In order to understand how dry carpet cleaning works, first you need to know how soil affects carpet.

Most dry soil in carpet is easily removed with regular vacuuming. However most carpets also have oil and other sticky residues that attract and hold the dry soil in the carpet, resulting in a dirty-looking carpet.

Dry technology uses chemistry to help keep carpet clean longer. So the first step to encapsulation is to surround the oily and sticky soil particles, and then crystallize them so they can't attract more soil.

Once the particles are crystallized, they're easily vacuumed up from the carpet fibers. The result is there's no more dirt-attracting residue left in the carpet, so the carpet stays clean longer.

1. About Dry Cleaning

   A cleaning technician must first vacuum the carpet to remove loose dirt and debris. Though this should be done with any cleaning method, it is imperative in the encapsulation method as extraction is not part of the cleaning. The technician then sprays the carpet with the cleaning solution, before scrubbing the carpet with one of several machines. First, he may use a unit that resembles an upright vacuum without a bag. This machine has two cylindrical brushes that rotate in opposite directions. He may also use a standard floor-buffing machine with a brush or bonnet attached.
   
   The machines work the chemical through the carpet. Dirt and stain particles are released from the carpet fabric and become surrounded by the encapsulation chemical. Each particle of dirt becomes trapped in a microscopic crystal which prevents the soil from clumping together with other dirt particles. Once the carpet has dried, a second round of vacuuming is recommended to remove the encapsulated dirt (which is invisible to the naked eye).
   
   
2. Benefits of Dry Cleaning
   
   Unlike steam extraction or the shampoo cleaning of carpets, encapsulation uses far less water. Carpets are completely dry and ready for normal use in about an hour after cleaning. For homes or occasions when drying time is an issue, encapsulation cleaning is an excellent choice.
   
   While encapsulation cleaning is not considered a deep-cleaning or restorative process, it is a perfect match for a well-maintained carpet that needs to be freshened before a party or special dinner.
   
   
   
   
3. More Than a Stand Alone Method
   
   Although the encapsulation method works well by itself, it can also be used to boost the cleaning power of other methods, such as steam extraction. Before steam cleaning carpets, better known as hot-water extraction, a technician will treat high-traffic areas and heavily stained sections with a pre-spray chemical to help release the dirt from the carpet fabric. An encapsulation, traffic-lane pre-spray will release the dirt and form a crystal around it to prevent the soil from reattaching to the carpet until it is rinsed away.
   
   For extremely dirty carpets, in addition to simply spraying the encapsulation cleaner onto the carpet, it may be necessary to scrub the carpet with either a buffing machine or a cylindrical scrubber before steam extraction. This will ensure maximum dirt removal for the homeowner.