How Do I Use Steam Vapor to Clean My Carpet?

Now that you've been enticed to try out dry steam vapor cleaning, there are a few steps to follow to actually put it into practice. These specific steps refer to the Advap's residential steam vapor systems, so if you're using a different system, be sure to check your individual user manual.

And before using any new cleaning method on your carpet, you should make sure to do a spot check in a small and inconspicuous section of the room to make sure it doesn't impact your carpet in any unexpected ways.

Step 1: Clean and vacuum.
The more items you can get off the floor for a wider cleaning space, the better. Ideally, you'll have a totally empty space, but don't stress if all you can do is just pick up a few stray items. If you had grand plans to clean anything on your ceiling, walls, or baseboards, now is the time, so debris doesn't fall later onto your freshly cleaned carpets.

Any spots should also be spot-treated before steam cleaning, as high temperatures can set them and they could become stains.

Once you've tidied up so you have the clearest carpet real estate for cleaning, vacuum the carpet with whatever model you're using. You want to make sure to pick up any larger particulates, like sand, heavy soils, and debris.

Step 2: Steam with triangular brush.
If your carpet fibers are heavily beaten down or heavily soiled, start off using the triangular brush with no towel or filler pad. Pass it over the carpet slowly in a 3-foot by 3-foot square, starting with one direction over the whole area and then going back over it in the other direction to get both sides of the nap. Depending on your height, you may want to use an additional extension handle to push the tool across the carpet in a more comfortable upright position.

Step 3: Steam with large floor brush.
Ideally, you'll have set up the large floor brush ahead of time with a filler pad in place and a terry towel fastened to the clips. Once you've got that in place, run the brush over the 3x3 area you just worked with the triangle brush at a pace a little slower than you'd use a vacuum. Repeat the process of going in both directions as you did in step two.

Step 4: Vacuum again.
Once you've finished your whole floor in a series of 6-square-foot sections, let it dry for roughly 20 minutes. Once it's dry, vacuum one more time. You may be able to hear sand or other particles getting picked up by the vacuum; relaxing the carpet fiber so that it stands upright again will allow the suction from the vacuum to reach particles that were previously trapped beneath the crushed carpet fibers.

Step 5: Enjoy.
Once your floor is fully dry, you can replace any furniture or other items that you moved out of the room and bask atop your newly fluffy, upright carpeting with no residue in sight.