What is the difference between the two main methods of carpet and upholstery cleaning?

Chem Dry uses carbonated bubbles to loosen the dirt from carpet, then the dirt is removed by extraction. Drying time is less for the Chem Dry method, but it is usually a more expensive process.

Commonly referred to as "steam cleaning", hot water extraction uses pressurized hot water combined with a non toxic chemical formula that breaks up the soil which is then drawn out of the carpet or upholstery by suction. Truck mounted equipment is better able to extract the dirty water from your carpet than a portable unit would be. Drying time varies a lot with the humidity and temperature. It is advisable to stay off the carpet until it dries, so scheduling your carpet cleaning on warmer, drier days enables you to shorten the drying time. This is the method HomeLife Housekeeping uses.