One of the most often asked questions when it comes to the HOST dry cleaning system that we use at Brody’s Dry is “what makes dry carpet cleaning better than steam cleaning?” In a word, EVERYTHING. We’re breaking it down for you on the blog today, and I’m sure you’ll agree that DRY is the only way to go!

Steam carpet cleaning isn’t really “steam” at all—it’s technically “hot water extraction.” Why is this an important distinction when it comes to your carpets? Hot water extraction typically saturates the carpet, penetrates the padding and leaves soapy, muddy surfaces that transition into crusty residue once the water dissolves. This distinction is also important because as the hot water extraction wets the carpet and turns the dirt into mud the moisture that remains in the carpet is still full of dirt particles. Tests have proven that to remove the dirty water left in the carpets after hot water extraction to an acceptable level to be considered “clean,” the carpet would need to be thoroughly rinsed approximately 16 times. Have you ever had a steam cleaning service go back over a part of your carpet that had recently been “cleaned” to show filthy water coming out of the carpet? “We just had this cleaned!” is the typical homeowner response. You can recreate this demonstration yourself by renting a Rug Doctor at your local home store and re-clean an area that was just steamed a day or two before. Take our word for it, you won’t be pleased with what you see.

Steam cleaning uses outdated technology, and can lead to unsightly and potentially hazardous problems. You’ve seen the steam-cleaning vans in your neighborhood, with the big hoses running across the neighbor’s yard and into their home. This outdated system relies on high water pressure, high alkaline detergents and hot water. While we as consumers assume this process is removing dirt and allergens from the carpet, it is also forcing water, chemicals and dirt through the base of the carpet, into the pad and sometimes even into the subfloor. When the water is vacuumed up from the carpet, only around 60% of the tainted water comes out, and because the pad and subfloor cannot be vacuumed it can take up to two days for the area to become entirely dry. This can cause spots and stains to re-appear through the carpet fibers during evaporation, and can lead to bigger problems like mold, mildew, odor, and quick re-soiling. No wonder two of the top complaints with steam cleaning are carpets that stay wet for days and stains that “magically reappear” after cleaning!

Steam cleaning is not environmentally friendly. Many people assume that because it is just “steam” that cleans the carpets, it is better for their home and for the environment than dry cleaning. This is not the case, as we mentioned the high alkaline chemicals that are needed to remove dirt when steam cleaning. The vans that provide the high-pressure needed for steam cleaning are heavy, noisy, burn excess fuel and put toxic fumes into the neighborhood. After cleaning, the steam cleaning companies must find a place to legally dump the chemically-laced dirty water, otherwise it ends up back in the city’s water supply. Yuck.

Dry carpet cleaning is better for your carpet, your home, and the environment. Brody’s Dry uses a patented HOST system which allows treated carpets to be thoroughly clean and completely dry in 15 minutes or less. Stains will not reappear, and carpets will actually repel dirt after cleaning, allowing your flooring to stay clean for months longer that steam cleaning. The equipment we use is light, quiet, and there is no fuel consumed or toxic exhaust emitted into the neighborhood while we clean. Best of all, there is no chemically-laced dirty water to dump back into the city’s water supply.

Like any other process or service, the outcome depends not only on the method but on the training, experience and knowledge of the technician performing the cleaning. You can be certain that the professionals at Brody’s Dry are the best in the business, and our HOST cleaning system can’t be beat! Ready to experience the best clean of your life? Call us at 903-571-0663 or just click HERE if you’re in the Tyler, Texas area.  Live in the Kansas City metro?  Call us at 816-895-7000 or click HERE for an estimate.

Clean and dry, before we say goodbye! Call us today!