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Carpet Steam Cleaning Facts

Why is residential and commercial steam cleaning the superior, safest, and preferred method of carpet cleaning, and how does it compare to other methods?

What is external extraction?

“Hot Water Extraction”, or “Steam Cleaning”, the Extraction cleaning procedures are what nearly all carpet manufacturers in addition to carpet fiber manufacturers recommend as cleaning method for soiled floor coverings.
This method is frequently called “steam” cleaning due to the fine spray of water used to force dirt out of the carpet which is sucked up by the vacuum slot of the carpet steam cleaner immediately in front of the spray. This is the only cleaning method classified as “deep cleaning”. All the others are considered “light surface cleaning” because they are incapable of removing soil deep in the pile. Other methods leave large amounts of cleaning agent in the carpet after cleaning.

The process consists of spraying a solution of water and detergent into the carpet pile and recovering the water and soil with a powerful vacuum into a holding tank. This is done from our truck-mounted unit outside the home with only the hose and floor tool brought inside. Truck-mounted systems usually are more powerful than portable units and do a much better cleaning job and get the carpet dry more quickly.

How long will it take my carpets to dry?

Normally between 4 and 8 hours. It all depends on what type of carpet you have, the humidity, air flow, and level of soiling.

What do I need to do before the technician arrives at my house?

Please have all furniture (couches, tables, chairs, beds, ottomans, etc.) moved off of the flooring you wish to have cleaned. Our technician will only help move furnite within reason.

Are there any risks to my health?

NO!

The truck-mounted system is preferred because the dirty air and humidity are exhausted outside rather than re-circulated around the house. Furthermore, if you happen to suffer from indoor allergens, getting your carpets professionally steam-cleaned can actually help benefit allergy sufferers. More often than not, thing such as dust, dust mites, pet dander and other allergy-prone factors that get trapped in carpets, especially if their thick or plus. Unfortunately, most vacuum or consumer-brand carpet cleaners don’t manage to get down far enough down to where allergens may be lurking, which is where steam cleaning can truly help. While products like raved-over handheld vacuums can be valuable in keeping carpets relatively clean, there are some dirts that can only be prevented through professional carpet steam cleaning.

How does steam clean differ from shampooing my carpets?

The theory in the shampoo method is to generate a lot of foam in the carpet, allow this foam to dry, have the resulting residue attract the soil, and vacuum up the residue and soil the next day. The problem is that they dry to a soft, sticky residue which will cause re-soiling. Because of the re-soiling problem, carpet shampoos will frequently also has an anti-re-soiling additive such as a resin to reduce this re-soiling tendency.

It really all depends on the type of job you need doing – for different reasons, it may be better to choose a small and quiet vacuum cleaner. For flats especially, you don’t want to keep your next-door neighbour awake with a big vacuum cleaner, and so the smaller version is probably the way to go!

Foam shampoos are actually very poor detergents and simply bury the dirt, they frequently also contain high levels of optical brighteners which take invisible ultraviolet light and convert it to visible light, thus making the carpet appear cleaner and brighter than it really is, for a while. It will eventually give the carpet a yellow cast and the yellow cannot be removed.
The Rotary Shampoo method can damage the carpet, especially cut pile (which is what most residential carpet is).

How does steam clean differ from ‘dry cleaning’ or ‘carbonated cleaning’?

This method is sometimes called “chem-dry”, “bonnet method”, or “dry cleaning”, which is a misnomer, since water is used. This method for carpet maintenance consists of the use of a rotary or oscillating brush adapted with a stiff brush or drive block designed to drive wet, damp or dry pads. The carpet can be sprayed with the cleaning solution and/or the pads can be soaked in the cleaning solution and squeezed lightly before placing the pad under the driving brush.
The maintenance brochure published by the world’s largest carpet manufacturer, Shaw Industries, suggests not using this method, especially on cut pile, due to pile distortion and fiber damage. This method has very limited capability for soil removal and leaves much of the detergent in the pile since it employs no real extraction. As a result, rapid re-soiling often occurs. Another disadvantage is that the spinning bonnet may distort the fibers of cut pile carpet, fuzzing the pile and leaving distinct swirl marks.
Sometimes, carbonated water is used to (in theory) give better soil suspension and bring down the pH. Check with your carpet manufacturer because many leading carpet mills recommend against this method of cleaning. Make sure you review your warrenty information, as bonnet method may void the warrenty of your carpet.

Can you get the pet odors out of my carpet?

Pet odor is a very common problem that could be much more complex than on the first impression, you can find Odor Removing Products for pets online to help the removal process as well if required for your pet. Pet urine can easily soak through the backing of the carpet into the padding underneath. In more severe cases the urine can penetrate into the sub-floor beneath the padding. This creates a problem that is multi-layered. The urine also provides for the growth of bacteria. This in turn contributes to a worsening of the odor problem and can contribute to permanent color loss of the carpet fiber. To eliminate this problem, the urine must be removed or neutralized from each of the layers affected. If the contamination is limited to only the face yarn of the carpet then the cleaning itself may effectively remove the odor. In more severe cases a urine neutralizer may be applied. If a urine neutralizer fails to work its magic, it could be a wise call to seek help from professional carpet cleaning services, who could provide you with effective and deep cleaning of your carpet.

In the most severe cases though, replacement of the carpet padding, treatment of the underside of the carpet, and the sub-floor may be required. Even replacement of the carpet, however, can not guarantee complete removal of the odor. So while we can try, it is not guaranteed, it all depends on the degree to which your carpet is contaminated.

Determine how often you should get your carpets cleaned with a few simple questions.

A question I’m commonly asked when talking about professional carpet cleaning is “how often?” Many manufacturers recommend that you get your carpets cleaned every 12-18 months. Places with high traffic, however, should consider getting them cleaned every 6 months. Here are a few helpful questions to ask yourself when you’re deciding if you carpets need cleaned.

• Do you have any pets? How many? We all love our pets, but we also know how messy they can be at times. Pets shed their hair and have oils on their skin that can get into your carpeting. They don’t know anything about using a napkin when eating or wiping their feet of mud when coming into the house. When you have a lot of pets, you will need to clean pet stains from your carpets more often.
• How often do you vacuum? Vacuuming twice a week is what most manufacturers suggest. Just remember that the better care you give your carpet between professional cleanings, the less often you’ll need to get your carpets cleaned. It’s also important to consider the quality of the vacuum you’re using. The Shark APEX upright vacuum is one of the best shark vacuums I found. Generally, Shark vacuums are well regarded and highly recommended, but you can choose any brand that you prefer. If you are after a Shark, you can look here to see if there are any savings to be had at Target. Just remember though, if it’s a cheap vacuum then it won’t be as effective as a higher-end vacuum. You can check best carpet vacuums here if you’re wanting a better vacuum.
• Do you or your family suffer from allergies? A clean carpet can drastically reduce the allergens in the air, leaving it fresh smelling and making it easier to breathe. Depending on where you live, you may need to get your carpets cleaned 2-3 times year.
• How many people live in the house? Does anyone wear shoes inside? This should come as no surprise, but walking around inside with your shoes on gets your carpets dirty a lot faster. More foot traffic also develops wear patterns on soiled carpet. Wearing socks or indoor-only slippers is the best way to preserve your carpets, as going barefoot can leave the oils on your skin in your carpet fiber.
• What does your warranty require? Many people aren’t aware that your manufacturer requires this to keep your warranty form being voided.

You can see by just these few questions that the base question of “how often” can vary greatly between homes. As for the actual cleaning process, most carpet manufacturers recommend hot water extraction aka steam cleaning over a chemical process. This is because chemical or “dry” based cleaning uses large amounts of chemicals to make your carpet look nice. Not only does it leave chemical residue in your carpet that is not safe for kids or pets, but it doesn’t even remove pollutants or allergens.

With “steam cleaning,” the temperature and pressure of the water do most of the work, with little chemical used per gallon of water. The chemicals that are used are mild and biodegradable detergents that help to dissolve the dirt in the water, which is extracted before it can make its way down into the padding.

If you liked this post, check out some of our other blog posts like Worst Carpet Messes for Parents or Feeling Better With Cleaner Carpets.