Steam carpet cleaning involves extremely hot water being sprayed and then immediately extracted or sucked up by a pump. The carpet shampoo solution is pressurized and therefore will penetrate through the thickest types of carpet. The heat and pressure of the water, as well as the special formula in carpet shampoos loosens grime that may have been ground deep into the carpet fibers.

The best results will be achieved if a high powered extraction vacuum system is used to remove the water that has been infused into the carpet. In fact it is imperative that the water be removed to ensure a healthy carpet after shampooing.

Professional Carpet Cleaning or Home Carpet Shampoo

The process of steam carpet cleaning with a carpet shampooer can be done by a team of professionals who use commercial grade carpet shampoo cleaners and carpet shampoo machines that are industrial strength.

Carpet shampooing can also be done by a home owner if he/she has a portable carpet shampoo machine like the Kirby carpet shampoo machine or the Hoover or Electrolux carpet shampoo equipment that is readily available. Carpet shampooing can also be done DIY by getting a carpet shampoo rental from a supermarket or other rental location.

Since there are so many choices, from portable steam carpet cleaners to powerful truck-mounted units, it may difficult to decide how best to spend your money. Since one steam carpet shampoo cleaning may cost over $100 and buying some of the portable machines may be only $200, it really comes down to how often you need to have a carpet shampooing treatment. Because the same basic result will be achieved whether you buy a portable carpet shampoo machine or hire a professional to do it for you.

The basic principal is based on hot water, carpet shampoo and some form of extraction method. (There is also dry foam carpet shampoo but that is another article.)

What you want is to remove stains and generally make your carpet come back to life. You also want to care for your carpet so it lasts longer and carpet shampoo cleaners help to achieve this.

Problems with Steam Cleaning Carpet Shampoo methods

The major problem that arises with steam cleaning your carpets with carpet shampooers are that often the carpets are left too wet and may a long time to dry and thus cause potential problems with mildew or mold. If the suction, or extraction of the water, is done with proper equipment, this side effect can be minimized greatly.

What kinds of Steam Cleaning is Best

When looking for the best carpet steam cleaners for your home you must consider that there are two main forms of steam cleaning currently in use. The first sprays hot liquid into the carpet, then with agitation brings up grime and dirt, and finally is extracted with more hot water. This is an effective carpet shampooing option as long as the carpet is properly rinsed; otherwise there may be residue in the carpet that makes it more prone to re-soiling afterward.

The other carpet shampoo method is to use an emulsifying pre-spray which is applied to the entire carpet, the fibers are moved and brushed, and then the fluid is extracted with a wand while a special solvent rinses the residue from the fibers. Because of the final step with the use of a rinsing agent, this form of steam cleaning, or carpet shampooing, is the most effective of the “wet” methods.

• Nature’s Miracle carpet shampoo penetrates carpet and upholstery fibers and removes odors and allergens. It is a low foaming formula designed for water based rug cleaning machines.
• Bissell Pet Odor and Stain Removal Formula for deep carpet cleaning that works with the Bissell Little Green, Bissell Spot Lifter, or other area carpet shampooers.
• Encapsulating Carpet Cleaning Detergent offers low moisture encapsulation even for commercial carpet care. It uses the Hydroxi Pro Carpet Cleaning formula to clean and deodorize with hydrogen peroxide and an anti-resoiling crystallizing polymer.
• Parish Carpet Extractor Detergent is a liquid cleaner and emulsifier for use with hot water steam cleaning machines. This product produces little foam and eliminates sticky residue build-up.
• Fiber All carpet liquid cleaner is a highly concentrated emulsifier recommended for use on all types of carpeting and upholstery.
• Second Nature is an eco friendly carpet detergent that is bio-degradable and made to clean tough pet stains. It is concentrated and designed for deep cleaning carpet shampoo machines.

Specialized carpet cleaning products are often unavailable or not practical due to price. Here are some suggestions for the best carpet shampoo cleaners for your carpet shampoo machines.

Use about a quarter of a teaspoon of laundry detergent with bleach for each gallon of warm water.

Just remember that you don’t want a mountain of foam so use only a teeny bit of detergent and not as much as you might think necessary to clean carpet. To rinse the detergent out of the carpet so there is no residue; use a fresh tank of warm water with a cup of white vinegar for each gallon of water. Rinse the carpet with this solution several times. Make sure that your shampoo your carpets on a warm or dry day, and open the windows to help the carpet to dry faster.

Do not walk on damp carpets. Wait for them to be completely dry or they will just be dirtier than when you began.

You can also use a little dish detergent, about a teaspoon per gallon and to rinse use a few drops of ammonia. Again the key to carpet cleaning and using alternatives to dry foam carpet shampoo is to not let the carpet get too sopping wet so it can dry quickly.

There are also products that can help maintain the carpets between carpet shampooing treatments, like a carpet cleaning product called Spot Shot. It is applied by spraying on the stained area and then blotting out the stain or patting until there is no mark left. Some people use a little of this product as a carpet shampoo in their carpet shampoo machines, instead of detergent or other products. Just use a teaspoon or two per gallon of hot water. But don’t forget to pre-treat the stains before shampooing.