Steam Carpet Cleaning
Steam carpet cleaning is also known as ‘hot water extraction’ and steam isn’t actually used in the cleaning process!
This method involves spraying hot water on to the carpet & then immediately vacuuming it up using a powerful portable or truck mounted machine.
Most carpet cleaners use a range of chemicals either mixed in to the water or added directly to the carpet to loosen dirt.
Many carpet manufacturers recommend the steam cleaning method because it is safe for most fabrics, and ensures a deep clean. However because water is used in the cleaning process the carpet must be left to dry, usually for several hours.
Dry Carpet Cleaning
There are actually 2 different processes used by dry carpet cleaning companies:
- Bonnet Cleaning
- Encapsulation Cleaning
Encapsulation cleaning is a complex method that uses a rotary machine to apply a chemical detergent. It uses a very small amount of water and the carpet is usually safe to walk on within 20 minutes. Bonnet cleaning is a more traditional dry carpet cleaning method and involves a chemical pre-spray and the use of a rotary scrubber with a bonnet pad. The loosened dirt is then vacuumed off the carpet.
Which is Better?
The answer is it depends! Many experienced companies use both processes because sometimes one is more suitable than the other.
In general, for residential customers, steam carpet cleaning is going to get you the best result. However for commercial customers who have offices, retail outlets or other buildings where it’s not possible to close off the area to allow carpets to dry properly, dry carpet cleaning maybe more suitable.
