Carpet Steam Cleaners and Steam Cleaners: What’s the Difference?

It’s easy to get confused with carpet steam cleaners and steam machines, as these are both formidable cleaning machines that can make a quick work out of most cleaning tasks. However, these are two very different cleaning machines and understanding the difference between these two units is very important. Some people have ended up damaging their carpets by using dry steam systems, which can generate very high steam temperatures. Understanding the difference between carpet steam cleaners and steam cleaning machines can help you get the most out of both machines.

Steam and steam cleaning!
Contrary to what most people believe, carpet steam cleaners do not actually use steam during the cleaning process, they only emit steam while cleaning. These units actually use heated water which can be very effective in removing ground-in stains, hardened deposits and sticky sedimentation. Carpet steam cleaners come equipped with built-in heating elements, whereas lighter machines only have a single heating element. It's very important to use a good carpet shampooer with these for maximum results.

Steam cleaning machines use vaporized water for cleaning. Unlike carpet steam cleaners, steam machines are better suited for hard surface cleaning, such as cleaning tiles or flooring. Since these units generate very high temperatures, they can both sanitize and disinfect. Although these units are not well suited to clean the entire carpet, they can be very effective for spot-cleaning jobs for carpets and upholstery. These units are often used for spot-cleaning tasks for interior detailing applications.