Steam Dry Carpet Cleaning
Despite your best efforts regularly vacuuming and cleaning your carpets, years of stains and dirt have still accumulated and you’re in desperate need of carpet cleaning. So how do you know which carpet-cleaning method to pick?
Two popular methods for cleaning carpets are dry cleaning and using a steam cleaner but does one have an advantage over the other?
When we talk about dry carpet cleaning vs. steam cleaning, it’s important to mention that the steam itself does not clean carpet, the steam cleaning machine actually sprays detergent onto your carpet. Hot water activates the detergent on the carpet fibers and then a “wet-vac” is used to suck up the bulk of the water on the floor.
Some people opt for steam cleaning because they have concerns about dry cleaning chemicals affecting their health and the environment. Technically speaking, the only way to clean a carpet without chemicals is to just use a vacuum, since even plain water is a chemical compound.
So can you clean your carpet without chemicals and stay safe? For most carpet cleaning services, the answer is yes, and it’s likely your carpet cleaner will be able to use a cleaning solution that will clean your carpet without causing harm.
The hot water extraction rinse used by a steam cleaner or carpet shampooer is also typically enough to remove any cleaning solution and should leave little residue behind in the carpet. For customers with health concerns such as allergies and asthma, cleaning solutions that are non-toxic or hypo-allergenic and free of dyes and perfumes are also available.
You can buy a steam cleaner or opt for carpet cleaner rental. Rental steam cleaner models typically rely on hot tap water to work properly, while machines rented from a hardware or grocery store may have a heating element.
Both operate by placing a cleaning solution in the machine and moving it slowl
y and methodically over the carpet. The machine will then suck up and dump out the water. After you’ve cleaned the carpets you need to stay off of them for about 12 to 24 hours while they dry. In some cases, the carpet shrinks after the leftover water dries. However, unless your carpet is made entirely of natural, untreated fibers, this should not be a problem.
You can also dry clean carpets by using dry chemical compounds or cleaning solvents. When you place these chemicals on a carpet they will normally break down whatever soil they find.
Also dry cleaning means less time time waiting for the floors to be used again. Floors can be used almost immediately after cleaning is complete, which is why dry-cleaning compounds are often used in industrial and retail settings for this specific reason.
