Heated Carpet Cleaner Vs. Non-Heated

Heated

• Heated carpet cleaners use water to extract dirt from carpeting. They are commonly referred to as steam cleaners and extraction cleaners. Residential heated carpet cleaners heat the water to temperatures as high as 210 degrees Fahrenheit. Most use a liquid cleaning solvent, which you pour into a water chamber, which is attached to a vacuum-like hose wand device. The hose sucks out dirt, reaching through the carpet pile to extract dirt all the way to the padding, and deposits the dirty water into a separate water chamber. The dirty water is emptied as needed, and you refill the machine with cleaning solvent to complete cleaning the carpet. Carpets are typically dry and usable within two to four hours.

Non-Heated

• Non-heated carpeted cleaners come in two main types: carpet shampooers and dry carpet cleaners. Carpet shampoo machines use water and cleaning shampoo products. The shampoo is poured into a compartment on the cleaner and you depress a button on the vacuum hose to dispense the shampoo onto the carpet. When you release the button, the vacuum hose reverses its operation from disbursing shampoo to sucking up dirt. This procedure is repeated until the carpet cleaning task is complete. Dry carpet cleaners do not use heat or water. Instead, you sprinkle granular cleaning agents onto the carpet, wait and allow them to activate. Some dry-clean cleaning agent products require you to scrub the carpet by hand so the cleaning agents penetrate through the carpet fibers to loosen the soil and dirt. You finish by vacuuming the carpet to remove all traces of the cleaning agent product and to complete the carpeting cleaning. Carpets are usually ready for use immediately with dry cleaners, and within hours after using a shampooer.

Similarities

• Heated and non-heated carpet cleaners require a carpet cleaning machine that works in a manner similar to a vacuum cleaner, with hoses and suction. Machines that use shampoo or hot water extraction work with water and have removable chambers to empty extracted water. All heated and non-heated carpet cleaners are designed for use as carpet cleaners only. They are not made for normal vacuum-cleaning tasks. Both provide interim cleaning solutions; however, the Carpet Research Institute website recommends having carpets professionally cleaned periodically.

Differences

• Heated carpet cleaners are generally more effective than non-heated carpet cleaners. They are more powerful and effective at removing dirt and soil from the visible top layers of the carpeting all the way to the pad. While non-heated carpet cleaners do a presentable job at removing surface dirt and soils, they are not as effective at delivering professional-looking results, and carpets may appear soiled and sullied again within several weeks, and within less time when shampoo and dry cleaners are used.