What is encapsulation? Why should I be doing it?
Encapsulation (encap for short) is an interim method of cleaning carpeting; meaning it should be done in between extraction cleaning. This will both prolong the time required between extractions as well as maintain the condition during this time. What is it, why should we do it?
Simply put- its fast, effective, and economical. These are the 3 of the primary reasons to incorporate encapsulation cleaning into your building care program. Deep extraction cleaning is slow, costly, and requires a fair amount of training.
Fast: In order to fully appreciate the efficiency of encapsulation cleaning, we must look at the basics of extraction cleaning. Hot water extraction is considered a restorative method of cleaning carpet. To properly extract carpets, the 2-step method should be executed. After pre-vacuuming (mandatory for all carpet cleaning), a pre-spray or pre-treatment should be applied. After a dwell time of 5-10 minutes, your carpets are ready to be extracted. On top of the actual cleaning, you’ll be filling and emptying your carpet extractor (including chemicals). Trips back and forth from the closet sink adds considerably to the extraction process. Oh no, the area you pre-sprayed is now dry and will need to be reapplied before proceeding. The working pace of deep extraction can feel like life in slow motion. Move too fast and the carpet isn't cleaned well. Not enough overlap, your carpets will dry streaky. In just 4-6 hours your carpets will finally be ready to traffic again. Due to the arduous nature of extraction cleaning, most facilities will reserve this process for off-peak or seasonal times. That usually means the carpets show significant signs of soiling long before they’re attended to.
Compare this to encapsulation cleaning. In this 1-step process, the product is applied directly to the carpet and agitated immediately. Thats it! No wet recovery! The carpets are then allowed to dry. The removal of the soil is accomplished with the next regular vacuuming. In addition to moving quickly throughout the cleaning process, dry times are a fraction of extraction times. Typically 30-45 minutes after cleaning, the carpets are dry! Because of the low moisture nature of encap cleaning, there is no need to restrict traffic, keeping your facility operational without downtime.
Effective: Most soil in your carpets is able to be removed by a good quality upright vacuum. When dirt is attached to carpet fibers by grease, sugars, or other tacky elements, the standard vacuum isn’t enough. This is where encapsulation comes in. The proprietary detergents in Hardcore encap cleaner dissolve the grease or food adhering to the fibers, allowing the soils to “break free.” Now, the encap cleaner traps the soils in a virtual dirt-cocoon. Once dry, you can proceed to vacuuming as usual. Your carpets are left clean and rejuvenated. Hardcore encapsulation cleaner is especially effective on traffic lanes, entry ways, dining areas, and anywhere greasy footprints plague your facility.
Economical: In addition to the labor savings of encapsulation cleaning, you’ll see big-time savings in the cost of wear and tear to carpeting. Clean carpets simply last longer. The soil in your carpet acts like “sand paper.” The abrasive dirt which may be left behind by vacuuming alone can cost your facility thousands of unnecessary dollars. Because encapsulation cleaning is so simple, training of cleaning staff is much easier and margin for costly errors is greatly reduced.