Vax Carpet Cleaner results

UncleZen

We have an old VAx carpet cleaner, we dont use it that often, and when we do the results are not that good. I cleaned a carpet earlier this week and the carpet looks worse after the clean than it did before. We no longer seem to have the user manual, so Im wondering of its my technique thats causing the poor results.
e.g. There are 2 phases to the clean, 1) with the detergent and 2) without. Im wondering if I should push the cleaning head rather than pull or vice versa also how fast should I push/pull ?

Any tips?
Im tempted to call in a pro and get rid the vax at this rate.

Chunks

I don't have a vax but my hoover carpet cleaner is pulled over the carpet. As you pull the machine slowly over the carpet, it fires a soapy solution into the pile on the leading edge of the attachment while at the same time sucking up the waste on the trailing edge (if that makes sense). Works ok.

Your's has got to work in a similar way - just look at the head/business end of the vax; it's water first then suck next and the direction of travel will become obvious, I would guess.

Unless you can acquire a manual, vax technical help (?) or someone else on here can direct you, you could have a test 'play' of the machine on some waste carpet. Yours sounds like a two stage process (wash/rinse). The key is not to over-soak the carpet; the soap/water should penetrate the pile only and then be sucked out before it reaches the backing (in theory at least).

Good luck.