[ollie]

Am I missing something? Is there a carpet cleaning method called "steam cleaning" and I dont mean the fact that most custys think of HWE as steam cleaning. Do people actually clean carpets with steam? A customer I did some work for 2 years ago called me today, he has just put a house up to let and the letting agency told him to get his carpets cleaned and recommended the company they use. Anyway I got a call today from him explaining this and telling me the chap he spoke to said they use steam cleaning and are the only company in Wales that do, my old customer thought it was strange that if it was as good as he made out why was there only one company in wales using it. I try never to put other companies down etc so I told him hand on heart I had no knowledge of a system that just uses steam and no detergents and he should research it, but he decided just to use me instead. Does this system exist?  I would like to be honest with the custy if it does. I know the companies name and on the website it just looks like a normal truckmount and wands and hand tools etc. It just seems extraordinary to claim you are the only company in Wales to use this system if it doesnt exist.

[Kev Loomes]

If he's got a truckmount and he has wands etc then he is HWE. Sounds like he is just trying to find that marketing edge to me

Post his website so we can all have a look to determine what he means...

[derek west]

HWE and steam cleaning are one and the same, he's just exaggerating the steam cleaning bit and saying he's the only one.
thats what i think anyhoo.
derek

[Nigel_W]

Client came into a room I was cleaning today and actually said the words "oh so its steam you are using thats why the carpets are so dry. Technically I guess its not steam as there is still plenty of liquid. However I was engulfed in a cloud of steam and enjoying my own personal sauna and the TM guage did say 245 degrees. She will of course tell everybody that I used steam even though it is not something I would promote.

Nigel

[Jim_77]

NO normal carpet cleaning is done with steam.

Running at high temperatures, what you see coming out of the wand is water vapour, which is sub-100 degrees C and is simply a by-product of the hot water being used.

If you blasted a carpet with proper steam (100 degrees plus) you'd be in big trouble in a lot of cases.

"Steam Cleaning" is a misnoma, and I am constantly annoyed to be surrounded by other "professionals" who call HWE by this name.  OK it could be defended by saying that you're talking the customer's language, but it's like calling a vacuum cleaner a hoover, it's just unprofessional.

[end of rant]

[Mike Osbourne]

The unfortunate thing is, although inaccurate to say steam cleaning, watch a prospects eyes glaze over when you say HWE or hot water extraction, but say steam cleaning and you have their interest and the opportunity to provide your service and educate of time.

[Len Gribble]

We use special cleaning products combined with either steam cleaning or hot water extraction buy the pictures this person uses a TM

Steam cleaning is the most recommended method of carpet cleaning by carpet manufacturers this one used a wonder wand /cfr hand tool.

Sometimes I have my work cut selling LM.

Len

[carlton care]

The numpties on one of these " clean homes" type programmes use steam cleaners, giving the impression that it does a great job.

[pete sween]

We use special cleaning products combined with either steam cleaning or hot water extraction buy the pictures this person uses a TM

Steam cleaning is the most recommended method of carpet cleaning by carpet manufacturers this one used a wonder wand /cfr hand tool.

Sometimes I have my work cut selling LM.

Len, were you and Jimmy Sommerville seperated at birth

Pete

[ollie]

Hi all thanks for your replies , I thought the guys claims were a bit mad! I dont really want to post any details about the company beacause i dont want to let a Genie out of the bottle who may be steaming mad in Swansea for instance.

[ollie]

I have to say it was my customer who told me they said they were the only "steam cleaners" in Wales...not the website

[Doctor Carpet (Ret'd)]

Jim you're right.

My take has always been that I explain that the hot water is under pressure and as it comes out of the wand tip it atomises and therefore looks like steam.

I'm sure Doug H could give us the proper run down on how Boyle's Law comes into this about increasing temperature as pressure increases; seem to remember it from school but my mind is now having a senior moment.

[ollie]

Jim you're right.

My take has always been that I explain that the hot water is under pressure and as it comes out of the wand tip it atomises and therefore looks like steam.

I'm sure Doug H could give us the proper run down on how Boyle's Law comes into this about increasing temperature as pressure increases; seem to remember it from school but my mind is now having a senior moment.

Yeah but steam is produced anyway if water is at a certain temp, but this company are selling themselves as "steam cleaners" !!

[Ian Rochester]

We have a Osprey Deepclean Vega Plus steam cleaner www.ospreydc.com/index.php?id=100 which we use mainly for cleaning commercial toilets and kitchens, it works at 8 bar pressure and a temp of 180^oc, as far as I am aware, this machine is probably as big as it gets in the general commercial market. 

It also has a chemical feed and an extraction system on it, so in theory it could be used on carpets, I've not tried it.   I think it could do some serious damage to the lay of the pile at those temperatures and pressures as we use a smaller steam gun when re-laying the pile from furniture marks.

The manufacturers don't mention carpet cleaning it their blurb, however, I may give it a go on a test piece the next time we have it up and running and report back.

[Joe H]

There are domestic steam cleaners on the market that can be used on carpets but the pressure and temperature is nothing like the Osprey, and they usually stae a microfibr cloth be used as a pad anyway.
I would imagine at lot lower temperature and less pressur you may get away with it - especially with the suction.
Try it on a piece of carpet thats been used as a door mat - you know the piece the customer chucks in at the end of the clean "can you do me that as well" - only cost £1 for them to get a brand new piece!!

[carlton care]

For gum removal, I bought a steam producing vacuum some years ago. Great for gum removal some "light " curtain cleaning, but useless for carpet cleaning.

My wife bought one of these little steamers for laminated and tiled floors last week, it does a good job at that, but they claim it will clean carpets.

Steam is more likely to wreck carpets, than clean them, 'tho I must admit, there has been the odd occasion when I felt a "steam genny" would be the answer to a really grotty commercial carpet.

robert m

Joe

I have tried steamers over the years and as you say, with a cloth / towelling strip between the carpet and the steam head................as they dont use chemicals, the results are inferior to the standard regime, of, spray/aggitate/hot water extract.

[Joe H]

Joe
I have tried steamers over the years and as you say, with a cloth / towelling strip between the carpet and the steam head................as they dont use chemicals, the results are inferior to the standard regime, of, spray/aggitate/hot water extract.

So right, much inferior.
They do have an ability to lift the pile a bit, and take the pad off I am sure they may do a good job to help release the likes of candle wax and crayon.