Does Encapsulation Cleaning Really Work?

I read a ton of information on encap cleaning.  It sounds really convincing in theory.  However, I just spoke to someone who dealt with hotel cleaning as far as 25 years ago and said that they used encapsulation at some points, but found it left way too much residue.  Is this how encap used to be?  Has it come a long way?

Yet, I hear many having great success with encapsulation and using a Cimex, Op, etc.

From what I was told, encapsulation cleaning is nothing new, but only in recent years is it really taking off.  Seems like every carpet care company has a line of encapsulation cleaning chems.  Why is this?  I know they need to make money, but I also read that only in recent years has the polymer technology advanced to the point where encapsulation cleaning is more than just theory.  I find it hard to believe that these chemical companies would risk their good reputation on a gimic chemical. 

So what's the truth?  Does the encap chemical/process really do what it says it should do?

Personally, I want to get into encapsulation carpet care because I know it could open up a lot of commercial accounts for me.  I just don't want to invest $3,000 on something that doesn't deliver.

Please help.  Sometimes it's hard to know who to believe.

I'm from Hawaii.  Oahu specifically.

I have nothing to sell. Encap works period.

John (padman) and Rick's stuff work as promised. I have recently bought and used padcap pro....it is simply amazing.

I use Op and HWE, often together. The results speak for themselves.

Would you guys recommend pad capping as a great alternative (or complement) to hwe for residential?  Would you consider pad capping as the very best that you could offer a home owner? 

I love the idea of pure encapsulation for commercial, but I would think that home owners would think it's a little weird to have tiny crystalized dirt left in their carpet.  So does pad capping greatly minimize this? 

Also, where I live, CTI products (pro's choice) are available.  Are there encap products any good?

thanks!

I would only consider op for residential. Never encap. IMO hwe is the best choice for res

When I was a youngster and dinosaurs ruled the earth my mother would clean our woven cotton rug with laundry soap and a scrub brush.  Tact not tactless laid right on top of the linoleum the house was outfitted with.  Clothes were washed on a washboard in the laundry sink. 

Point is while the popularity of one way or another may go in and out of style, it doesn't change the fact that any way works. 

Now, if busty young ladies in french maid outfits were bent over a carpet and working it into a lather, how many men would choose hand washing for their next carpet cleaning?

Truckmounts, VLM, whatever is sexy.  Trust me, the french maids are sexy. 

Have a pretty woman driving a carpet cleaning van with "French Maid Carpet Cleaning" painted on the side along with a poised girl cleaning a carpet on her hands and knees.  See how many jobs you book at $1 sqft.