There are a few options for cleaning dirty carpets, and steam cleaning is one choice that comes up most often. Here are some things to note about the steam cleaning process and its benefits.
It's Not Steam that Cleans the Carpet
Although steam is used in a steam cleaner process, it's not actually the steam that is acting on your stains. A steam cleaner works by spraying detergent onto your carpet, and then hot water or steam is used to activate the detergent in the carpet. Using hot water does have additional benefits. For instance, the hot water acts as a powerful rinse to help get any remnants or residue out of your carpet after the cleaning. In this way, steam cleaning acts as a powerful and quick system for cleaning and rinsing carpet.
This being said, many professional steam cleaners will work with you to eliminate any carpet residue if you are sensitive to chemicals in your home. Steam cleaning options are often less harsh than the chemicals used in dry carpet cleaning.
Equipment Matters
Another thing to note about steam cleaning is that the timeline of your process can change a lot depending on whether you do it yourself or hire a professional cleaner with industrial equipment. Professional cleanings are often much quicker due to the power of the equipment they use. At-home rental equipment might require you to use heated tap water, while the professional equipment will often have a heater inside the machine. The power of the motor also varies, and professional services will use a machine that churns out more detergent and vacuums the carpet dry. Amateur machines can sometimes leave the carpet wet, and you'll have to stay off the area for several hours to a full day.
Multiple Cleanings May Be Needed
If you have tough stains in your carpet, note that you may need to repeat steam cleanings in several steps. For instance, pet stains will require special chemicals and/or repeat cleanings to fully remove them. Some stains may appear to go away during the cleaning and reappear later, so it's a good idea to get your stains evaluated by a professional who can choose the right cleaning solutions and processes to use.
As you can see, there are many elements that go into a great carpet steam cleaning. It can be helpful to hire a professional company like Boss Systems Carpet Cleaning in order to streamline the process and make sure that stains are fully removed.
