The most recommended method for deep thorough carpet cleaning is hot water extraction.

There really should be no debate about this, but "low moisture" or "dry carpet cleaning companies" continue
to perpetuate the MYTH that hot water extraction ruins carpet and leads to carpets being wet for days.

For the most part this is simply not true.

In the hands of inexperienced carpet cleaners, hot water extraction can lead to some long dry times, but hot water extraction in the hands of a good experienced carpet cleaner does not ruin your carpets or lead to long dry times.

Let's deal with FACTS!

The most recommended method for deep thorough cleaning is hot water extraction.

You don't have to take our word for it, just look at what Shaw Industries has to
say about this subject:

Hot water extraction or steam cleaning - removes oils and particulates that accelerate soiling. Shaw Floors recommends hot water extracting every 12-18 months depending on the traffic in your home.

Shaw Industries is the largest carpet manufacturer in the world. Does anyone really think they are going to recommend a carpet cleaning method that ruins the carpets they make?

You can check out Shaw Industries Recommendations Here.

Of course not.

So, please do not fall for the "dry cleaning" hype. Facts do not support their claims.

So, if hot water extraction is the most recommended method for deep thorough cleaning, what TYPE of hot water extraction should be used?

That might be a question that many get confused about for one main reason: most people do not know that there are a number of "hot water extraction" methods that carpet cleaners use.

Let's cover the two MAIN methods of hot water extraction, commonly referred to as steam cleaning, although no real steam is used to actually clean the carpet.

1. Truck-mounted Hot Water Extraction

Truck-mounted hot water extraction refers to a carpet cleaning machine that is mounted inside a truck, trailer, or van - almost always a van.

Truck-mounted machines, which we use at Linton's Carpet Cleaning, come in various sizes.

They include a machine that has a water pump and a vacuum pump. Almost all truck-mounted hot water extraction machines create hot water, with some of them creating VERY hot water.

You do NOT need hot water to clean well, but it certainly has it's benefits.

The advantage to truck-mounted carpet cleaning machines is that they stay in the van, they do not come into your home.

The vacuum hose and the high pressure water hose are the ONLY items from a truck-mounted hot water extraction unit that actually enter the home.

With a truck-mounted hot water extraction system the unit can actually be hundreds of feet from your home, which lowers the noise in your home while cleaning.

A major advantage of truck-mounted hot water extraction systems is that they are capable of producing
a lot of vacuum. And we mean a lot. The vacuum pumps on most truck-mount machines create a lot of lift
and airflow - this allows the cleaner to extract over 90% of all water put down during the cleaning process.

2. Portable Hot Water Extraction Machines

These portable machines can do a very good job of cleaning - especially if the cleaner knows what they are doing.

But most portables simply do not have the power that large truck-mounted machines have.

They do not produce, in almost all cases, water that is nearly as hot as truck-mounted machines.

They do not have the vacuum power of most truck-mounted hot water extraction machines.

Their recovery tanks, almost all of them, are small and they have to be emptied during the cleaning, and many times that is done in your home! Not good.

But portable hot water extraction machines do have advantages over truck-mounted machines, but it never
comes to actual cleaning results. It comes down to convenience.

For example, there are many situations, like banks, high rise buildings, or government buildings where the doors have to be kept shut, or running a lot of hose is not practical.

This is where portable hot water extraction machines really shine.

It would be a nightmare to run solution lines and vacuum hoses 30 stories up a building with truck-mounted
machines, but with a portable the machine is just sent up an elevator and to the area to be cleaned.

With ALL truck-mounted carpet cleaning machines the door of the home, or place of business, has to be left open. In some cases, like banks and other secure buildings, this is not allowed. Portables can be brought into the building and the doors locked behind them.

So which should you choose?

If you are going to choose a carpet cleaning company based on just whether they use truck-mounted hot water extraction or portable hot water extraction - you are making a mistake.

The choice in a cleaning company comes down to several factors. But with all things being equal you would be better off, in most cases, hiring a carpet cleaning company that uses truck-mounted hot water extraction.

Truck-mounted hot water extraction simply, in almost every case, allows the cleaner to clean with hotter water (which at times is a big benefit), a stronger vacuum system, which extracts more soil and water from your carpet and offers faster dry times, and usually offers lower noise levels in your home or place of business.

At Linton's Carpet Cleaning we use top-of-the-line truck-mounted hot water extraction ALONG with rotary
jet extraction. This allows us to make over 600 separate cleaning passes a minute! When we say clean,
we mean clean! Take a look at the video below to see the outstanding results that high-powered truck-mounted hot water extraction AND rotary jet extraction offer.