Carpet steam cleaners, these are not steam cleaning machines. What is the truth about these machines? Are these carpet extractors or floor steamers? Read here to know all about carpet steam cleaners.
Carpet steam cleaner machines are a source of much confusion. Some people perceive these machines as carpet extractor machines,
while some others think these as steam cleaning machines. What is the truth about these machines? Are these carpet extractors or floor steamers?
To set the record straight, carpet steam cleaner machines are carpet cleaners. These are not steam cleaning machines. The word steam is in fact the source of all the confusion.
Carpet shampooers versus floor steamers
Carpet shampooers are modestly powered machines, which are used to clean mats, carpets, seat upholstery, and other soft surfaces. The output pressure level of these machines does not exceed 500 psi and output temperature does not exceed 210°F.
The truth is that these machines do not require much output power. They rely more on the action of cleaning agents on the surfaces to be cleaned and the power of agitation than on the output temperature. Output temperature was later added to increase the speed of the cleaning process and overall efficiency.
Floor steamers, on the other hand, are powerful machines used for cleaning hard surfaces. The output power of these machines ranges up to 382°F, depending upon the model. The output of these machines is steam, not water. Unlike carpet cleaners, the output temperature is everything for floor steamers.
Where does a carpet steam cleaner stand in this scenario? The word carpet steam cleaner is more of a marketing jargon than a systematic product description. It is rather a result of evolution of carpet cleaning systems.
Evolution of carpet cleaning systems
The old carpet washing machines did not have heating elements. The output of these machines was not heated. Later, companies launched carpet cleaning systems equipped with heating elements. The output temperature of the machines began to increase gradually.
In the recent years, some machines started to provide a reasonably high temperature of up to 210°F. It was at that point when marketers started to add the term steam to these products. Initially, the term was added to differentiate the product from ordinary, non-heated carpet cleaning equipment.
It must be noted that carpet steam cleaning machines cannot have steam output. The output temperature of these machines may increase in future, but it is unlikely to touch the steam range. The surfaces on which these machines are used for cleaning are soft. They cannot withstand an output temperature that falls in the steam range.
That is why you can safely assume that the output temperature of carpet cleaning systems cannot exceed a certain level. If mats, carpets, or seat upholstery are exposed to steam output, they tend to get damaged or burned. So, the output temperature of these machines cannot keep on increasing.
Best carpet cleaner machines
A heated carpet extractor is easily the best carpet cleaner. With their multiple heating elements, a reasonably high output temperature, and low flow technology, they offer a variety of options for cleaning professionals. Such carpet cleaning machines can be used for auto detailing, cleaning wall-mounted carpets, and for cleaning seat upholstery.
Both heated and non-heated machines can be used for these tasks. Heated machines, or what is known as carpet steam cleaner machines, are the best bet.
