The Short-Term Rental Owner's Choice

Short-term rental (STR) owners overwhelmingly prefer using an encapsulation carpet cleaning company rather than a wet extraction company, primarily because of the critical need for minimal downtime and rapid turnaround in a hospitality business. Wet extraction, often referred to as steam cleaning, saturates the carpet with water and a cleaning solution, requiring substantial drying time—typically between six and twenty-four hours, depending on the climate and airflow. For an STR, this extended drying period is costly; it translates directly into lost bookings and revenue for every hour the unit is unavailable.

In sharp contrast, Kiwi Cleaning Co. uses a low-moisture method where a polymer-based solution is misted onto the carpet fibers. As the cleaning compound dries, it encapsulates (or surrounds) the dirt and soil particles in tiny, brittle crystals. These crystals are then easily removed with a standard vacuum cleaner shortly thereafter. The key advantage is that the carpet is often dry and ready for use in just one to two hours, allowing for the unit to be cleaned and made guest-ready in the same afternoon.

Beyond speed, encapsulation offers a higher degree of stain prevention and carpet longevity. Because minimal water is used, STR owners significantly mitigate the risk of common cleaning issues associated with deep saturation, such as mold and mildew growth beneath the carpet, which poses a serious health and liability concern. Furthermore, encapsulation virtually eliminates the problem of 'wicking,' where old, deep-set stains are pulled back up to the surface as the carpet dries. For high-traffic rental properties, where both heavy soil and rapid turnaround are constant factors, the low-moisture, fast-drying, and effective soil-release technology of encapsulation makes it the most practical, efficient, and ultimately cost-effective solution for maintaining pristine, guest-ready carpets.