Why Do They Put Teflon in Carpet Shampoo?
Sometimes it's difficult keeping carpets clean, especially when you have kids, pets or you entertain often. High traffic areas, such as hallways and entryways, can be especially tough to keep clean. Many times we hire expensive professionals to do the job for us. Recently, Teflon has been added to some carpet-cleaning agents, and it will help keep your carpets cleaner longer. Does this Spark an idea?
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What is Teflon?
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Teflon is most commonly used on cookware, but has other uses as well. Teflon is Dupont's registered trademark name for a nonstick coating of fluropolymer plastic. It has many uses, but is commonly used on cookware; it's the black film in your pans that keeps food from sticking to the pan.
Properties of Teflon
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Teflon has special properties that make it ideal in carpet-cleaning agents. Teflon has some very special properties that make it incredibly versatile as well as ideal as an additive in carpet-cleaning agents. Some properties of Teflon are:
Non-Stick: Most substances will not permanently stick to Teflon coating. For instance, conveyor belts used in the food industry are protected with Teflon in order to prevent sticking and to allow for easy cleaning.
Water-Resistant: Liquids do not penetrate Teflon. This makes Teflon-coated products easy to clean. For this reason, glass beakers and tubes used in laboratories are coated with Teflon in order to prevent substances from contaminating one another.
Temperature Stability: Teflon doesn't break down, melt or crack under both extremely low or extremely high temperatures. It remains stable in temperatures as low as -450 degrees and up to 550 degrees.
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Teflon in Carpet Cleaner
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Teflon is a wonderful protective agent in carpet cleaner. Because of the non-stick properties in Teflon, it makes for a wonderful carpet cleaner. The benefits of Teflon in carpet cleaner are:
The Teflon forms a bond around each carpet fiber, much like it bonds to a skillet, providing its non-stick, liquid repellent properties to the carpet.
It keeps dirt from sticking to carpet fibers, which increases the effectiveness of vacuuming
The non-stick and liquid-resistant properties of Teflon repels liquids, and cleaning up spills becomes easier.
Is Teflon Safe?
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Teflon is safe for use on carpets around children and pets There has been much controversy over whether Teflon is safe for use in cookware. Dupont and carpet cleaning professionals maintain that Teflon is safe for use on carpets and is safe for use around children and pets. Also, Teflon-based carpet cleaner leaves no unpleasant odors.
Application of Teflon Carpet Cleaner
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Teflon solution must be applied by a professional carpet cleaner. Teflon-based carpet cleaner must be applied by a professional. Also, it is removed each time the carpets are professionally cleaned or if you clean it yourself with a rental shampoo cleaner. It is recommended, for maximum protection, that the Teflon solution be reapplied every time you have your carpets cleaned. For high traffic areas, you may have the application refreshed between cleanings. Some harsh cleaning agents may remove the Teflon coating from your carpet, so you should check with your carpet-cleaning professionals for chemicals to avoid on your floors. Teflon protection also can be applied to upholstery.
How is Teflon Carpet Cleaner Applied?
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The Teflon solution consists of four parts of water for every one part of Teflon solution. It is then sprayed onto the freshly cleaned carpet. One gallon of solution covers 200 square feet.
It is normal to experience some stiffness in the carpet fibers for a few days after the treatment. This will go away. Make sure any residue that gets onto walls, baseboards or furniture is wiped off immediately while the solution is wet.
The carpet also should be raked to ensure even coverage.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit carpet roller image by Greg Pickens from Fotolia.com water drop close up on teflon background image by Nikolay Okhitin from Fotolia.com set of forms for a batch image by Leonid Nyshko from Fotolia.com Carpet image by big from Fotolia.com child with dog image by Miguel Montero from Fotolia.com vacuum cleaner image by vb_photo from Fotolia.com
