Carpet Cleaning Technical Reference Guide Flashcards

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards covering carpet cleaning inspections, fibre properties, construction types, cleaning methods, and safety protocols based on field operational manuals.

Pre-clean Inspection

A thorough survey conducted before starting to note existing damage, structural defects, previous shrinkage, or pet/insect issues.

Photographic Evidence

Documenting pre-existing damage on a smartphone to ensure insurance claims are not invalidated.

Wool

A resilient, naturally flame-resistant protein fibre damaged by high alkalinity, excessive heat, or insect larvae; releases a temporary "wet dog" odor when damp.

Silk

An extremely fine, expensive fibre highly prone to watermarking and distortion, making dry cleaning the safest method.

Natural Cellulosic Fibres

Materials like cotton and jute that are highly absorbent, slow-drying, and prone to shrinkage or browning when over-wet.

Viscose / Rayon

A high-risk regenerated cellulose material that loses up to $70\%$ of its strength when wet.

Polyamide (Nylon)

A very strong and durable synthetic fibre resistant to most chemicals with low absorbency.

Polypropylene (Olefin)

A heat-sensitive synthetic fibre that distorts at $70–75°C$, crushes easily, and attracts oil-based stains.

Axminster

A woven carpet with integrated pile and backing, often heavily patterned with up to $7$ colors visible on the back.

Belgian Wilton

A high-risk woven carpet noted for extreme shrinkage even from atmospheric moisture, requiring low moisture or dry cleaning.

Tufted Carpet

The most common construction type, where tufts are glued into a primary backing with latex and a secondary backing is attached.

Carpet Tiles

Bitumen-backed flooring that requires caution as high-alkaline or solvent spotters can dissolve the bitumen and cause black wicking.

Dry Soil Extraction

Thorough vacuuming that removes the $80–85\%$ of carpet soil composed of dry particulate dust or grit.

Encapsulation Cleaning

A low-moisture system where chemicals shatter soil into inert particles that are vacuumed away later.

Hot Water Extraction (HWE)

The deepest cleaning method following the workflow of pre-spray, agitation, and acid rinse extraction.

Wand Technique

The practice of performing at least one dry pass (suction only) for every wet pass to avoid over-wetting.

Defoamer

A chemical added to the waste tank at start-up for machine care.

Cellulosic Browning

Yellow or brown stains caused by lignin or jute dyes wicking to the surface, treated by keeping the carpet slightly acidic.

Dimensional Shrinkage

A condition caused by moisture penetrating the carpet backing; the carpet should only be restretched after full drying.

Delamination

The breakdown of the latex adhesive bonding the primary and secondary backings together.

Fungicidal Treatment

A dedicated treatment required for mould and mildew, as antibacterials add moisture and will not resolve the issue.

Stain Protectors

Fluorochemicals or polymers applied to fibres in an acidic state from $12$ inches away to resist oil and water soiling.

pH 10

The threshold at which cleaning chemicals will strip away protective treatments from carpet fibres.

SDS (Safety Data Sheets)

Current documents that must be accessible in the vehicle or via QR code for emergency medical response.

RCD Circuit Breakers

Safety devices that must always be used when operating electrical equipment.

RAMS

An acronym for Risk Assessment Method Statements, required for commercial jobs along with insurance and training credentials.