Carpet cleaning options
Discussion
Hi all
The design of our house means that part of the lounge is a high-transit area. You have to walk through to get to any other part of the downstairs, so the carpet takes heavy traffic and is looking grubby. Carpets are decent quality from Tapi, but not wool. Light beige/brown, like 99% of carpets available today.
What's the best option for a decent clean? I have borrowed a Vax upright carpet washer from my mum but I wasn't enamoured with the results. Happy to try again. We've got a Vax SpotWash (puppy purchase) which is good but only for small areas.
So I'm interested to hear what you've used that got decent results. Are these Rug Doctor machines available to hire from B&Q etc any better than the Vax type domestic cleaners? What about professional companies - do they get better results?
Thanks all
The design of our house means that part of the lounge is a high-transit area. You have to walk through to get to any other part of the downstairs, so the carpet takes heavy traffic and is looking grubby. Carpets are decent quality from Tapi, but not wool. Light beige/brown, like 99% of carpets available today.
What's the best option for a decent clean? I have borrowed a Vax upright carpet washer from my mum but I wasn't enamoured with the results. Happy to try again. We've got a Vax SpotWash (puppy purchase) which is good but only for small areas.
So I'm interested to hear what you've used that got decent results. Are these Rug Doctor machines available to hire from B&Q etc any better than the Vax type domestic cleaners? What about professional companies - do they get better results?
Thanks all
trickywoo said:
How dirty was the wash water from the Vax?
Reason I ask is that I have one and when I clean my carpet monthly it’s always noticeably dirty. This is with no shoes in the house and regular vacuuming
My light coloured carpet looks clean after but everyone has different standards.
The water was pretty filthy. We do try and remove outdoor footwear, but we're not 100% with it - carrying a big basket of logs in, for example, I don't want to stop. Reason I ask is that I have one and when I clean my carpet monthly it’s always noticeably dirty. This is with no shoes in the house and regular vacuuming
My light coloured carpet looks clean after but everyone has different standards.
I think hard floors for the high transit areas are the answer but Mrs van Guy isn't keen...
My experience has been that it's not so much down to which machine to use but how frequently to use it.
It's amazing the difference taking shoes off makes. I have special firewood collecting Crocs that can be kicked off in the hall in seconds while carrying the basket.
They key with carpet cleaning, in my opinion, is to not let the dirt get worked into and ground around inside the pile and I would consider seeing really dirty water in the bucket as an indicator that I needed to increase the cleaning frequency. I'm not sure one can avoid eventually seeing pathways through rooms but some carpet types and underlays definitely are less prone and cleaning enough so that any water is at best just a bit murky makes a big difference. As does a no shoes policy, which possibly makes the biggest difference by far.
It's amazing the difference taking shoes off makes. I have special firewood collecting Crocs that can be kicked off in the hall in seconds while carrying the basket.
They key with carpet cleaning, in my opinion, is to not let the dirt get worked into and ground around inside the pile and I would consider seeing really dirty water in the bucket as an indicator that I needed to increase the cleaning frequency. I'm not sure one can avoid eventually seeing pathways through rooms but some carpet types and underlays definitely are less prone and cleaning enough so that any water is at best just a bit murky makes a big difference. As does a no shoes policy, which possibly makes the biggest difference by far.
We've hired the Rug Doctor machine a few times now over the years, it does the job quite well, although it can take some time depending on the are you are doing.
You do have to buy the detergent separately which can add to costs, however it does pick up a lot of crap based on the colour of the water afterwards and does feel a bit more trade quality compared to those home use machines from Argos etc.
You do have to buy the detergent separately which can add to costs, however it does pick up a lot of crap based on the colour of the water afterwards and does feel a bit more trade quality compared to those home use machines from Argos etc.
IMO Vax upright is brilliant. Have a you got a decent model? Not old and knackered? Using the right detergent - not just Fairy Liquid?
IMO Rug Doctor rental is also brilliant, particularly on "tough jobs".
If those don't work the answer is probably new carpet. I've never found any sort of runner that doesn't keep walking about on its own, which is absolutely infuriating.
IMO Rug Doctor rental is also brilliant, particularly on "tough jobs".
If those don't work the answer is probably new carpet. I've never found any sort of runner that doesn't keep walking about on its own, which is absolutely infuriating.
I’ve been given some advice recently from a pro carpet cleaner and had great results. Basically pre-treat with a microsplitter using a pressure sprayer, agitate and then rinse with clean water.
I purchased this stuff SPM for ~£40 which will last me forever. I then used a Vax upright (Power 2 Reach CDCW-RPXL) initially without triggering water to agitate, then go over again with water to clean.
His advice was also not to use the Rug Doctor hire machines. People tend to hire them to clean up pet poo, wee, sick etc. and they’re not always cleaned between usage. Which may not be true, but sounds feasible.
I purchased this stuff SPM for ~£40 which will last me forever. I then used a Vax upright (Power 2 Reach CDCW-RPXL) initially without triggering water to agitate, then go over again with water to clean.
His advice was also not to use the Rug Doctor hire machines. People tend to hire them to clean up pet poo, wee, sick etc. and they’re not always cleaned between usage. Which may not be true, but sounds feasible.
We ended up buying a rug doctor machine second hand, next door neighbour has one that we lent a few times and then found one for sale locally.
When we moved in the house had/still has very light carpets which was never going to be good with 2 kids and 2 dogs, cant wait to get them replaced with darker.
When we moved in the house had/still has very light carpets which was never going to be good with 2 kids and 2 dogs, cant wait to get them replaced with darker.
We have a one man band professional carpet cleaner who comes round once a year. I don't know what he uses but the wool carpets look like new afterwards. Usually done in the summer to allow quicker drying. His charges are very reasonable. I'll attempt small spills and stains myself but the result is always still noticeable.
Fallingup said:
We have a one man band professional carpet cleaner who comes round once a year. I don't know what he uses but the wool carpets look like new afterwards. Usually done in the summer to allow quicker drying. His charges are very reasonable. I'll attempt small spills and stains myself but the result is always still noticeable.
This is what we do now. We did have a Vax carpet cleaner but it got old and started falling to bits so it got binned so just get someone in now and it's far less hassle. I ordered a refurb basic vax from eBay a couple of years ago. They either made a mistake or didn’t have it and sent a power max instead and it’s been brilliant.
Cleans great and it’s seems to take enough water out so they dry quickly. The vax chemicals are miles better than the cheaper versions.
Cleans great and it’s seems to take enough water out so they dry quickly. The vax chemicals are miles better than the cheaper versions.
As Fallingup says - getting a man in is a really good shout.
I have a small bissell spot cleaner - really good for small spills, getting into the corners in the car, cleaning car seats, and it does leave the carpet reasonably dry.
I have a large carpet cleaner - really good for large areas. Doesn't do corners, cannot clean in the car, and does leave the carpet fairly damp.
I then called a man in a van, he came, saw, fixed and went in about 2 hours, leaving the carpet far cleaner than I could ever get without spending multiple days on my knees with the small unit. The carpet was surprisingly dry, so only took a day or so of extra open windows, all sorted, he knew what chemicals were needed on what stains, and what chemicals could be used on the carpet without staining.
Interestingly it was a boxster engine in the back of his van, running at rather full throttle! - He parked on the road and ran fairly long pipework into the house.
He was not expensive at all - and I promised myself I would call him every year. Then I forgot, and my carpets are telling me about it.
I have a small bissell spot cleaner - really good for small spills, getting into the corners in the car, cleaning car seats, and it does leave the carpet reasonably dry.
I have a large carpet cleaner - really good for large areas. Doesn't do corners, cannot clean in the car, and does leave the carpet fairly damp.
I then called a man in a van, he came, saw, fixed and went in about 2 hours, leaving the carpet far cleaner than I could ever get without spending multiple days on my knees with the small unit. The carpet was surprisingly dry, so only took a day or so of extra open windows, all sorted, he knew what chemicals were needed on what stains, and what chemicals could be used on the carpet without staining.
Interestingly it was a boxster engine in the back of his van, running at rather full throttle! - He parked on the road and ran fairly long pipework into the house.
He was not expensive at all - and I promised myself I would call him every year. Then I forgot, and my carpets are telling me about it.
surveyor said:
One of the tips I got was when finished, rinse it through with clean water. The dirt sticks to the deterrent which is otherwise left partly behind
Agree with this. After doing a tank of detergent go back over the same area with plain water. At least once if not twice. Gets most of the detergent and more dirt out. Also try running over the area just withy the vacum and no spray until you stop picking up water.Also found no need to use Rug Doctor brand liquids. Carpet maching detergent from Home Bargains works just as well for a fraction of the price.
As for the machies not being clean - check it when you take it out the locker. Usually they are fine. Once I got a dirty none. I phoned customer service and they gave me the code for a different locker.
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