Been thinking about getting your carpets cleaned, but completely confused about whether steam cleaning or dry cleaning is better for your carpet?
Put simply, both methods can achieve great results and the main difference is the amount of water used in the process.
The quality of the clean ultimately depends mostly on the technician, the chemicals and the equipment.
Can’t You Just Do Both?
Before we delve into the differences, we wanted to introduce our Restorative Carpet Clean, which makes the most of each method’s benefits.
Electrodry’s Restorative Clean utilises both processes; the superior stain removal capabilities of dry cleaning and the deep cleaning of a hot water extraction steam clean to flush away heavy soiling.
We recommend a Restorative Clean for really dirty or neglected carpet, or when a client needs the cleanest carpet possible, such as homes with babies crawling around or if someone with asthma or allergies lives there.
You can ask your technician or booking agent for more information on our Restorative Clean.
What If Just One Area of My Carpet Needs Cleaning?
In the carpet cleaning industry, we call these heavy traffic areas.
It certainly can be the case that certain areas of our home are walked on more than others, which is why we offer a Heavy Traffic treatment for your home.
This is for areas like living rooms and hallways that see a little more foot traffic and therefore, more wear and tear.
Electrodry’s Heavy Traffic Treatment includes the application of a specially formulated Heavy Traffic Cleaning Solution that breaks down the oil, grease and sugar that holds the dirt to your carpet. Combine that with Electrodry’s exclusive dry cleaning system and your heavy traffic areas will look the best they have in years!
The Pros and Cons
The Process
Carpet Dry Cleaning
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Dry soil is removed with a pre-vacuum using industrial strength equipment. |
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The carpet is treated with a dry-cleaning solution; a combination of dry-cleaning solvents carried in water. |
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Dry-cleaning solutions break down oily residue on carpet fibres. Oil is what makes the dirt stick to fibres so removing that oil makes it easy for soiling to be removed. |
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Cotton pads are immersed in hot water and using a conditioning rinse, are placed under a rotary machine. The machine spins the pads around, releasing dirt from the carpet. The pads are changed as needed during the cleaning process. |
Carpet Steam Cleaning
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A pre-vacuum should be performed because any dry soils will turn to mud during the cleaning process. |
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Steam Cleaning is also known as Hot Water Extraction Cleaning. The process involves injecting hot water into your carpet with high pressure, then extracting the water out. During this step, dirt is extracted out of the carpet with the water. |
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An effective steam cleaner should pre-treat stains and use a pre-spray to break down surface tension in the carpet. This will ensure the water can penetrate deeply into the carpet fibres prior to extraction. |
How does it Work?
Carpet Dry Cleaning
This process leaves carpet walk on dry and ready for you to walk on in just one hour. Carpet Dry Cleaning solutions can remove more stains than other cleaning processes. Electrodry Carpet Dry Cleaning manufactures its own exclusive carpet dry cleaning solutions that bring back the carpet’s natural showroom brightness by restoring its chemical balance.
Carpet Steam Cleaning
The technician can achieve a great result if they use effective cleaning pre-sprays, agitate the carpet and takes the time and effort to extract as much water as possible from the carpet. The process can leave the carpet very wet and it can take up to 24 hours for the carpet to be completely dry, days in some cases. Without proper pre-treatment, steam cleaning can be ineffective at removing oily stains (the dark spots on the carpet). Oily residue needs to be removed otherwise the stain may remain, or it will quickly re-appear as dirt sticks to the oily residue.
The Rundown
Carpet Dry Cleaning
Carpets are always pre-vacuumed. Carpet dry cleaning solution breaks down oily residue. Targets more stains than other processes. Can restore the chemical balance of your carpet. Walk on ready in one hour.
Carpet Steam Cleaning
Qualified technicians can achieve excellent results if the process is performed properly. Ineffective at removing oily stains without effective pre-treatment. Stains may remain or re-appear as dirt sticks to oily residue that may not have been properly removed. Can leave the carpet very wet and take up to 24 hours to dry.
Dry Cleaning vs. Steam Cleaning
Both systems can be effective; however, steam cleaning will have a much longer drying time and may not be as effective as dry cleaning with stain removal.
Carpet Dry Cleaning uses minimal moisture, so your floors will be ready to walk on straight away and totally dry in 1 to 2 hours.
Both methods have their benefits. Talk to an Electrodry expert today to see what method we recommend to leave your carpet pristinely clean and healthy.
