Question Time with Oxi Fresh!
We’ve given a lot of tips about carpet cleaning, what it means to be a green carpet cleaner, talked about Oxi Fresh, and given you pointers on a lot of different topics, but now we wanted to do a Q&A. Here are some general questions we wanted to answer, but if you have question, post them below and we’ll answer it in the next post.
Q: How do stains actually stain? In other words, why do they stick to the carpet?
A: Good question. Staining substances are made of chemical chains with “loose ends” which are attracted to different kinds of “loose ends” generally not found in the staining material. This is good for your coffee, or it would congeal in the cup, but bad for your carpet, because it’s got plenty of the right type of “loose ends.” When you spill, the chemical’s “loose ends” latch onto the carpet’s “loose ends” and form a powerful bonds. That’s how many stains are formed.
Q:How do vacuums work?
A: Air naturally seeks to equalize the air pressure in an area. Vacuums capitalize on this by creating an area of low pressure inside the vacuum, via electric fans. The fans rapidly push air out of the vacuum, creating an area of extreme low pressure. Air flows into the vacuum in order to equalize the pressure, creating the necessary suction. That’s why vacuums don’t work as effectively when the bag or container begins to fill – the air flow is restricted, preventing the formation of an extreme low pressure area.
Q: What should I walk on my carpet with? Bare feet, socks, or shoes?
A: This is an easy one – socks. Bare feet means skin on the carpet and skin releases oils and dead skin cells. Shoes may look clean, but bits of dirt, oils, and other gunk are always stuck to them. You can wear shoes you only use inside, like a pair of slippers. Your best bet? Clean socks.
Q: You say that carpets that don’t get carpet cleaning services have a shorter lifespan. How so?
A: There are several reasons. First, the longer you leave staining materials in a carpet, the more firmly they set. The bonds I mentioned before strengthen over time and, eventually, become nigh unbreakable. Second, the chemicals in some staining materials will actually break down the carpet fibers. Third, even easily removed materials will, over time, be ground deeply into the carpet fibers making complete removal impossible. Fourth, stress on the carpet is cumulative. If the first three problems above are occurring, the carpet fibers will simply fray more quickly.
Hopefully this answered some of your questions, but post more below so we can get to them on Wednesday!
Thanks to Answers.com and Tom Harris for the tips.
