The term "Steam Cleaning" has been misused in our industry for a very long time. Although many truckmounted cleaning machines can generate water temperatures of up to 240 degrees farenheit, the water never actually changes its state from a liquid to a gas. This is because the machine's pump also pressurizes the water in excess of 400 psi as it heats it. It's a common fact that water will boil at 212 degrees farenheit only if it is at an ambiant pressure equal to sea level which is approximately 14.7 psi. Therefore as the ambiant pressure rises, so does the flashpoint of the water. This also works in reverse, meaning that if the ambiant pressure is negative or below sea level, the flashpoint will be lower.  So to clarify, the correct industry term is "Hot Water Extraction", not steam cleaning. It works by mixing a  cleaning detergent with very hot water, as it is sprayed on the carpets. It is then immediately extracted from the carpet along with the embedded soils and allergens through the use of a  powerful wet vacuum system.

Dominick V. Cassano, President
Magic Carpet Express Co.