Chem-Dry vs. Steam Cleaning
Your carpets do more than just provide comfort underfoot—they act as natural air filters, trapping dust, non-living allergens*, and other airborne particles. Over time, however, these trapped contaminants accumulate and can eventually be released back into your home, potentially impacting indoor air quality and your family’s health. Many homeowners remain unaware of this issue, experiencing negative effects without realizing that an effective solution exists.
To combat this, some turn to traditional steam cleaning, whether by hiring a professional service or renting a bulky machine to tackle the job themselves. Unfortunately, steam cleaning comes with challenges—excessive water usage, long drying times, and the risk of mold and mildew growth. Many who attempt DIY steam cleaning find themselves frustrated with the effort, often resorting to a professional service anyway.
But what if there was a better way to deep clean carpets without the hassle and drawbacks of steam cleaning?
Superior Cleaning Homeowners Can Trust
When searching for a quality carpet cleaner, keep in mind that not all carpet cleaning services are created equal. There are several key factors that separate a high quality carpet cleaning process that delivers a healthier cleaning for your carpets and home from one that drenches your carpets with gallons of water and harsh cleaners. These factors explain why our unique Hot Carbonating Extraction system at Chem-Dry of Fort Worth offers a deeper, faster drying, healthier carpet cleaning experience than typical steam cleaning services.
When you steam clean carpet, you saturate it with an excessive amount of water filled with soaps and detergents. This results in carpets that remain wet for 1-2 days, which creates a breeding ground for mold, mildew, and bacteria. Plus, the soapy substances left behind by carpet steam cleaners attracts dirt and causes your carpets to get dirty much faster.
At Chem-Dry of Fort Worth, our process is different. Instead of soaking your carpets with water like a carpet steam cleaner, our process employs millions of microscopic bubbles to explode dirt from deep in your carpet fibers, so we only need to use a fraction of the water that a typical steam carpet cleaner uses—almost 80% less in fact.
We also use a natural carpet cleaner instead of a cleaner with heavy soaps and detergents. After the carbonation releases and lifts the dirt, our high-powered equipment extracts the dirt and moisture from the carpet. While the drying time relies on several factors, such as humidity, airflow, and the carpet itself, the carpet will typically be dry within just an hour or two and ready for you to enjoy.
So while carpet steam cleaners use excessive amounts of water that often soaks through to the carpet backing and creates a breeding ground for mold and mildew, our low-moisture process doesn’t carry the same risk and offers a more convenient carpet cleaning solution. Plus, your carpets dry in just a few hours, not 1-2 days like with typical steam carpet cleaning.
See the Difference for Yourself
The best way to decide whether to hire a carpet steam cleaner or to use the Chem-Dry all natural process is to look at the two methods side by side. Take a look below to see a sampling of the benefits Chem-Dry carpet cleaning offers over steam cleaning.
Side-by-Side Comparison: Chem-Dry vs. Steam Cleaning
Chem-Dry Hot Carbonating Extraction | Typical Steam Cleaning |
| Carbonating, active cleaning solution | Flat, inactive cleaning solution |
| No soaps or detergents | Harsh chemicals and detergents |
| Resists resoiling | Sticky substances encourage resoiling |
| Low water quantity | High water quantity that can cause mold, mildew |
| Short drying time, 1-2 hours | Long drying time, 1-2 days |
| Low-pressure application | High pressure application |