When your home’s carpets are in need of a deep clean, which powerful cleaning system should you choose?  In this blog post, we’ll look at the benefits and drawbacks of dry carpet cleaning systems and steam carpet cleaning systems to help you decide which is the best choice for the state of your household carpets.

Advantages of Dry Carpet Cleaning

A dry cleaning (low-moisture) method for carpet maintenance goes above and beyond the standard vacuum cleaner routine. Dry carpet cleaning provides deep cleaning power by supplementing with compound cleaning agents prior to machine washing to pre-treat fibres and break down contaminants. The cleaning agents are brushed or buffed into the carpet before being removed, together with all of the dirt, oils, and other sediments that loosen as the cleansers become entrenched between the fibres. Cleansers can also protect carpet fibres from future stains, similar to how a stain shield spray protects furniture.

The approach is more typically utilised in residential settings where homeowners want spot treatment, but it can also be effective when traffic on the carpet is difficult to control (such as at the entryway or hallway in a commercial space). Dry cleaning systems are less expensive than steam cleaners, and because they use less liquid, they allow for a faster drying period in the home. Normally, the treated rooms are unavailable for 30 minutes to an hour.

If renting the equipment isn’t an option, there are various store-bought powder cleaners that mimic the dry cleaning process. These products contain chemicals that absorb odours and intensively clean carpet fibres before being readily vacuumed away after a short length of time.

You can also make your own carpet cleaning powder. To provide a pleasant smell, one of our favourite homemade mixtures contains baking soda, borax, cornstarch, and cornmeal, as well as cinnamon and bay leaves. All of the ingredients’ disinfecting and cleansing capabilities make it a pleasant addition to your cleaning cupboard and a simple material to sprinkle on carpets before vacuuming.

Advantages of Steam Cleaning

Individuals and families who suffer from allergies or fragrance sensitivities may find that steam cleaning is the best way to deep clean or spot clean carpets in the home. The created water vapour has no odour and is an excellent way to kill bacteria and lift dirt that contributes to other unpleasant smells.

In contrast to sprays and dry cleaners, steam cleaning a carpet does not inject agents that leave residue on the carpet fibres.

Steam cleaning is a highly effective and efficient approach for eliminating buildup from carpet fibres, including odours from modern pets. It is also effective at restoring the appearance of worn-out carpets over time. In high traffic areas, such as hallway carpets, where foot movement compresses a “path” over time, the restorative advantages are almost always obvious.

When all other cleaning methods have failed, steam cleaning is frequently a “last chance” approach that produces results. Steam cleaning does inject moisture into the carpet fibres, but far less moisture than hand shampooing to cleanse and freshen it.

Disadvantages of Dry Carpet Cleaning

Dry carpet cleaning solutions work well, but when you need a deep rejuvenation, the process is frequently insufficient to restore and cleanse a carpet.

Dry carpet cleaners can employ chemicals that leave residue on carpet fibres or odours that trigger allergies in certain individuals, so keep this in mind if you have toddlers or babies who spend a lot of time on the carpet.

Because it gathers more dust than an untreated and regularly vacuumed carpet, residue accumulation can actually age it over time.

Disadvantages of Steam Cleaning

The most obvious downside of steam cleaning carpets is that it usually requires the use of strong rental equipment, which is heavier and more difficult to carry than dry cleaning units.

The dirt retrieved from deep within the fibres may appear to re-emerge in the days and weeks following a steam clean; a further steam clean may be required for the best results.

When using a steam cleaner to remove stains, it is still vital to consider the age of the stain, how deeply it has infiltrated the fibres, and what caused it. Steam cleaners work well, possibly even better than dry cleaners, but they aren’t always completely effective at removing deep, tenacious stains.

Steam cleaning is a procedure that can be used on occasion but should not be utilized on a regular basis because it might cause unnecessary wear on the carpets.

Finally, steam cleaners frequently leave moisture in carpets that might take up to 24 hours to dry.