What You Need to Know About pH and Carpet Cleaning in South Amboy, NJ

When your carpets are severely soiled and are in need of a good cleaning, you might initially believe that all it takes is some general shampoo or cleaning solution to take care of the problem. However, choosing a cleaning solution for carpets is a lot more complex than that and requires some basic knowledge of chemistry.

Yes, that’s right—to understand the fundamentals of carpet cleaning in South Amboy, NJ, we’re going to have to take you on a quick trip back to high school chemistry class and explain one of the most important components of carpet cleaning: pH. The pH of the carpet to be cleaned and the cleaning solution to be used have to be correct to not only clean the carpet well, but to avoid creating more damage or voiding the carpet’s warranty.

pH 101

pH stands for the “potential of hydrogen” and is a measure of the degree of acidity or alkalinity of a solution. pH levels run on a scale of 0 to 14. Levels between 0 and 6 are considered acidic, levels between 8 and 14 are alkaline and a level of 7 is considered neutral. Each step up or down on the scale represents a different intensity of the acidity or alkalinity.

Products at the extreme ends, meaning 0 and 14, are extremely corrosive and the most intense acids or alkaline solutions available. Needless to say, these types of solutions would not be used to clean your carpets. However, some heavy stains may require the use of more intense solutions like an alkaline solution with a pH level of 12.

How pH plays a role in carpet cleaning in South Amboy, NJ

The pH level of a cleaning solution and the carpet itself will ultimately determine the cleaning performance. For the most part, cleaning performance on oily soils, which are the most common in carpets, will be increased with an increase in pH level, meaning with more alkaline solutions. However, some soils will be best removed using acidic solutions.

Carpet cleaners need to be able to determine the pH of your carpet and know the pH of their cleaning solutions to effectively clean the carpet without damaging the carpet’s dyes or fibers. The cleaner will determine what type of fibers your carpet is composed of and then determine the type of soil present to select the best cleaning solution for the job.

For example, most of today’s carpets are synthetic, made of nylon or polyester, so solutions with a pH higher than 10 could cause severe damage to the fibers.

After the carpet is cleaned, your cleaners should neutralize your carpet, or balance its pH, so that there is no acidic or alkaline residue remaining that could cause future damage.

Call the expert cleaners at Lov ‘N Kare Carpet Center

Are you in need of carpet cleaning in South Amboy, NJ? Call Lov ‘N Kare Carpet Center! We’ve been your local experts in carpet cleaning for nearly 70 years. We offer a full range of cleaning services for carpets, rugs, hardwood floors, tile floors and more, and can clean, repair, re-stretch and install carpets using all up-to-date products and technologies. Give us a call today for a free estimate on your next service!

Categorised in: Carpet Cleaning

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