When you steam clean a carpet

[3littlefrogs]

How do you actually get the dirt out? I have just bought a steam cleaner and have had a go at the carpet. The cleaner doesn't actually suck the dirt out, so are you supposed to let it dry and then hoover it?

This may be a daft question but can anyone advise?

Domestic steam cleaners don't actually clean a carpet, they refresh it and kill the dust mites. If you want a steam cleaner to suck all the moisture and dirt out you have to buy an industrial one and they aren't cheap. I would get a professional cleaner in to do it for me.

You can hire rug doctors or similar from places like Homebase for about 30 pounds for a weekend. They pump out hot water and detergent and then suck it back in, so you are physically removing the dirt. The water isn't as hot as in a steam cleaner, but they do work very well in my experience and are much cheaper than getting someone in to do it.

Ah - ok, thanks.

Yes - the steam loosens the dirt, so you steam then hoover when carpet is dry.

A steam cleaner has a cloth that absorbs a small amount of dirt.

If you use a detergent system you can remove significant amounts of dirt.

But you can also shrink your carpets so be careful!

I have a Polti steamer - gets rid of tons of dirt.