Comparing Dry And Steam Carpet Cleaning

Dry and steam carpet cleaning are the two most common methods for cleaning carpets. Though they try to accomplish the same thing – namely, the removal of dirt and stains from your carpet – they do so in different ways, and as such have their own distinctive set of advantages and disadvantages. Understanding the differences between these two methods of carpet cleaning can help you choose the one that best fits your needs.

Steam Cleaning

Steam cleaning uses a special machine that uses pressurized hot water mixed with detergent to pass through your carpet. The high temperature of the water, coupled with the cleaning properties of the detergent, dissolves dirt and stains, and as the water is passed through the entirety of your carpet, it deeply cleans all the fibers, reducing the risk of mold and mildew growing at the base of the carpet where it can be hard to clean.

The main drawback of steam cleaning is that it can take an extremely long time for the carpet to dry, meaning that you may have to hang your carpet up overnight or even longer, depending on the size and type of carpet, before it can be reinstalled on your floor. Additionally, steam cleaning tends to cost more than dry cleaning (either by renting a steam cleaner or having a professional clean your carpets for you) because the equipment used is fairly expensive.

For professional steam cleaning, contact a company such as Pro-Steam Plus Carpet Cleaning.

Dry Cleaning

Dry cleaning, like the name suggests, does not make use of a large amount of water to clean your carpets. Instead, chemicals are applied to the surface of your carpet, and allowed to sit, breaking down the stains that have developed on the carpet. After a suitable amount of time, the chemicals are then vacuumed off, and the carpet is allowed to dry. Dry cleaned carpets do not have to sit for a long period of time before they are able to be reinstalled on your floors.

However, the chemicals used for dry cleaning are quite harsh, and can leave strong odors and smells in your home. Because of the risk associated with using strong chemicals, it is strongly recommended that you get your carpets professionally dry cleaned, which represents a higher expense than cleaning your carpets yourself. However, if you do decide to dry clean your carpets yourself, always ensure that you have proper ventilation and wear protective gloves, goggles, and a face mask to reduce the effect that the chemicals can have on you.