Bonnet cleaning
A carpet-cleaning method that uses a rotating absorbent pad soaked in cleaning solution to lift soil from the top of the carpet fibers, without deep rinse extraction.
Also known as: absorbent pad cleaning, spin bonnet
Bonnet cleaning is a low-moisture method used mostly in commercial settings where fast turnaround matters more than deep cleaning. A rotating machine drives an absorbent pad — the bonnet — soaked in a cleaning solution across the surface of the carpet. As the pad spins, soil transfers from the top of the fibers onto the pad, and the pad is rotated or swapped as it saturates. Carpet dries quickly because relatively little water is introduced.
The trade-off is that bonnet cleaning only reaches the upper layer of the fibers. Soil that has settled deeper in the pile, at the base of the fiber, or in the backing is not extracted. Residue from the cleaning solution can also remain in the carpet after the bonnet passes over it, which is one of the conditions that contributes to residue reactivation and re-soiling over time. IICRC S100 recognizes bonnet cleaning as an interim maintenance method rather than a restorative one.
Bonnet cleaning has its uses — office lobbies, retail floors, and other high-traffic commercial areas that need a same-day appearance refresh between deeper restorative cleanings. It is not, however, a substitute for hot-water extraction when the goal is to remove embedded soil, refresh warranty compliance, or address heavy residential soiling.