Getting carpets soft after cleaning

theblob640

theblob640

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I don't have a steamer or any machines to clean carpet. My process is, for the removable carpets(very dirty ones):

  1. Vacuum
  2. Spray it down with water
  3. Spray the carpet down with fabric/upholstery cleaner
  4. Scrub with brush
  5. Rinse off again
  6. Let it air dry
After they air dry, the carpet doesn't feel as soft as it was when I removed them, it's the feeling where when you touch it you know it has been soaked before and dried, hard/soft kind of feel (not really sure how else to explain the feeling). How do you guys get it back to its natural soft state. Is the steamer the only way to get that result?

Thanks.
 
I'm not a big fan of spraying the carpet down with water anymore so I just loose debris with brush, vacuum, spray carpet cleaner or APC, agitate with brush, vacuum, and then blot with MF towel. They come out pretty nice and soft :)

Sent from my Nexus 4 using AG Online
 
theblob640 said:
I don't have a steamer or any machines to clean carpet. My process is, for the removable carpets(very dirty ones):

  1. Vacuum
  2. Spray it down with water
  3. Spray the carpet down with fabric/upholstery cleaner
  4. Scrub with brush
  5. Rinse off again
  6. Let it air dry
After they air dry, the carpet doesn't feel as soft as it was when I removed them, it's the feeling where when you touch it you know it has been soaked before and dried, hard/soft kind of feel (not really sure how else to explain the feeling). How do you guys get it back to its natural soft state. Is the steamer the only way to get that result?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

It sounds like you didn't remove all of the product from the carpet fibers and that is what is causing the stiff carpet. What product did you use? You may want to try using a rinseless upholstery cleaner such as Folex.
 
CriticalDetails said:
It sounds like you didn't remove all of the product from the carpet fibers and that is what is causing the stiff carpet. What product did you use? You may want to try using a rinseless upholstery cleaner such as Folex.
Click to expand...

I used Mothers Upholstery and Carpet Cleaner and a pressure washer to do the final rinsing, pretty sure all the product was out because the water was coming out clear and not sudsy, but I may be wrong. Weird thing is I tried it with the same method and no cleaner, and that came out kind of stiff too. I am planning to get a steamer in the future, will the steamer make the carpet soft again?
 
[FONT=&quot]
theblob640 said:
I used Mothers Upholstery and Carpet Cleaner and a pressure washer to do the final rinsing, pretty sure all the product was out because the water was coming out clear and not sudsy, but I may be wrong. Weird thing is I tried it with the same method and no cleaner, and that came out kind of stiff too. I am planning to get a steamer in the future, will the steamer make the carpet soft again?
Click to expand...

It sounds like you did remove all of the product then. A steam cleaner may soften the carpet fiber back up but in the mean time you can try brushing the carpet with a stiff nylon brush. You could also try using an acid rinse product such as Chemspec - All Fiber Rinse. The only down side to such a product is I have only seen it available in gallon sizes from janitorial supply companies. You would only need an ounce or two to treat your vehicle's carpet.
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]"An acid rinse is a commercial carpet care product that is the final step in carpet cleaning. Carpet cleaners use acid rinses to neutralize the pH of the more alkaline shampoos and other carpet cleaners. The acid rinse helps to remove remaining shampoo residue, and leaves the carpet fibers feeling soft. Some carpet cleaners also use acid rinses as a final deodorizing step. It is essential to follow all manufacturer's instructions when applying an acid rinse."[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]http://www.ehow.com/how_7783873_acid-rinse-carpet.html#ixzz2aqQMJ5TH[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]I use an alkaline traffic lane cleaner during the first extraction pass and follow it up with an acid fiber rinse during the second extraction pass. [/FONT]
 
Thanks for the info, I might have to try that or now is my perfect excuse to get a steamer. Been holding off on it for months now since I am just a weekend warrior and not hard core like most of you here.
 
theblob640 said:
Thanks for the info, I might have to try that or now is my perfect excuse to get a steamer. Been holding off on it for months now since I am just a weekend warrior and not hard core like most of you here.
Click to expand...

You're welcome. Be sure to check out my new detailing article for more information about steam cleaners.
 
If your confident a the residue is removed, which it seems like you are, then try letting them dry out of direct sunlight in the shade. Also have a fan on them. Then periodically brush them with a clean brush during the drying process. This allows for a more even dry and will help you avoid the stiffness.
 
As everyone has said, brush the carpet periodically during its' drying time.

One thing I do for 'in place' carpeting after shampooing is to take a regular bath towel and rub it across all the damp areas. Not only does it really shorten up the drying time, but makes the carpets nice and fluffy.

One thing to remember is most 'car carpeting' is nylon, hence it will NOT absorb water. Just sits there on top. ANY thing that is not removed from the surface will can make the fibers 'stiff.'

Just my 2¢...

Bill
 
You need some sort of wet vac to "extract" the water from the carpet. Other than what BillE just said, no one has addressed the fact that you seem to be doing nothing to dry the carpet after you are done. Do something, either the towel as Bill has suggested or a wet vac, LGCM, etc.
 
CriticalDetails said:
[FONT=&quot]

It sounds like you did remove all of the product then. A steam cleaner may soften the carpet fiber back up but in the mean time you can try brushing the carpet with a stiff nylon brush. You could also try using an acid rinse product such as Chemspec - All Fiber Rinse. The only down side to such a product is I have only seen it available in gallon sizes from janitorial supply companies. You would only need an ounce or two to treat your vehicle's carpet.
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]"An acid rinse is a commercial carpet care product that is the final step in carpet cleaning. Carpet cleaners use acid rinses to neutralize the pH of the more alkaline shampoos and other carpet cleaners. The acid rinse helps to remove remaining shampoo residue, and leaves the carpet fibers feeling soft. Some carpet cleaners also use acid rinses as a final deodorizing step. It is essential to follow all manufacturer's instructions when applying an acid rinse."[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]http://www.ehow.com/how_7783873_acid-rinse-carpet.html#ixzz2aqQMJ5TH[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]I use an alkaline traffic lane cleaner during the first extraction pass and follow it up with an acid fiber rinse during the second extraction pass. [/FONT]
Click to expand...

A wise man. This is standard practice for fabric experts. It astounds me that the detailing brands never mention to anyone that their alkaline cleaners, if not neutralised, will potentially accelerate rot and compromise colour fastness. It is important for detailers to realise that their fave detailing brand likely has a lot less specialist knowledge about fabric and leather cleaning than they might lead us to believe!
 
Wow, I completely forgot to brush it or remove the excess water after rinsing it down. I will definitely have to try that for my next couple carpets this weekend. Thanks for that. By the way, what is LGCM?
 
Bissell Little Green Clean Machine...it's a carpet spotter/extractor that can be had for <$100. Try Target or Walmart, Best Buy, etc.
 
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