I Need Advice...

[floor-a-matic]

Bissell Big Green

I also forgot to add that some HEB stores have switched from Rug Doctor to the new Bissell Big Green; thank God for the change. I just wish that HEB didn't do away with vacuum bags, belts & filters!

RE: Used carpets

I used to walk barefoot UNTIL the day my mother got pricked by a sewing needle; fortunately it was OUR sewing needle & not someone else's that fell on the carpet. That's another thing to be careful with when dealing with used carpets.

Now I have tile (at least for now) but I'll be checking the next house (if it is carpeted) once I move.

If U use a Rainbow, you'll be pulling out TONS of dirt that other bagged/bagless vacs leave behind. Just don't forget to CHANGE THE WATER after vacing 1/2 of each room if you're going to use a Rainbow for vacing. Also, the rectangular Power Nozzles (models R-1024 [Eureka-built], R-1650, R-2800, & R-4375) with brush & beater bars can get the deepest dirt (even past the backing) WITHOUT having to tear up the carpet.

I ALWAYS use a Rainbow & even just vacing revived the shag carpets in OH.

 

[durango159]

Hi Floor-a-matic.
I had planned on shampooing a 3 floor town house with the RugDoctor that I had just rented. However I was so UNIMPRESSED with how the machine operated I only did my bedroom. The next day when I rented the RinseNVac I recleaned my bedroom and was DRAMATICALLY impressed with the results. Stains were gone, carpet was not nearly as wet. I shampooed all 3 floors of the townhouse, which the rugs were highly stained. At some points I took out a hand scrub brush on a couple of spots but for the most part the RinseNVac conquered the rest and the place looked terrific afterwards. Since this day I have never once re-considered a RugDoctor for anything and would never buy one from a store. I think that the TV infomercial for the RugDoctor is SEVERELY edited and fake.

The vac shop that I rented the RinseNVac from said that the power brush isn't very powerful on those and said I should try the regular extraction wand they thought results would be just as good. They said the power head on it didn't provide very good agitation in their opinion and I think the sprayer wasn't as powerful.

The Rug Doctor I used, I think worked but I told Lowes they should have the unit checked just in case. I thought it was actually putting down too much water. The Rug Doctor put down lots of water, and the brush did move, and suction was working. However the carpet seemed extremely wet too me, yet didn't appear very clean.

Since this experience my carpet shampooing preferences are as follows, moving to the next step if the first doesn't work
Trial 1: Hoover Steamvac- with Spin Scrub. I've been impressed with these. Not sure how well they deep clean to bottom of pile but overall carpets look and feels clean afterwards.

Trial 2: RinseNVac- they're hard to find though

Final step if above else doesn't work: Stanley Steemer. Used them only once but was HIGHLY HIGHLY impressed with results, and customer service. Extremely powerful machines did a terrific job.

One apartment I moved into the previous tenants hired a "ChemDry" style carpet dry cleaning company to shampoo the rugs. I was very unimpressed with the results and procedure the Dry Clean company used. Carpets were quite wet for 24 hours and I didn't feel they accomplished anything. So when I had to choose a carpet cleaner at move out, I chose Stanley Steemer and glad I did. The place was spotless, looked really nice. It is very possible that different locations of Stanley Steemer may have a better operation? Very happy with the location I used and I've recommended them since to many people, they've been happy as well!

 

[vacuumfreeeke]

Btw, I've never known a carpet cleaner to pre-vacuum! I used to work in restaurants and when I sold vacuums at Sears, the lady I worked with had a husband who owned a carpet cleaning business so whenever I got around a carpet cleaner, I would ask what they use to pre-vacuum.... they said that their equipment is so powerful that pre-vacuuming is not necessary. The were almost snobbish/arrogant about it! Some of them also said that they don't even instruct the customer to vacuum first because most people have such awful vacuums or the vacuums are in such a state of disrepair that it wouldn't do any good.

I remember how shocked I was when I saw the Fantom infomercials and they had a carpet cleaning company on that that said they pre-vacuumed with Fantoms. Not because I didn't like Fantoms (I was infatuated with them when they first came out actually), but because I'd never heard of the concept of pre-vacuuming. I think you should pre and post vacuum when deep cleaning a carpet....

I've seen videos of carpet cleaners who use a turbo cat nozzle on the end of the truck mount hose to pre-vacuum...

 

[bagintheback]

Bobby, take a look at this video. It clearly shows that even a truck mount can not remove all dry soils from the carpet.

 

[bagintheback]

We have decided to rent a Host machine to do the work. I got a qoute from a good carpet cleaner today and it was way too expensive. Even renting a Host machine for a week and buying mutipule tubs of Host will be many hundreds of dollars cheaper. I think four 12lb buckets should be good for both the new and old house. We're saving so much money on this anymore will be deal, so please tell me if you don't think that is sufficient for two double story houses. Of course I will be posting pictures of the process when it starts next weekend.

 

[director12]

I would never use a carpet cleaning company-too expensive and have marketing scams. I would use my 5/6-year old Steamvac to do the job. It's less expensive, plus Hoover Steamvacs rock.

 

[floor-a-matic]

I thought U were going to try out a Bissell Big Green!?

How well will a Big Green clean the dirtiest carpets IN A REAL ENVIRONMENT & NOT IN A LAB?

 

[director12]

I don't really know.