Steam cleaners and carpet cleaners, which one is the best option to keep your house clean? Usually, you will find several people trying to get the best option. Deciding on the cleaning kits, as simple as it may can be very frustrating. Fortunately, we have done the harder work for you and compared the two to help you determine which one is best for your needs. The two products come with their benefits, and how you use one will be quite different from the other. To find the best choice for you will depend on how you want to use it. Let’s look at them in.
Steam Cleaner
Contents
A steam cleaner uses vapor water to extract, sterilize, and eliminate stains and grime build-up from surfaces. This machine can be used on sealed floors, tiles, grout, and other hard surfaces. It is also efficient in fabrics such as carpets and furnishings.
The major components of a steam cleaner and their work
Water is heated to steam in a boiler and exits through a nozzle. The vaporized water expunges dirt so that it’s easier to be vacuumed. Some steam cleaners use cleaning chemicals and detergents.
Boiler- It boils water to steam under high temperatures and pressure. The boilers are made from stainless steel, and some of the major parts such as the heating rod are replaceable.
The refill – This is where the operator adds water from into a non-pressurized tank. When adding water to systems without a refill tank, one must first depressurize the machine first and chill for about 20 minutes to allow the water to heat before reusing the machine. For the commercial steam cleaners, the operator can refill water as it continues running.
Automatic refill- This is a direct connection to the water source. It allows the boiler to refill automatically as it runs. However, in the case where water is unavailable, you will have to refill manually.
Detergent tanks- This tank stores detergents for use in cleaning. The tank releases the cleaning detergent and chemicals during the cleaning process. There’s a handle control on most steam cleaners to allow the operator to regulate the detergent.
Steam vacuum –Steam cleaners have vacuums where the contents are discharged automatically to the extraction tanks. The tanks have a holding capacity of up to 35 liters.
Accessories include brushes of ranging shapes. Also, there are squeegees and plungers for cleaning sinks.
Tips for Using a Steam Cleaner
Do not use a steam cleaner on pressed paper surfaces, cardboard, or on none enamel painted surfaces.
For waxed surfaces, use low pressure so as not to melt the wax.
Work fast and on minimum pressure for unwaged vinyl floors. If you allow heat to overstay, it’s most likely to spoil the texture of the vinyl.
A Carpet Cleaner
It is structured to remove dirt and grime that is deeply jammed inside a carpet. The operator is required to spray a shampoo or the cleaning chemical and let it soak for about 15 minutes. After that, use the carpet cleaner to pump and wrench out the dirty water using a vacuum.
The major components of a carpet cleaner and how they work
Pump- This attachment induces pressure that forces water into the carpet. The pressure ranges between 60 and 500 psi.
The Vaccum- The vacuum draws dirty water and shampoo from the carpet into an extraction chamber. It is powered by a motor that varies in the confirmation from different manufacturers. For the best performance, go for a motor with two motor stages.
Solution tank which is the store for rinsing water.
Recovery tank- This is a chamber that collects dirt drawn out of the carpet during cleaning. It also holds the cleaning shampoo and dirty water.
Heating unit- the rinsing water is heated from here.
The accessories include a floor wand which varies in width from 10-12″. This includes one or two jets for injecting and drawing out fluids.
Tips for Using a Carpet Cleaner
- Before using a carpet cleaner, you need to first vacuum the surface before applying the shampoo or cleaning solution.
- On stained and highly crime material, you can use heated water to clean.
- Avoid heated water on wool and organic fibers that are affected by high temperatures, as this might shrink or damage them.
Final Word
To answer your question on which of the two is a better option, it will entirely depend on your cleaning needs. If you are only looking for a kit to clean your carpet, go for a carpet cleaner. However, if you are looking for a kit to clean a variety of things, then it’s best to go for a steam cleaner.
