Has anyone had success with these? I remember renting one about 10 years ago and thinking it didn't do a good job. We've been in our house 2 years now, and with 4 kids and 3 pets, I feel like the carpet needs to be cleaned. If I use one, can I add vinegar to get rid of any smells?
Yes! We rent one about once a month or once every 2 months. They work for us. I don;t use the carpet shampoo though. I actually buy Gain with Oxy Clean liquid laundry detergent and the carpet comes out awesome!!
I used to use them, but I bought my own machine and I think mine does a better job. Of course when I used the rug doctor I thought it did awesome. I used half the carpet shampoo they recommend and I went back over it with just water afterward. If you don't go back over it, the shampoo actually attracks more dirt so your carpets get grosser faster.
I was talking to a neighbor about it, and she offered to let me borrow her steam cleaner. I've done everything but the stairs, and I can't get motivated to do those!
Pam, now you can come and do mine. No I have a steam cleaner and it works wonderful. I use vingear in mine and it works great.
Interesting you mention this, I've used them before but I only use oxi clean to clean the carpets because the cleaners they sell for it actually attracts the dirt, it'll look good for a week or two and then it looks worse than you started. I also had a guy that I went to school that now does carpets and we were talking about it just last Thursday night because my son accidentally dropped a container of orange tempera paint on my latte colored carpet and now it looks like a pumpkin threw up everywhere. Needless to say, I think I've tried everything myself and I'm gonna see what he can do, if he can lighten it I'll be thrilled.
Rhi: I am so sorry about your carpet, but the way your word it I laughed so hard I think I need to go potty.
For those of you who use oxiclean...do you use the liquid for washing clothes or do you use the all purpose dry stuff and let it dissolve in water before you put it in your machine? Also what ratio do you use? And, what about the vinegar...I have never heard of using this before. My carpets are starting to get that gross look to them so it's time to clean them, and I hate buying the shampoo for my machine.
I just use the dry because we don't have the liquid where I work and I never think about going to walmart and buying the liquid I just use really hot water and stir it until it's dissolved.
I've had a Rug Doctor for 12 years and it's still working great. We have dogs!! Many; and live in the dusty desert. Just so you know, if it looks dirty again in a week, with dirty, dirty carpet (like mine ) dirt will resurface after about that much time. It's best to do it again then. I've had professional cleaners come as well and the same thing happens. That's a pretty standard effect for dirty or stained carpet. With my RD, I usually go over it until the water is relatively clean then I know it's clean. A once over is never enough.
