Steam cleaning ( in terms of carpet cleaning) : This term is a is incorrect. Only amateurs use this term. True Professionals know that steam is not a good cleaning medium. Steam is a vapor and vapors can not hold anything. Therefore it can not remove soil from a carpet.

Hot water extraction, HWE, or Extraction : This is the process most often refered to as "Steam Cleaning". A pre-spray detergent is sprayed onto the carpet an raked in. It is then left to dwell for 10-15 minutes. The pre-spray and supended soil are then rinsed out of the carpet using some form of extraction equipment.

Shampooing: This term is often misused for Hot water extraction (HWE). To shampoo a carpet you apply the pre-spray like you would for HWE. Let dwell. You then take a low speed floor machine w/ a carpet shampooing brush attached and solution tank. Fill solution tank with diluted carpet shampoo and run over the carpet as you would for floor scrubbing. Dispense shampoo as needed to work up a lather. You then extract/ rinse with HWE equipment. Extraction is a must, as shampooing is a very wet method of carpet cleaning. Restoration use only!

~The Doctor