Frequently Asked Questions

No, Empire City Chem-Dry is not a steam cleaner. We use carbonation to lift up dirt and grime from your carpets so we do not need to use the gallons of water that typical steam cleaners use. 

 Chem-Dry can clean carpets, rugs, upholstery, tile, stone, wood, and even leather surfaces.

Yes. Typical steam cleaning in Manhattan uses a process of dumping large amounts of soapy water into your carpets and then trying to suck it all back out. Because the heavy amount of water results in an extended drying time, usually 1-2 days, this method can actually cause carpets to rot or grow mold.

Empire City Chem-Dry uses less water than typical steam cleaning because its carbonated cleaner, The Natural, relies on millions of microscopic bubbles to release dirt and grime from the fibers of your carpet and raise it to the surface where it can easily be swept away. This low-water, low-pressure approach is healthier for your carpets, allows your carpets to dry in only a few hours, and is also more environmentally friendly with its low-water technique.

This is not necessary. Empire City Chem-Dry’s professionally trained carpet and upholstery cleaners will vacuum your carpets with our commercial, HEPA-filtered vacuum when they arrive as a standard part of our service.

Industry experts suggest that homeowners clean their carpets every 6-12 months, especially in homes with kids, pets, or if someone in your home has asthma or allergies. Regular cleaning will not only improve your home’s appearance, but it will remove non-living allergens*, improve your home’s indoor air quality, and extend the life of your carpeting.

Drying time depends on humidity levels, airflow to the room(s) cleaned, and the type of carpet. In general, turning on your air conditioning or fans will help accelerate dry times. After a Chem-Dry professional cleaning, it typically takes a few hours for the carpet to dry in Manhattan. Sometimes carpets can take longer to dry for various reasons.

Many carpet cleaners, including steam cleaners, use soaps, detergents, and harsh chemicals in their process. This often leaves behind a soapy film on your carpets that attracts dirt, leads to carpets re-soiling quickly after being cleaned, and often requires more frequent professional cleanings. At Empire City Chem-Dry, we use a carpet and upholstery cleaning solution that doesn’t contain any harsh chemicals.

Pet odors can linger on for months if not treated properly. As urine dries in the carpet and padding, what’s left are millions of concentrated urine crystals that become even more pungent. Many companies just mask this odor. Empire City Chem-Dry uses a patented system, P.U.R.T.® (Pet Urine Removal Treatment) to explode the urine crystals and break down the enzymes, which gets rid of the pet urine odor forever.*

Most new carpets come with a factory-applied protectant but this wears off over time. Reapplying a protectant on your carpets can help resist stains and soiling, so your carpets will stay cleaner longer. Another reason protectant is a smart investment is that it slows the aging and wearing process and can extend the life of your carpets.

Empire City Chem-Dry’s cleaning process is better and healthier than many other methods for your carpet and upholstery cleaning. Chem-Dry’s unique Hot Carbonating Extraction carpet cleaning method uses the power of carbonation to extract more dirt and grime from your carpets, giving them a deeper and longer-lasting clean. Our carbonated cleaning solution only requires us to use a fraction of the moisture that other methods, such as steam cleaning, require. This allows your carpets to dry faster, typically in a few hours rather than 1-2 days, and helps prevent the growth of mold and mildew under your carpet. Chem-Dry’s signature cleaning solution, The Natural®, is a cleaning mixture that, through the power of carbonation, lifts dirt to the surface where it is whisked away.

Traditional steam cleaning saturates your carpet with an excessive amount of water filled with soaps and detergents. So you’re left with wet carpets for 1-2 days, which creates a breeding ground for mold and mildew. Plus the soap left behind attracts dirt and causes your carpets to get dirty much faster.

Chem-Dry’s process is different. We employ millions of microscopic bubbles to explode dirt from deep in your carpet fibers, which is why we only need to use a fraction of the water that typical steam cleaning uses. After the carbonation releases and lifts the dirt, our high powered equipment extracts the dirt and moisture from the carpet.

No, Chem-Dry is not a steam cleaner. Chem-Dry uses carbonation to lift up dirt and grime from your carpets so we do not need to use the gallons of water that typical steam cleaners use.

Many store-bought products give the appearance of cleanliness, but only cover up the dog urine. To fully remove old dog urine stains, the Chem-Dry process breaks down the source of the contamination and tackles even the parts of the stain that you can’t see.

In homes with carpet, up to 80% of the dust, dirt, and non-living allergens* brought indoors can settle not only on the floors but also in your furniture, upholstered fabrics, and other soft surfaces. Over time, these particles can accumulate, affecting the cleanliness of your living space and even contributing to allergies or poor indoor air quality if not addressed regularly.

We use our proprietary Hot Carbonating Extraction cleaning method, featuring our core cleaner, The Natural, when cleaning upholstery as well. The carbonated cleaning bubbles release dirt, soil, airborne non-living allergens*, and spots from the upholstery fibers. Then, we use our extraction equipment to remove the cleaning solution, dirt, soil, and airborne contaminants from your furniture, leaving it with a deeper, healthier clean than other alternatives.

Yes, after the upholstery cleaning, you can have the furniture stain guarded with Chem-Dry’s Protectant.

In most cases, the furniture dries within just a couple of hours, but in some cases it may take overnight to fully dry depending on the fabric and soil condition.

Just like carpet, dirt builds up over time that dulls your tile or stone’s appearance and discolors your grout. A thorough, professional stone, tile and grout cleaning is the only way to remove the deep-down dirt, make this area of your home look nicer and ensure that all areas of your home are clean and healthy.

Grout is a porous material that absorbs soil and spills, just like carpet. Having a sealant applied will help create a protective barrier, giving you more time to clean up dirt and liquid spills before they soak into the grout. The type of sealant you choose will determine the degree of stain resistance.