Carpet Cleaners

[Charles Kozierok]

I've seen more detailed discussions of vacuum cleaners here than I ever imagined a bunch of tech geeks would be capable of. So I thought I'd pick your collective brains on carpet cleaning... meaning, using liquid to get the dirt out.

This isn't something I would do often, but I want to be able to do it when it needs it. Basic options seem to be renting a unit from a place like Home Depot, or buying a cleaner.

My preference is to buy something, assuming I can find a device that is not too expensive and that works well. Are they generally as good as the ones you rent? Any specific recommendations for cleaners that work well without costing a fortune?

Thanks.

 

[minendo]

The Bissell ones you can pick up at Walmart are OK, but I haven't had one last more than a year before the pump or other component fails. The last one I purchased was the Pro Heat 2X Pet and it lasted just shy of a year with frequent (bi-weekly) use. Bissell offered a coupon if I wanted to buy another, but after having 3 fail I am done with them.

Honestly, if it is something you are only going to do everyone in a while your best bet is to just rent the Rug Doctor from one of your local vendors. It will do a much better job than any of the value cleaners you will buy.

 

[Charles Kozierok]

Thanks. So is that all there is to it? I was kind of hoping I could find a decent machine for $150 instead of paying $30 a pop to rent.

 

[AnonymouseUser]

I picked up this highly rated Hoover SteamVac a few weeks ago, and even though I've only used it twice I swear it's every bit as good as the store rental units. If you can wait, you may even be able to get a good deal on it.

 

[Theb]

We have a Hoover Spinscrub steamvac. It was around $150 and it works great. It pulls up a distressing amount of grime (two kids, two dogs). The carpets look and feel very nice and clean when it's done and it gets them almost completely dry. No reliability issues at all.

It has two major drawbacks though. It's incredibly loud. It takes a very long time to use. You have to crawl very slowly across the carpet with this screaming beast. I can do about 500sq/ft in a day.

I recommend it. It's great to have for spot cleaning or if you have a room/area that really needs it. If you have a lot of carpet and want to just get it done I would rent one of the nice ones. The money you would save cleaning a whole house with one would cost you a lot of time.

edit: I have the same one AnonymouseUser linked.

 

[Charles Kozierok]

Thanks very much, both of you.

That's the one I was looking at. It seems to have fewer features than some of the others in the same line that cost more, but it appears to have better ratings. A bit strange, eh?

Appreciate the warnings about the noise and time required.

 

[RossMAN]

Do you have access to a local CostCo or Sam's Club?

 

[olds]

I am skeptical that those homeowner units do much good.
We just pay a company to come in and clean them. We spot clean with "Resolve" and a stiff nylon brush as needed.

 

[Blieb]

I've had one of the Bissell machines for 6+ years now. Same machine. I can imagine using it every other week like Minendo did would put the hurt on a consumer grade machine.

Ours had a plastic part crack a year or two ago, but I got a replacement online cheap ($15?) from Bissell.

It cleans ok. Not as good as the pros, but it's a lot cheaper. I usually wash with solution one pass, then do a water only pass to rinse it. Helps prevent "tackyness" after. I also vacuum the carpet after it's dry - otherwise I felt like the carpet felt stiff.

 

[surfsatwerk]

Carpet is mungers.