Steam Carpet Cleaning Vs Dry Carpet Cleaning

Two methods of carpet cleaning are Steam cleaning, aka hot water extraction, and Dry carpet cleaning. Steam cleaning is characterized by the abundant use of water in the entire cleaning process. Dry carpet cleaning is a very low moisture (VLM) cleaning system and uses little to no water depending on how the clean is performed.

Steam cleaning involves applying a pre-treatment to the carpet which breaks down and bonds to soil particles. Then the carpet is steam cleaned, thus rinsed, with water that has a temperature over 200oF. The steam cleaning water also has a rinsing solution that bonds with the original pre-treatment applied in order to extract it. So, steam cleaning removes the original pretreatment along with the soil particles it bonded with, and leaves the carpet clean and fresh.

Dry carpet cleaning involves applying a degreaser, an encapsulant, and a dry compound to the carpet to perform the clean. The carpet is first vacuumed, then a degreaser is applied and massaged into the carpet. After the degreaser an encapsulant is applied to the fibers to further help break down the bond between oils/soil to the fibers. After the degreaser and encapsulant have rested in the carpet for about 15 minutes a dry compound, sometimes referred to as a sponge, is applied to the carpet to bond with the soil and oils in the fibers. Finally, the carpet is vacuumed in order to extract the dry compound along with the soil, leaving the carpet clean and fresh.

Both methods of cleaning use water to some extent; steam cleaning uses water extensively, while dry cleaning uses water minimally in the degreaser and encapsulant applied. The advantage of dry cleaning over steam cleaning is that it dries by the time the work is complete. Steam cleaning dry times vary; when using a portable machine usual dry times are 4-6 hours, sometimes even more if the carpet is heavily soiled and if a lot of water is needed to clean it. Using truck mount steam cleaning equipment the carpet dries within 1-2 hours, which is incredibly fast but still not as fast as dry cleaning. The advantage of steam cleaning to dry cleaning is that it provides a more thorough clean through the constant rinsing of the fibers with water.

Both cleaning methods can do a great job if done properly. Which method to use will depend on what the needs are; some carpets and upholstery cannot be cleaned using water and therefor a dry-cleaning method is required. Heavily soiled carpets may come out better if steam cleaned. Viscose rugs, due to their high sensitivity to water, may be preferable dry cleaned.