How do you clean your carpets? Do you shampoo or steam clean them? Some people prefer steam cleaning while others shampooing. Let us look at each of these methods and determine which one is the right one for you.
Deep stains, grease, or grime on the carpet should not stress you a lot. You can get rid of them in a million ways and maintain sanity. The most used ways are steam cleaning and shampooing. Steam cleaning uses water vapor at a very high temperature to break down molecules of the dirt.
Shampooing uses detergents and soaps. A carpet cleaned using the detergents takes longer to dry up compared to one cleaned using steam. It is important to note that shampoos are chemical sanitizers, while steam is nature and pure disinfectant. Cleaning a carpet using shampoos is more tedious.
Contents
An Overview of Steam Cleaning Carpets vs Shampooing
Steam Cleaning Carpets
Also called the hot water extraction cleaning. It uses hot water vapor at a very high temperature. A very powerful system that is made up of a vacuum and pump is used. A hose is used to suck used water from the carpet. Steam dislodges dirt, motor oil, grease, and soil from the carpet’s fibers. You may choose to use detergents if the owner requests so.
The carpets are usually soaked in a cleaning agent for some time before being subjected to the steam. Soaking it helps to loosen the stains and dirt. It is good to make sure the carpet dries completely to avoid giving a breeding habitat for molds and bacteria. It can also cause soil and dirt stick more to the carpet’s fibers.
Advantages of Steam Cleaning
- It is very reliable and efficient if the carpets have a large perimeter, especially wall carpets.
- Hot water extraction cleaning style usually sections of the carpet that are difficult to clean with a big machine.
- Soil, grease, and stains dissolved deep in the carpet are easily dislodged by water vapor and removed from the carpet.
- Steam cleaning is chemical free and maintains environment sanity. Mops used are organically safe for humans and pets.
- In case of pests like fleas and cockroaches had invaded your house and laid eggs deep in the carpet, worry no more because steam will kill them and remove the eggs from your carpet.
- Used water from the cleaning process can be used or recycled. It can be used to water gardens or recycled to be re-used again in the cleaning process or any other suitable purpose.
- A carpet cleaned using this method dries up very vast. Most carpets take 48 hours to dry up.
Disadvantages of Steam Cleaning
- This method is limited to professionals because the steam extraction method is very thorough.
- Soils that have stick deeply may not be fully dislodged from the carpet if steam cleaning is involved.
- Sometimes removing stubborn grease and stains without detergent or soap can be hard.
Is steam cleaning good for carpets?
If you use a steam cleaner to clean to your carpets, you can expect nearly a perfect result. The steam cleaner deals effectively with most stains, dirt, and debris and can remove allergens and pests. Steam cleaning is the best deep-cleaning method you can use on your carpets. It contains hot water with chemicals; it cleans much more than just the surface of your carpet. You can remove dirt and debris from your carpet that has sunk deep into the carpet. After steam cleaning, you should ensure to clear the room out and vacuum thoroughly. Avoiding bad smell, allow plenty of drying time and use fans to dry the carpet.
Shampooing Carpets
Shampoo detergent is used to clean the carpet. To clean the carpet using your method using this method, you will need a machine. It involves putting the cleaning agent and an attachment of a nylon brush in a tank. The brush injects solutions of the cleaning agent in the carpet as it spins. This process continues, and a foam is produced.
Before the cleaning starts, you should remove loose dirt on the carpet. It is advisable to use a solution that kills pests and kill their eggs. Shampoo cleaning has been used for long. It is more economical. There are many cleaning agents that one can choose from. With time pest develops resistance, and that calls for a need to change the cleaning agent after some time.
Advantages of Shampooing
- There is a variety of manufacturers selling chemicals. You can choose from a wide variety according to the carpet’s fiber.
- It is the most suitable method to use if the carpet is heavily soiled.
- Loosely embedded dirt on the carpets can be removed quickly.
- Shampoo cleaners are easy to rent and readily available, especially in urban areas.
Disadvantages of Shampooing
- Most of the shampoos usually kill pests but leave their eggs on the carpet.
- Shampooing involves scrubbing the carpet to get rid of dirt and stains. This may weaken or even damage the fibers.
- Carpets cleaned using this method takes longer to dry.
- Chemicals used may be harmful to humans and pets interacting with the carpet.
- Soap and detergent residues lest on the carpet’s fiber may result in more stains and dirt.
- Using shampoos to clean a large carpet can be tedious.
- Rinsing is not done on the carpet, calling chances for more dirt dissolving in the water left on the carpet.
- In case a wrong brush is used, or the cleaned is inexperienced, the carpet can be distorted.
- Some detergents act like bleaching agents. If a wrong detergent is used on a colorful carpet, the color may be washed away, leaving a faded carpet behind.
Does shampooing ruin carpets?
Doing too much is not as good as you had hoped for or expecting. Having a professional is the most effective option for ensuring a home’s rugs are clean and in good condition. Shampooing is the best way to clean carpet, but you have to be professional, it does not ruin the carpet but extends the life of a carpet. Carpet shampooing kills algae, mold as well as mildew and contaminants. Some carpet warranties require shampooed at least annually. Whatever you are doing at your carpet, you should protect that warranty so you can replace the carpet if it becomes damaged. So you can shampoo the carpet.
Steam Cleaning vs Shampooing Carpets: Which Method is the Best?
The above-discussed methods are good and applicable. Choosing the best method to use may be challenging at some point and may depend on some factors like availability, nature of the carpet, and the cost.
Using steam to clean the carpet assures you total safety because no chemicals shall be used. Instead of incurring hiring and rental costs, you can purchase a steam mop of your choice and do the cleaning for your space at home. It is good to preserve the environment around us. Steam cleaning is the best way to use and is usually recommended by environmental activists because the water from the carpet doesn’t harm microorganisms in the soil; hence, the soil fertility is maintained. The water can be re-used again in the gardens or recycled for other uses.
Shampooing is a good method of cleaning your carpet. It is usually recommended when carpets involved are used in less sensitive such as offices. You should select a detergent that is safe for you, your kids, and the pets. Shampoos are readily available in dry cleaners and shops at a friendly price. Water from the carpet can be treated and recycled for other uses.