Are RugDoctors Any Good? (or other ways to clean carpets)

anotheruser

We've ran the vax carpet cleaner over the carpet a couple of times (leaving it to dry) and I can see the carpet was really dirty before hand. Last time it seemed to clean really well, but a few weeks later, it's back to looking dirty again.

Are RugDoctors any good?

I know the carpet is probably to blame here but there were two smelly dogs in the house before we got here so I suspect there is deep seated dirt that we're bringing to the surface.

Thanks

Chanes

We used them to clean the carpets in our other house before we sold, they did quite a good job and better than the Vax stuff.

ic

I used one years ago, the colour of the fluid I was tipping was horrible.

http://www.screwfix.com/p/no-nonsense-carpet-cleaning-detergent-5ltr/70509

Much cheaper than the rug doctor equivalent they'll try to flog you when you rent the machine.

Chanes

ic wrote: »

I used one years ago, the colour of the fluid I was tipping was horrible.

Isn't it! It's the reason we chose wooden flooring for the ground floor and have few carpets. It's unreal the dirt they can hold!

paddypaws101

I think Rug Doctors do a good job and am also quite happy to use alternative, cheaper cleaning fluids. I think it might be worth looking at some kind of 'dressing' for the carpet once it has been well cleaned, Scotchguard do one for example. I think that the removal of this dressing is why cleaned carpets can go on to get dirty quickly afterwards.

SplanK

Are you doing a 2nd pass over the carpet with just water (no cleaning solution) once you have gone over it with a clearing solution? If you don't, then the cleaning solution will still be in the carpet, actively attracting dirt to it

anotheruser

No - that's a good point.
Perhaps we'll try again with just water after the solution. It's only the landing really so not too big a job. Just hassle as I put the machine in the loft now.