Why Steam Cleaning is Better?
Most of our clients put a reasonable amount of effort in to keeping their carpets and rugs clean. Many claim that they at least vacuum weekly or even twice a week. Those with pets sometimes vacuum daily. People who keep on top of it also know that a periodical deep cleaning is needed as no vacuum can get deep into carpet fibers, leaving the vast majority discouraged by soiling or stains.
Pros and Cons
So, when you do opt for a professional clean you might wonder, is it better to shampoo or to steam clean carpets? Both methods do clean better than vacuuming alone, but this post will discuss pros and cons to help you decide which is overall the best. If your reading this you already know that Perry’s Elite Services leans heavy towards steam. Therefore, let’s begin with the short answer, steam is better! Here’s why?
Simplicity
Steam is simple. It’s basically heated water, no measuring. You permeate the carpet fibers with steam and non-scented detergent, then vacuum the condensing water as it attaches itself to dirt. Steam and soap loosen hardened material, and the powerful suction of a steam cleaner removes it. Typically, we tell our clients 4 to 24 hours dry time, because it’s steam it uses a fraction of water (compared to shampooing). We usually use more steaming water to rinse thoroughly than most companies but our powerful gas-powered vacuum in the van has no problem extracting it.
Soap Residue
Shampooing sprays soapy water into the carpet, agitates it, then vacuums it up. An important step is missing, the rinse. Not rinsing out all soap or detergent can do more harm than good to your carpet. Like soap left on a countertop attracts and holds dirt, carpet fibers with soap residue attracts and holds dirt. Although a mild detergent is used when steam cleaning, it’s accompanied by 240-degree steam and then rinsed well. Perry’s Elite Services leaves nothing behind just a clean carpet, area rug, or upholstery.
So, steam wins from a simplicity point of view.
The Meaning of “Clean”
Whether you choose to shampoo or steam your carpet, it will be cleaner than before, but what does the word clean really mean. Is a carpet really “clean” if none of the biological contaminates are removed? This brings us to a significant advantage that steam has over shampooing, it kills bacteria, fungus, and mold spores. If you are cleaning up after pets, than an obvious choice is steam. In addition, steam is used on mattresses to kill bed bugs and eggs left by them. If there is a chance that bed bugs, flees, or other small critters are living in your carpets, steam will kill them where shampoo is only a minor irritant.
Again, steam wins for its ability to clean and disinfect.
Cleaning Agents
Many people today are sensitive to scents and become nauseous and get headaches from them. The chemicals used to shampoo carpets are often very toxic and harsh. As mentioned already, many are not thorough enough to fully remove cleaning agents when shampooing. Strong scents can permeate a home for weeks after the job is done. Steam cleaning uses only water and a mild, non-scented detergent. Which means no strong odors to contend with after the job is done, just clean and fresh.
Steam Wins!
All things considered (Shampoo VS Steam Cleaning); steam is the better option. It removes more unseen pests, germs and dirt and goes deep into carpet fibers without extended drying times. Our method of steam cleaning is the best choice to clean without leaving chemical odour.
