We have large area rugs in all our rooms, over hardwood floors. In the past, I have just rented the big old carpet shampooer from the grocery store when I've wanted to clean them, but our house is 3 stories and lugging that thing up and down stairs kills me. However, I've decided that I would like to buy one since our rugs stay so dirty from dogs, cats, Mel and Ryan and that way I can just clean the ones that need it most, when they need it. I want one that can do the upholstery too (since the couches could use a good cleaning every now and then). I do not want to spend mega bucks - like the Rainbow cleaners - since we don't actually have carpet just rugs.

Which brands of carpet shampooers have you tried and liked and which ones have you tried and didn't like?

I have a dirt devil, and I don't really think it does a great job. It will get dirt out, but I have had more problems then not with it. I was thinking of getting a Bissell Proheat. I bought one but took it back to the store because I found it $15 cheaper, but didn't have time yet to go and get it. I have 2 dogs, a cat and 3 boys so I need something that will really work. I kind of like the rotating brush that some of the cleaners have. So, I am still debating myself which one I will get.

Dh being a flooring guy dislikes carpet shampooers immensly. why?? This answer will take a bit of carpet 101.

carpets are made of bits of fibers interweaved and sometimes cut (for different types of piles and so fourth on a mesh base. How to these fibers remain in place on the mesh? Glues. the back side of the carpet is generally a glue only or a glue and fiber backing. Extreme heat and water create steam wich loosenes the fibers of the carpet from te back of the mesh. after a short while the loosening of the fibers creates ruts in the carpet. People look at that and often use the shampooer more often hoping that cleaning the fibers of the carpet will...revitalise, if you will, the fibers (in much the same way we wash our clothes to revitalise the fabric...only for carpet it doesn't work the same). Instead of revitalising it loosens the carpeting more, making it a viscious cycle of shampooing and loosening. Even machines that say that they remove 99.9% of the water... well that's all well and good, but the problem is that the water has already begun to loosen the glue bond. chemical cleaners are the same.

Far better, in dh's experience is to spend that extra on a better strenghth or better quality vacuum. The removal of the dirt from the grain of the carpet by vacuume is much better from the carpets point of view.

Cleaners that you use by hand, in general are preferred. Why? Because often they don't soak through to the glue. Use a blottng method to clean, don't grind the dirt into the carpet. And try your best to clean up spills as soon as they happen. Pets... well yes it is difficult to catch them all the time and impossible to teach them blotting. But The best is to try a foaming cleaner that shoves the soil up and out of the carpet, and clean up the foam quickly, don't leave it there to soak into the carpet.

Which brings us to the question of well... Why do they make carpet cleaners/ steam cleaners if they are so bad for carpets? Commercial buildings use them and have for a long time. They expected their carpets to wear out and often budget for flooring to be replaced at regularly ever say 5 years or so. Commercial buildings and offices count on it. Large places like that often also catch a break on the costs when they have it re done witht he same company that did it in the first place. I got a bit off track... anyhow, people over time watched the commercial places using the cleaners (without knowing that in the end it was wearing out a carpet that would soon be replaced anyhow) and they saw how these cleaners did on the office floors. And over time the demand grew for residential models to be made. Not ready to lose a new market for sales, the carpet cleaner companies were more than thrilled to make residential models and "it's not their problem" when the customer needs to replace their carpet. Some carpet cleaners are actually made by the parent companies of carpeting companies!! Just for the purpose of perpetuating their carpet sales in the future...not a dumb idea in their point of view. (I read trade mags...maybe too much huh?)

Now, that being said, I am not a professional. Dh generally sticks to hardwood installation. My info about carpet cleaners is only learned from years of watching as customers come in and ask about why their carpets are in such shape..."afterall, i use a carpet cleaner" they say. And This is what I hear as a response to their questions. It was the same response I got about the shape of my own carpet, before we got into the flooring business.

HTH

Store bought cleaners...please head this warning, don't let them dry on your carpet. when they dry they dry into crystals which act as mini teeny weeny knives which, as you walk across the carpet, push into the fibers of your carpet and cut into the fibers... clean them up swiftly. Carpet fresheners do the same thing...

Thanks Melissa.

Anyone else have recommendations/thoughts on a carpet shampooer? In my case it will actually be a rug shampooer.....