This is probably the most common question we get when we are speaking with new clients – is steam cleaning bad? First, the term “steam cleaning” is a bit inaccurate when it comes to carpet cleaning. The proper term is hot water extraction (HWE). Our powerful carpet cleaning machine produces extremely hot cleaning solution and steam is often a by product of the hot cleaning solution.
The Good, Bad & Ugly Facts
The Good…
Every major carpet manufacturer recommends to have your carpet cleaned every 12-18 months to maintain warranty, fiber retention, and appearance. Our carpet cleaning process ensures that your carpet is cleaned thoroughly, prolonging the life of your carpet. Let’s face it – carpet is one of the biggest investments you make for your home, so why not protect that investment by cleaning it regularly and getting the most out of it that you can. The next best thing you can do for your carpet is vacuuming, and in case you missed it, we already wrote about how often you should vacuum.
The Bad…
Not all carpet cleaning is created equal. Carpet cleaning can be bad for your carpet, especially if the carpet cleaner does not take the time to properly clean it. What we mean by that is :
- Does the cleaner use safe products that will not leave soil attracting residue behind? We employ only safe products that are completely rinsed out of the carpet, leaving it fresh and soft. Residues that are left in the carpet will attract soil quicker causing the need to have your carpet cleaned more often. This residue can also damage the dyes in the carpet causing an overall permanent discoloration. You will never experience that from our company – we guarantee it!
- Does the carpet take a long time to dry after it has been cleaned? We do a couple of things to ensure that the carpet dries quickly. First, our powerful carpet cleaning system has amazing extraction ability, and we use it to your advantage. Thoroughly extracting the carpet not only removes more moisture, but it also removes more soil that the eye can’t see. After extracting, we use carpet drying fans whose sole purpose is to get the carpet dry quickly. This will prevent any possible damage that moisture could do to the carpet, and allows you to enjoy your fresh clean carpet sooner.
The ugly…
We’ve talked whether or not carpet cleaning is good for your carpet, but what about you? Your carpet is a natural filter to all of the dust, soils, and allergens that we bring into our home on a day to day basis. The good news is – the carpet filters a good majority of this, but the bad news is this means that in order to remove those you have to have your carpet cleaned. The carpet cleaning method that we use, hot water extraction (steam cleaning), is the only carpet cleaning method that will take those things out of your carpet and out of your home. That all does sound ugly, but – it is much better than having no carpet at all. We urge you to read our article on why carpet is better than wood flooring.
Here at Big Green Steam Clean, we pride ourselves on the craftsmanship we put into our work and we appreciate the opportunity to serve you for all of your carpet cleaning needs.