Can a “wicking” problem be solved?
A. Yes, The easy way is to temporarily hide the problem as dry cleaning does. That is to lightly clean the top face fibers, and then rely on rapid drying time so that the moisture from the cleaning does not activate the contaminants left just below the visual surface. Unfortunately, this builds up a problem over successive cleanings, as the bottom portion of carpet fibers become loaded up with not only the original contaminants, but the general dirt and grime from normal use. Another slightly more effective way to deal with a wicking problem is used by steam cleaners (bless their hearts) who would just take more time and work harder to clean deeper into the spot and then extract as much moisture as possible afterwards. Both of these methods do not solve the problem and leave most of the contaminant still in the carpet backing and pad, often reappearing in days or weeks.
