Although carpet cleaners are called steam cleaners or steam vacuums, there's actually no steam involved in the cleaning -- a fact that caused a lot of confusion and disappointment among user reviewers. More accurate names for these machines are carpet cleaners, deep cleaners or hot-water extractors. They spray a solution of hot water and detergent onto the carpet, work it into the carpet fibers with brushes and then use suction to extract the solution -- and with it, dirt.
According to ConsumerReports.org, professional cleaning services do the best job of getting dirt out of carpets. However, these services can be costly, especially if performed every 12 to 18 months as experts recommend. Renting or buying a machine is a cheaper alternative. Take the expected lifetime of a new carpet cleaner into account when deciding whether buying or renting is more cost-effective. For example, one machine tested by Good Housekeeping costs around $30 a day to rent or $600 to buy. This means that the machine would have to last for at least 20 uses to pay for itself. ConsumerReports.org says that the more carpet you have and the more dirt it's exposed to, the more likely it is that buying your own carpet cleaner will be a worthwhile investment.
Once you've decided to buy a carpet cleaner, the most important choice is between an upright and a compact carpet cleaner. Upright cleaners tend to cost more and require more storage space. They can also be heavy, although not as heavy as bulky rental units. Compact cleaners are easier to maneuver and, according to owner reviews, can be very easy to use. They can also fit into smaller spaces than uprights. However, these cleaners are only useful for spot cleaning; they can't cover an entire carpet.
Some other factors to keep in mind when shopping for a carpet cleaner:
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