Technology continually evolves and affects many industries, and the carpet cleaning sector is no different. As time has gone by, different methods for cleaning carpets have been introduced, with the best cleaning companies eager to get their hands on the latest tech gear in the industry. So as we kick off 2025, what is the most effective carpet cleaning method currently in use today?

1. Introducing steam cleaning

Experts all largely agree that if you want to get your carpets cleaned and are looking for the best results possible, steam cleaning is the method that is most likely to achieve your goal.

You might be surprised to discover that for a method that’s currently the leader in its field in terms of efficiency and performance, its origins actually date back as far as the late 1700s.

However, the systems used to carry out the steam cleaning process weren’t available for general use until the mid 1960s, and they have, obviously, been massively refined over the years.

2. How steam cleaning works

Steam cleaning, often also referred to as hot water extraction, is a process that involves applying a blast of heated steam to a carpet. The steam is heated up to around 100 degrees Celsius, which makes it capable of killing any germs, bacteria, viruses and other harmful microscopic organisms that may be hanging out in a carpet.

Furthermore, the heated vapour is highly effective at breaking down the bonds in tough dirt and stains, so they are easier to remove.

A steam cleaning system operates at a high-pressure, with a suction function that pulls out the grime, stains, odours and debris in a carpet, so it’s restored to a really clean and hygienic condition.

What makes steam cleaning one of the most effective carpet cleaning methods in use today?

3. Non-residual

Some traditional methods of cleaning a carpet involve the use of shampoos. The problem with shampoos is that they often contain strong chemicals and detergents that can cause harm to a carpet, such as fabric discoloration.

What’s more, the soapy residues can be tough to fully remove from the carpet, so what happens is that these cause a residual layer to stick to carpet fibres, which acts like a magnet for attracting new dirt accumulation.

With steam cleaning, however, shampoos aren’t needed. The process relies on natural methods and no harmful chemicals or detergents, so no residues will be left behind in a carpet. This means that a carpet is less likely to pick up new dirt after it has been steam cleaned, and it’s a really safe, environmentally friendly way to deep clean a carpet without introducing any allergy-triggering cleaning chemicals into your home.

With an annual or twice-annual steam clean from professionals like us, we can help to keep your carpets in a squeaky clean condition and even extend their lifespan.

If you’re looking for a carpet cleaning Edgware business or any other cleaning provider in the local area, find out what methods they will use to clean your carpets. You might be surprised to discover that some carpet cleaning companies still utilise antiquated methods of cleaning, such as using soapy shampoos.

4. Deep down cleaning

Another reason why steam cleaning is currently best in practice for cleaning carpets is because it provides a really thorough deep down clean, accessing dirt from the surface of the carpet all the way down to the bottom of the carpet pile. Steam cleaners come with powerful suction systems that can attack ingrained dirt, tough stains and persistent odours and allergens.

Not all carpet cleaning methods do this. In fact, many outdated cleaning systems are only designed to remove the dirt from a carpet at surface level, and don’t have the power to combat stubborn, ingrained grime.

Bonnet cleaning is a carpet cleaning method that was all the rage in the 1980s and 1990s. It involves using a rotary machine to clean a carpet, with an absorbent pad fitted to the machine. The pad is soaked with a special type of cleaning solution, which is then rotated over a carpet to pick up the dirt and stains.

This method of cleaning is inferior to steam cleaning because it only removes surface-level dirt. It may push some dirt further into the carpet, making it harder to remove, and it can leave residues behind and create swirl marks in the carpet.

Luckily, these drawbacks aren’t issues that you’ll face if you get your carpets steam cleaned.

5. Low moisture method

It’s a well-known fact that getting your carpets really wet isn’t good for them, because it can cause fabric shrinkage, discoloration and the development of mould and mildew in the carpet.

One of the reasons why steam cleaning has become the must-use carpet cleaning method of today is because it doesn’t involve the use of a lot of water.

For example, the latest breed of high-tech steam cleaning systems used by our carpet cleaning North London business are so water-efficient that a carpet can dry in just a couple of hours or so. The high-pressure suction vacuum of the machine is capable of extracting the moisture from the carpet after it has been cleaned, along with all of the dirt it has collected, so your carpets are never left overly wet.

This method is, therefore, beneficial if you want to ensure your carpets are cleaned using machines that won’t cause them any damage, whilst providing a fast and efficient deep clean, with no long waits for carpets to dry and be in a usable condition again.

If time is of the essence when you get your carpets cleaned, it’s always worth checking when researching carpet cleaning companies how long the cleaning and drying process will take, because some cleaners still use methods that can involve using a lot of water when cleaning which can prolong the drying process.

At Carpet Bright UK, our carpet cleaning North London team understands the importance of making sure customers receive a fast and reliable deep clean for their carpets, so we always use the latest steam cleaning systems.

We always keep up to date with the most effective ways to clean your carpets, and we happily embrace modern technologies and current cleaning trends, so we can remain at the cutting-edge of the carpet cleaning industry.

If you’re looking for carpet cleaning Edgware specialists or anywhere else in the Capital, contact Carpet Bright UK.