Steam Cleaners

When carpets accumulate deep-seated dirt, allergens, odours, and stains, surface vacuuming is not enough. At Janitorial Direct, our carpet and steam cleaner / extraction machines bring industrial strength cleaning to your floor coverings. Using hot water, detergent injection, agitation, and suction, these machines can revitalize carpets, upholstery, and soft furnishings, removing soil deep in the pile and helping restore appearance and hygiene. 

Also known as “hot water extraction,” “steam carpet cleaning,” “carpet extractors,” or “shampooers,” these machines differ in design, capacity, and application to suit different scales and environments. 

We supply commercial-grade units from compact portable machines to large walk-behind or trailer-mounted extractors, and offer full support with parts, accessories, training and servicing. 

How Steam Cleaners Work 

These machines generally operate via this process: 

1. Pre-treatment / chemical application — loosening dirt and stains
2. Hot water / detergent injection — pressurised water (sometimes called “steam”) is pushed into carpet fibres
3. Agitation or brushing — to help dislodge embedded soil
4. Vacuum / extraction — high suction removes dirty water and residual soil
5. Drying stage — some machines include air movers or airflow to accelerate drying 

Because of the high temperature and suction, this method is sometimes loosely called “steam cleaning,” but technically it’s hot water extraction — the recognised industry standard for deep carpet cleaning. 

Why Choose Our Range 

• Professional durability — built for regular, heavy use in contract cleaning, hospitality, healthcare, retail settings  
• Variety of sizes & formats — from handheld / spot machines to large walk-behind or trailer extractors  
• Fast drying / low moisture designs — to minimise downtime and reduce risk of mould or odours  
• Parts & consumables support — brushes, pads, hoses, seals, vacuum motors, recovery tanks  
• Advice & specification help — we’ll help you match size, flow, tank capacity, and drying needs to your site  
• Servicing, training & warranties — to keep machines performing over time 

Choosing the Right Machine for Your Facility 

Here are some decision steps and criteria to guide your choice: 

1. Area size & layout 

• For small offices or spot cleaning, a portable extractor may be sufficient.  
• For large, carpeted areas (hotel corridors, offices), a walk-behind or trolley machine with a wider head is often more efficient.  

2. Drying time constraints / downtime tolerance  

• If the area must be back in use quickly (e.g. hotel, retail), choose machines with strong extraction and airflow, or low-moisture designs.  

3. Type of soiling / traffic level  

• High foot traffic or commercial settings may require stronger heat, higher flow and faster recovery.  

4. Mobility & access  

• Multi-storey buildings, stair access or tight corridors may favour lighter, portable units over bulky walk-behinds.  

5. Water / power availability  

• Ensure units' water supply and drainage, appropriate power (voltage, current), and hose length suit your environment.  

6. Serviceability & spare part availability  

• Prefer machines where filters, seals, hoses and pumps are readily replaceable, and with local servicing support.  

7. Total cost of ownership  

• Look beyond purchase price — consider consumables (pads, brushes, chemicals), energy use, downtime, repair cost.  

Applications & Uses 

Common environments and uses for carpet / steam cleaning machines include: 

• Hotels, guest houses, B&Bs — guest rooms, corridors, lobbies 
• Offices, meeting rooms, coworking spaces  
• Retail floor areas, showrooms, carpeted aisles  
• Education & schools — classrooms, staff rooms, halls  
• Healthcare environments (non-sterile zones) — waiting rooms, offices  
• Contract cleaning / outsourcing providers  
• Casinos, theatres, cinemas, auditoriums  
• Upholstery or fabric surfaces (where machines have accessory wands)  

Because these machines clean deeply, businesses often schedule them periodically (monthly, quarterly) in addition to regular vacuuming.