We all know that our carpets become dirty over time and require regular upkeep, but there are a variety of techniques to clean them.
The main reason to hire or buy professional carpet cleaning equipment rather than renting or buying it yourself is that professionals know how to properly treat the carpet and have considerably superior apparatus, resulting in far better outcomes.
There are a variety of techniques to clean your carpet, including steam cleaning and dry cleaning, which are two popular options. Many will argue that steam cleaning is superior, while others will argue that dry cleaning is equally effective. So, which one are you going to pick? Both cleaning procedures have their own set of benefits and drawbacks. Let’s take a deeper look at each strategy and see what its advantages and disadvantages are to determine which one wins out.
Steam Cleaning
Also known as hot water extraction, this form of cleaning uses high-pressure, high-temperature water delivered by a steam cleaning machine to remove dust and grime from your carpet. This procedure is effective at removing stains, dust, and dirt particles that are not reached or removed by a surface cleaning or vacuuming. It also has the benefit of effectively eradicating undesirable odors from your carpet. Steam cleaning, because of its ability to reach deep into the carpet fibers, provides deep cleaning and can eliminate odors from your carpet. On the negative, if you don’t have a steam cleaner, it can be a headache and slightly more expensive because you’ll have to rent one or employ professionals to perform the work. Overall, steam cleaning has a number of benefits and may successfully clean your carpet without causing any significant issues.
It is the most recommended method since steam is utilized to clean the carpet. It’s also a good approach for cleaning carpets. Steam cleaning will get rid of the filth and make your carpet last longer. This process is also known as hot water extraction. There are two ways to clean commercial carpets utilizing the steam cleaning process.
- Portable extraction—this is most commonly utilized in sectors that clean carpets. The suction machine isn’t as powerful as the one mounted atop a truck. Carpet steam cleaning is utilized for large-scale carpet cleaning in hospitals, apartments, and other places.
- Truck mount: To remove grime and debris from the carpet, pressurized hot water is blended with a non-toxic carpet cleaning solution. Deep-set filth in the carpet can also be removed.
Drawbacks
- It takes a long time to dry
- Dirt might settle back down on the carpet while drying • If not dried properly, fungal or bacterial development can occur on the carpet
Dry Cleaning
The term “dry-cleaned” does not imply that no water is used, but it does imply that it is done sparingly. Commercial carpet cleaning services can use one of four approaches when adopting this method.
- Dry compound—a dry compound is applied to your carpet and allowed to dry. The dirt from the carpet will be absorbed by this mixture. After the compound has been placed on the carpet for the prescribed amount of time, it is vacuumed off.
- Dry chem—this process is similar to dry foam, with the exception of which machine to utilize. You would use the bonnet pad instead of the vacuum cleaner in this approach. The bonnet pad cleans your carpet before absorbing the filth.
- Apply a dry foam-shampoo to the carpet and let it dry. The filth will be absorbed by the shampoo as it dries. Dried shampoo is then vacuumed out with a vacuum cleaner. On the bright side, you can do it yourself if you like, although professional cleaners are also available. It is less time consuming than steam cleaning, but it has a few drawbacks. This method of dry cleaning your carpet will remove typical dirt and dust, but it will not be able to remove deep-seated particles located in your carpet fibers. Because not all of the dried shampoo is removed from your carpet, this kind of dry cleaning can leave residue.
- Oscillating pad—the first step is to squirt a pH-balanced spray into the carpet and leave it for a set amount of time. This usually takes between thirty and sixty minutes. This spray reacts with the dirt to loosen it so that a cotton pad can be used to remove it.
Drawbacks
- It is not as effective as steam cleaning
- It leaves a residue in the carpet that does not completely disappear
- More dirt will sink into the carpet as a result of the residue left behind, reducing the carpet’s lifespan.
Conclusion
When the two procedures are compared, steam cleaning emerges as the clear winner. It can deep clean your carpet and remove hard-to-reach dust and debris, but it has almost no negative impact on your carpet.