Why Steam Cleaning?
Let’s talk a little bit about why
Magic Wand Carpet Cleaning is the best choice
for your family’s textile cleaning needs…
What about my carpet’s warranty?
First off, lets put out on the table that major carpet manufacturers, for example Shaw Industries Group Inc, not only recommend, but require steam cleaning of carpets regularly in order to remain in compliance with new carpet warranties. They say “Shaw warranties require that the homeowner be able to show proof of periodic cleaning by hot water extraction (commonly called “steam” cleaning)….”
What’s the difference?
There are a small handful of methods offered to clean carpets, but Magic Wand Carpet Cleaning exclusively offers steam cleaning, also known as “hot water extraction”, or HWE. There are a couple good reasons for this, and the decision on which method to choose is an important one to protect your investment.
Steam Cleaning is far and away the most thorough method of carpet cleaning. The dirt and grime in your carpets is thoroughly broken down, flushed out and extracted, leaving behind only fresh, clean carpet. Family safe and non-toxic cleaning solutions are used to make this magic happen, just like the soft and harmless solutions used in your clothes washer. Other companies misleadingly claim to use only magic water, but this is not true as they also employ cleaning solutions in their procedures. Water alone cannot remove stains. Surely you know that!
How it works!
The short explanation of the steam cleaning method is: First, a “pre-spray” (similar to the first cycle in a laundry machine where you’d add laundry detergent to the water) is applied to the carpet. The machine uses heated prespray to help soften the dirt and prepare it for the next step. After the prespray has been applied to the areas, a rinse and extraction tool, called the “carpet wand”, connected by hoses to the truck-mounted equipment, is used by the technician to rinse and extract the carpet using the power of the machine to carry the dirt out our front door. The carpet wand sprays very hot pressurized water onto the carpet to help flush out the dirt just before it quickly extracts it all out using powerful vacuum suction.
The results often seem like magic! After cleaning a carpet protector can be applied if you choose. You can walk on the carpet immediately with clean bare feet, or shoes with shoe covers we can provide upon request. Typical drying times vary around 4-6 hours, however air movement and low humidity are key to quick drying times. Carpet can be dry much quicker if needed, and we carry powerful air movers on our carpet cleaning truck. Let us know if you need a certain room or two dry very fast! We can often have it dry before we leave.
What about other cleaning methods? I am out of my carpet’s warranty and I see other companies advertise 1 hr dry times and very cheap prices!
Another method to clean carpet is called “encapsulation cleaning”… it may go by other names but it’s all the same. A special chemical is sprayed down on the carpet, and then it is either left to dry, or a rotating brush machine or buffer type machine is then run over the carpet. Once the chemical is dry, the idea is that it crystallizes around the dirt and then can be vacuumed up, or wiped up before drying with the pads on the buffer. This method is most commonly associated with residue being left behind and stains that come back after the service. This method is offered by other companies in lieu of steam cleaning because it is much cheaper to start a business offering this, as only a couple inexpensive items are needed.