There are several problems of cleaning carpet titles with the wet cleaning methods.
#1. A lot of carpet tiles are on computer raised floors where electrical wires run underneath. If water makes it's way underneath sub-tile-floor and gets into the electrical, there can be more than just damage to the carpet tiles.
#2. Carpet tiles are glued down. To much moisture along with hot water will be more than enough to cause the adhesive to loosen and thus carpet tiles can not only come up from the the sub-tile-floor, but the adhesives that actually hold the carpet tiles together. In otherwords, you have adhesive between the floor and the tile and adhesive between the fibers and the backing. It's almost a guarantee that if you wet clean carpet tiles you're going to have problems. I hate to be blunt, but that's the truth of the matter.
#3. Yellowing and browning are very common problems with traditional wet cleaning in general, but on carpet tiles is even more-so.
#4. The system that I have been using over 20 years is called the Host Dry Extraction Carpet Cleaning Method. Host is a moist granule cellulose sponges that have the similar principal as your kitchen counter top sponge. Those cellulose granule sponges are very capable of loosing, trapping and absorbing dirt and grime without leaving the carpets sopping wet, uneven, dull, or even watermarks. Those problems aren't a problem with Host. Carpets are usually able to be put back into use immediately after cleaning (no down time). You won't have any problems with all of the above listed, and no water marks, browning, delimitation, etc. And best of all, you don't have to worry about putting any protectors back underneath your furniture after cleaning. Very little furniture needs to be moved anyway, and no water will travel under the carpet to get existing furniture wet. This system is a true time-saver and can even be used to clean Sisal products. Wet cleaning is strictly discouraged by the manufactures who make them. Most of those manufactures will tell you to "Host Dry Clean Only." I have been cleaning with Host for over 20 years, belong to the HPCA and have had personal experience in cleaning carpet titles in a building I use to work in. That was a 24 communications building in which the workers would either only have their break time or either stand aside from their desk while I cleaned their carpet tiles. Then they were back working immediately after cleaning.
If you would like a Host Dry Extraction Carpet Cleaning professional in your area, simply leave your post with all your contact information (email, city, state and country) and I'll be happy to forward it onto you.
I hope all this information helps.
Charles
