Steam cleaning and carpet shampooing are both known cleaning methods. However, each works with distinct mechanisms. Steam cleaning works with a combination of heat and pressure while carpet shampooing cleans by generating foam to attract dirt. These two procedures have several advantages and disadvantages. However, consumer preferences and carpet types should be considered. The following paragraphs further explore such differences.

Is It Better to Shampoo or Steam Clean Carpets?

The straight answer is: you’ll want to go with steam cleaning over-shampooing, if only because this is the option that works well and is the most practical. 

It’s likely that you’re not cleaning a huge chunk of carpeting regularly, after all, and if your carpet doesn’t have a lot of heavy stains on it, you don’t need the shampooing either.

Steam Cleaning Carpets VS. Shampooing

After a time, even the brightest carpets can begin to look a bit dull. Foot traffic, dirt, grime, and dust can accumulate and not even the most powerful vacuum can get rid of it. That means it is time to deep clean your carpet. Deep cleaning gets rid of germs, mold, and pathogens along with deep stains on your carpet. 

Steam cleaning and carpet shampooing are both effective methods for deep cleaning your carpets at home. Choosing between them can be challenging. The choice often comes down to availability, frequency of cleaning, and if you want a professional to come in to clean your carpets.

What is Steam Cleaning?

Steam cleaning, also known as the hot-water extraction method, is a carpet cleaning procedure that actually uses warm to hot water and not steam. Hot water with high temperatures ranging from 150 to 200 degrees Fahrenheit comes out with high pressure into the carpet to break the stubborn bonding of fiber and dissolve the soil and dirt. The contaminants are then extracted by the powerful vacuum suction into the holding tank. Steam cleaning is able to kill bed bugs, molds, viruses, bacteria, dust mites, and any other living organism in carpets.

Cleaning Mate Carpet Cleaning Brisbane Company is a leader in deep steam cleaning, sanitation, and repair for carpets, rugs, and upholstery. Our carpet steam cleaning Brisbane method, which also involves a hot water extraction technology, ensures that your carpets are properly cleaned. Whether it be residential carpet cleaning or commercial carpet cleaning we’ve got you covered, satisfaction is guaranteed!

What is Carpet Shampooing?

Carpet shampooing uses solutions or cleaning chemicals that are applied to the carpet in order to form foam. Foam is generated by the revolving or rotary brush to attract dirt, soil, and, other contaminants from the carpet. The carpet is then left to dry and the soiled residue is collected with a vacuum cleaner. Shampooing is an effective method of removing deep grounded soil from carpets.

 

Cleaning Power

Ultimately, you can rest assured that you are getting a lot of cleaning power with both of these methods. Your carpeting will no doubt be cleaner regardless of the method, but with steam cleaning, you’re killing bacteria and germs along with stains. 

You can’t clean stains that are too deep, but you can prevent further dirt from rising to the surface.

You can also get rid of the eggs of pests when you use steam cleaning as well, because of the high temperature. This all-natural method might just benefit you more in the long term.

Cleaning Agents

This is one of the biggest differences between the two: what you clean with. 

When you’re steaming your carpeting, you’re only using steam and water to get the job done. When you’re shampooing your carpeting though, you’re likely using a chemical agent to help bring the dirt to the surface and remove it.

Moisture

Steam cleaning and shampooing both use water to clean your carpet, but shampooing uses a lot more moisture. This means that it can take as long as 48 hours for your carpet to dry once you’re done with the shampooing process. 

By contrast, when you only steam clean your carpet, you’re using a lot less water and your carpet will therefore be dry in just a few hours. Especially if you have a family running around or you need to walk on your carpet again, you might prefer a shorter cleaning time.

Summary of Steam Cleaning vs Carpet Shampooing

    • Steam cleaning and carpet shampooing are both known cleaning methods.
    • Steam cleaning works with a combination of heat and pressure.
    • Steam cleaning is a carpet cleaning procedure that actually uses warm to hot water and not steam.
    • The carpet shampooing method is done with the use of a cleaning shampoo or solution in order to form foam.
    • It takes longer for a shampooed carpet to dry; hence it is less popular as compared to steam cleaned one.
    • A shampooed carpet has more residues than steam cleaned carpet.
    • Steam cleaning is more expensive than the carpet shampooing method.
    • Steam cleaning is usually done with the assistance of a technician as it uses more complicated machinery while carpet shampooing is most often done independently.
    • Compared to carpet shampooing, steam cleaning kills more bacteria and mold.
    • Steam cleaning uses a more advanced kind of technology compared to carpet shampooing.