Carpet Cleaning Breakdown: Chemical, Steam, & Green Cleaning

When the carpeting in your home starts to look a little worn and dingy, you might be wondering what’s the best way to clean your carpet and restore its appearance. Unlike in times past, there are now a number of great ways to clean your carpet effectively, with the most prominent choices being chemical, steam and green cleaning.

If you’re having trouble determining which method is right for cleaning the carpets in your home, it can be helpful to examine each technique in more detail to assist in your decision. Learn the difference between chemical, steam and green cleaning so you can choose the right carpet cleaning method for the carpeting in your home.

Chemical Cleaning

Chemical cleaning is probably the cleaning method that most homeowners are familiar with. In chemical cleaning, you will spread a cleaning agent on the stained areas of your floor, let it work on the dirt and then scrub it out, after which your carpet will hopefully be clean and look like its old self.

Although chemical cleaning is very effective, it has two big disadvantages. First, it can be very time consuming. Secondly, prolonged exposure to cleaning chemicals can cause adverse side effects such as nausea and lightheadedness. However, if you want to make sure your carpets are clean, there’s almost no better solution than chemical cleaning.

Steam Cleaning

Steam cleaning, despite its name, doesn’t clean your carpet through steam alone. In fact, steam cleaning uses steam to activate and rinse a cleaning chemical, such as a detergent or a soap. There are a number of reasons that people choose steam cleaning for their carpet, almost all of them having to do with its effectiveness.

The biggest advantage of steam cleaning is that it is the best solution for removing deep set stains, particularly those that have been in your carpet for a long period of time. In addition, because steam cleaning is done with a machine, it is usually less labor intensive than other cleaning methods—although it can be more expensive if you rent a steamer long term.

Green Cleaning

Many modern homeowners are concerned with using harsh chemicals in their home, both for their own safety and for the health of the environment. If you’re one of these environmentally conscious homeowners, then you might be interested in green carpeting cleaning.

Unlike the previous two carpet cleaning methods, which are chemical based, green cleaning solutions are plant based. You can even make your own green carpet cleaner using products like baking soda.

While it’s not as well-known as steam cleaning and chemical cleaning, green cleaning is becoming a popular, effective and environmentally friendly option to clean carpets in homes across the country.

Choose the Right Carpet Cleaning Technique

If it’s time to give the carpets in your home a deep clean, then you need to find the right cleaning method. As we have seen, there are a wide variety of carpet cleaning techniques that will remove deep stains and get your carpet looking like new. Choose the right carpet cleaning method—whether steam, chemical or green—and return your carpet back to its original appearance.