirt that was loosed by the cleaning process.

Which Method is Best?

Now you’ve seen how these two methods work, lets compare and contrast them. The hot water extraction carpet cleaning process tends to provide a more thorough cleaning. It is able to get down deep in the carpet where the dry method cannot. But on the downside, it can take much longer for the carpet to be useable, sometimes as long as several days.

The dry cleaning method is very effective, and it may actually be better at getting rid of certain stains, but it can also cause damage to the carpet and the environment. The chemicals that it uses to clean with are often very harsh and can be unsafe to be in close proximity to.

The wet cleaning method is preferred by most professional carpet cleaning companies. They know it is better for the environment and the carpet. While it can cause some temporary inconvenience, it is certainly better over the long term. Find how much carpet cleaning services cost.