Carpet Shampooer

The Bissell ProHeat with Clean Shot is awesome! You can get it at Bed Bath and Beyond and use those handy little coupons you get in the mail to save some money.

I bought a carpet cleaner a few years back...I think it is a Bissell, I love it for its ease of use. The NEXT time I purchase a carpet cleaner, I will spend the extra $$ and get one that heats the water/keeps the water hot.

T.

I have an older model Hoover Steam Cleaner (Upright of course) and it still works if only I can get my daughter to bring it back home...

The one thing about steam cleaners, even if you rent one, is to use Shout stain-remover in the machine instead of the actual shampoo that supposed to come with the machine or work with the machine.

A friend of mine has a successful cleaning business for residential homes and companies. A retired cleaning service owner told her about the Shout cleaner rather than using the actual cleaner for or with the machine she purchased (which isn't an industrial machine btw, though she has borrowed a professional one a time or two when her machine was in the shop - she didn't tell them she was using it commercially...)

There is something about the Shout solution that takes every bit of the grim up. You may have places that require spot cleaning. If so, get a stiff brush and use the Shout mixed with about 50/50 hot water (test the carpet first in an inconspicuous P.) then scrub, wait about 15 minutes, then scrub again, wait another 5 to 10 mins then using the steam cleaner on it with hot water and Shout stain cleaner.

You get more savings from buying the Shout in the refill bottles rather than spray bottles b/c you'll be filling the machine's cup with Shout & refill bottles are actually cheaper, generally more concentrated, and works well when pouring and mixing into the clean's water.

As for steam cleaner choices, the best kind to get is the best quality you can afford in a machine with with on-board heat. Regular steam cleaners that are low-end are filled with hot water but it doesn't stay hot. It's cooled considerably within 15 minutes of cleaning or less. Hot water on board with a heater for the water and Shout cleaning solutions works the most amazing wonders. I've been using this combination - even in rental units, for years and I have never been disappointed.

FYI: I have a cat, dog, and 1 child in the home still even with DH's traffic, the kids (old is closer to college; other is home now but in the day with 2 kids, the cat and the dog and the husband it still worked wonders...)

Best of luck.

I would first recommend that you buy a (used) water-filter vacuum like Rainbow, Hyla, OceanBlue or Thermax. I sold Rainbows for 8 years (first and foremost because I'm so passionate about them, plus it was also FUN and I made money at it!) I now keep several used ones on hand for friends and family -- mostly as gifts that keep on giving. As a demonstrator, I literally went into a few homes and immediately KNEW that they used a Rainbow because their 20-30 yr old carpet (orange and green, or brown and white shag) was still bright and fluffy. Regular use with a Rainbow KEEPS the heavy dirt UP OUT of your carpet because there's not a dry filter to clog and lose power. I can't sing their praises highly enough (I'm a 53 yr old grandmother who raised 4 kids in the country where there was plenty of dirt tracked in, so an efficient vacuum cleaner was always a priority).

Once you get the dry dirt out of the carpet, just about any shampooer will 'wash' the surface of the fibers. And contrary to popular belief, I do recommend shampooing in the winter when there's heat in the house and humidity is extra low. It dries more quickly and thoroughly. Wetting carpeting in the summer can ultimately cause mold/mildew on the carpet backing and padding.

Any questions, message me!

I have used a Hoover Steam Vac and it was good.

My overall favorite is what I have now, Bissell Pro Heat. Love this machine.

I use the Hoover Pet Solution from Home Depot.

I have the Hoover Steam Vac and love it. Really easy to use and does a good job. My Jack Russell has a tendency to use the bathroom where he pleases when he mad, so its come in really handy!

Hi. I've had a Bissell ProHeat 2X Deep Cleaner for a couple of years and really love it. I use it to clean my carpet and my couches all the time. I have two kids and two dogs so I get some traffic. I bought mine at Lowes for $199.

I have used two types of rug cleaners - a Bissell and a Hoover. They cost about $150. They are the normal low cost shampooers. They pretty much just suck up surface dirt. They make the carpet fresher and nicer, but it doesn't get out tough dirt. Every 6 - 8 months I go to the grocery store and rent a rug doctor. It is about 30 dollars for 24 hours. That is a heavy duty machine with actual spinning brushes. I do my carpets several times and then return it. I am always pleased at how nice the carpets come out after I use one of those.

I would say, if you don't want to spend a lot of money, you can get a low end carpet cleaner, but you will have to do it often so the dirt doesn't settle. If you want a cleaner with actual spinning heads and maybe steams your carpet, you will be looking at a hefty price tag. Or you could just rent one every once and a while for 30 bucks.

FWIW, I vacuum every day, and we don't wear shoes in the house, but I am amazed at how much dirt comes out of the carpet every time we shampoo!

Hope that helps!

We've used the rental Rug Doctors twice and they create future problems in terms of stripping carpet, leaving chemicals, weakening the fibers, etc. I would highly recommend something that is steam only, which requires NO chemicals. Just a thought :D