Aircraft Carpet Cleaning: When Vacuuming Isn't Enough

Aircraft carpet endures significant wear---passengers tracking in dirt, spilled beverages, and for many aircraft, pet hair and accidents. Understanding when to upgrade from vacuum service to full extraction cleaning helps maintain your interior investment. ## Signs Your Carpet Needs Extraction Regular vacuuming removes surface dirt and debris, but some contamination penetrates deeper into carpet fibers. Consider extraction cleaning when: Visible stains don't respond to spot treatment. Coffee, red wine, and food stains often set into fibers and require professional extraction to fully remove. The carpet looks dingy even after thorough vacuuming. Ground-in soil creates a grayish cast that only deep cleaning resolves. Odors persist despite surface cleaning. This is particularly common with pet-related issues where organic matter has penetrated the carpet backing. Pet hair has accumulated despite regular vacuuming. Some pet hair works deep into carpet pile and requires extraction to fully remove. ## Our Extraction Process Carpet shampoo service adds approximately one hour to interior detail time. Here's what the process involves: Pre-treatment of visible stains begins the service. We apply appropriate stain remover and allow dwell time for the chemistry to work. For stubborn stains, gentle agitation with a brush helps break down the material. Steam cleaning with a heated carpet extractor provides the deep clean. The combination of hot water, cleaning solution, and powerful extraction pulls contamination from deep within the carpet fibers. We work methodically in sections, making multiple slow passes over heavily soiled areas. The goal is thorough extraction without over-saturating the carpet. ## The Critical Drying Phase Proper drying is absolutely essential---this is where many DIY attempts fail. Wet carpet left in a closed aircraft creates perfect conditions for mildew growth. Mildew in aircraft carpet often means complete replacement, costing thousands of dollars. After extraction, carpets require 2-4 hours minimum drying time with doors open or fans running. We typically perform extraction first thing in the morning, allowing the afternoon for drying while we complete other services or exterior work. In humid conditions, we may recommend leaving the aircraft configured for ventilation overnight before closing up. Carpet Lines: The Professional Finish After extraction---or even after regular vacuuming---carpet lines create that fresh, professionally-cleaned appearance. Using a carpet brush or the extraction tool head, we create uniform directional lines in the carpet pile. This detail demonstrates the level of care applied to the entire service. ## Pricing and Scheduling Carpet extraction adds $180-$280 to interior service pricing depending on aircraft size. For the best results, we recommend scheduling extraction as part of a Level 2 interior service---the leather conditioning and deep cleaning complement the carpet work for a fully refreshed interior. Allow adequate time in your schedule for drying. Aircraft needed for afternoon flights should have extraction completed the previous day. Preventive Measures Between professional extraction services: Address spills immediately---the faster you act, the less likely permanent staining Keep portable carpet cleaner and clean cloths aboard for immediate response Consider protective mats in high-traffic areas Schedule regular professional vacuuming to prevent soil accumulation Contact us to add carpet extraction to your next interior detail.