There is usually a lot of confusion between the terms of steam cleaning and hot water extraction. People often have the misconception that they both are the same thing. Hot water extraction and steam cleaning are different when it comes to cleaning the carpets. Both methods have their different temperature of the water and also have different cleaning solution. So if you want to get rid of any stain from your carpet, then it is vital to get all the information about these methods and then choose what the best choice is.
If you have children in your house, then there are more chances of getting stain on your carpet than that means you need to be extra careful to clean it. You may not be able to clean that with normal water or vacuum because the stain on the carpet always left a dark mark, and it looks inappropriate. So here we are going to study the method that you can use while cleaning the spot or the stain on your carpet. To know about that, you can read this out!
What are steam cleaning and hot water extraction?
Table of Contents
Steam cleaning and hot water extraction are completely different; here, we are going to learn the differences of both processes:
Steam Cleaning
Steam cleaning of carpets involves the steam for cleaning; it uses the actual steam for which you need to heat the water at a high temperature so that it will convert liquid to gas. If you apply the steam on the carpet, then it will help you in killing the germs and also help in reducing the allergens. But if you want to remove the stains and soil, it is not that effective method you can use. It is an eco-friendly way of cleaning something as it does not require any harsh material or chemicals, which can be a problem.
Steam cleaning is mostly used to clean the rugs and carpets; the water is heated at an extremely high degree, turning the water into vapor and cleans the carpet. When the heat goes into the fiber, which is carpet or rugs, then it helps in breaking down dirt and provides a clean surface.
Hot water extraction
If we talk about hot water extraction, then the only thing that it needs to be in hot water. It should not be so hot, which will turn into heat, but it should be hot enough that it will clean the carpet from its depth. It does show some steam while hot water extraction, but it is not pure steam; it is just very hot water. It is one of the most effective methods which helps in cleaning the carpet stain and also remove the dirt from it. This process often helps you in cleaning the dirt, debris, soil, and other things from your carpet which is not visible.
Also Read: How Often Should You Clean Your Carpet?
Difference Between Steam Cleaning and Hot Water Extraction
Here are some points of differences through which you can compare that how steam cleaning is different from hot water extraction in the following aspects:
Price
Based on the price, if we compare both machines, such as hot water extraction and steam cleaner, you can say that hot water is more expensive than steam cleaning. It is obvious because hot water has more advantages that a person may not get if they buy the steam cleaner. The hot water extraction is from the range of $500 to $18000, and you can buy any which is within your budget. Whereas, if you look at the price of a steam cleaner, it will be no more than $500.
Usage
The use of hot water extraction is more effective than steam cleaning because, with the help of hot water, you can easily remove all the dirt and stain from the carpet. But if you will use a steam cleaner, then you will be able to kill the germs, but the stains and dirt will not get clean. Steam cleaning is not effective, and people do not pressure it much compared to the hot water extraction technique.
Temperature
If you talk about the temperature of water in both machines, then it is totally different. In steam cleaning, the water needed to be extremely hot enough that it will convert into vapor form. But on the other hand, the water in the hot after extraction should be hot, not so hot that it will turn into heat. That is why steam cleaning temperature should exceed 212 degrees Fahrenheit, whereas the temperature of hot water extraction should be not more than 150 degrees Celsius.
Water Involved
In hot water extraction, water is involved while heating the water in the hot water extraction, and it should not be so that it turns into steam. There will be steam but not pure, and it will be the steam that shows that the water is hot. But on the other hand, in steam cleaning, there is no involvement of the water, which means there will be water, but it should be heated that it will turn into steam so that there will be no water on the surface.
Methods
For hot water extraction, you need to apply the cleaning solution and then apply the hot water, which will extract all the dirt and soil from the carpet and keep it clean. But if you are using the steam cleaning, you need to apply the detergent and then apply the steam on the carpet, which will soak the detergent and dry the water from the carpet as soon as possible. The residue of the detergent attracts the dirt and soil and cleans it faster.
Conclusion
From the above points and the comparison, a person can easily conclude that usage of hot water extraction is way more effective than steam cleaning. So if you are thinking of buying any of the machines to remove the dirt, germs, and stain from your carpet, it is the best thing you can think of.
