Why hot water extraction beats dry cleaning

Carpet and upholstery cleaning is a varied and competitive industry, with companies using a wide range of methods, equipment and chemicals. The two main approaches are dry cleaning — cheaper but less effective — and hot water extraction, also known as steam cleaning, which is what I use on every job.

Despite plenty of marketing claims from dry cleaning companies about carpets being “dry to walk on,” the difference in quality, hygiene and health benefit is night and day.

Here’s a simple comparison. Washing your hair means wetting it, applying a quality shampoo, rinsing with clean warm water and extracting the remaining moisture properly. Dry cleaning, by contrast, uses chemicals and a pad to draw dirt from the surface — nowhere near as effective.

It’s also worth remembering that carpet, fabric and other materials hold onto dust mites, bacteria, insect eggs, hair, saliva, sweat and other residue over time. Hot water extraction is genuinely effective at reducing or eliminating triggers for hay fever and asthma with regular, periodic cleaning.