Encapsulation is one of the more advanced upholstery cleaning methods available today. Despite that fact, neither its price nor its newness is overly unusual, the method having already been around for more than 15 years. Also, with modern day carpet cleaning services continuing to evolve in their ability to offer improved cleaning solutions, encapsulation has become increasingly more available over time.
What Does the Method Itself Entail?
Like most upholstery cleaning methods, encapsulation has evolved from carpet cleaning – more precisely, from carpet soaps that were known for their unfortunate ability to cause re-soiling. The evolution of encapsulation technology steadily took shape throughout the 1970s and 80s as scientists came up with newer, more capable compounds to eliminate the issue and dry the cleaning compound faster, to facilitate the use of vacuum cleaners for its removal.
The inherent problem of re-soiling and all the subsequent solutions that have been found to counter it have led to the development of polymer-based compounds that allowed upholstery cleaning experts to achieve startlingly positive results with this new cleaning method.
Encapsulation basically involves the use of a complex chemical formula based on polymers that attaches itself to the carpet’s fibers and most especially to the dirt particles that are already linked to them. The formula then dries completely and takes on a crystalline form that allows cleaners to easily remove it, taking all the dirt particles along as well.
The method is extremely effective, fast, easy to use and dependable, since there are no complex cleaning techniques and you never have to worry about damaging the fibers with rough steam cleaners and other devices or tools. Also, the chemical compounds used today are far superior to those from 10-15 years ago, so your upholstered furniture will be 100% protected. This is, in fact, one of the main reasons why the method has become so popular in recent years.
The Main Benefits of Encapsulation as a Cleaning Method
So what makes encapsulation such an effective method of cleaning furniture and car upholstery? 
One of its main assets is its impressively fast drying time. Most compounds used as part of encapsulation cleaning cycles can dry completely in a matter of 20 minutes. This is a remarkable advantage when it comes to upholstery, since potential damage is minimized, and the total time required for cleaning all your upholstered furniture is reduced considerably.
Another excellent benefit of encapsulation is the ability to use low moisture cleaning. This allows cleaning technicians to prevent “wicking,” improve indoor air quality- which would be impaired by the evaporation of large quantities of water – and lengthen both the time between cleanings and the overall life span of your upholstery fabrics.
According to many experts, encapsulation continues to evolve at a rapid pace, and is now considered as a viable alternative to methods such as hot water extraction. While cleaners agree that both methods are needed for cleaning companies to offer best results when it comes to all types of upholstery, encapsulation is rapidly becoming one of the most popular and frequently used cleaning methods today.