What is steam cleaning?

Steam cleaning is an increasingly popular method of carpet cleaning that uses hot water and a detergent solution. The carpet cleaning machine sprays the solution onto your carpet, then sprays hot water on top to activate it. The machine then sucks up the majority of the water, extracting grime and pollutants from the carpet fibers. Steam cleaning is generally considered a safe way to clean carpets because it doesn’t use chemicals that are unhealthy for people or risky for the carpet fibers. Professional carpet cleaners use machines that are more powerful than home cleaners, so they can suck up more dirt and leave the floors dryer. Because steam cleaning penetrates the surface of the carpet, it removes far more dirt, pet hair, dust mites and other debris than vacuuming does. Steam cleaning is also commonly used for cleaning furniture and mattresses, so steam cleaning companies may offer these services bundled with carpet cleaning services.