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January 12, 2003 at 8:47 pm #19784Anonymous
Hey all
I usually rent those rug doctor steam carpet cleaners. The solution they sell with the machines is very expensive.
I would like to make up my own batch or buy some cheaper
Any suggestions?
If you don’t mind could you send me an e-mail?
Steve
steveb129@hotmail.comJanuary 26, 2003 at 4:21 am #20572imported_tk625ParticipantIf you have a rug that does not show the dirt but just needs cleaning, my carpet man told me to use a vinegar water solution. Like 1C vinegar to 3C water.
Now if you have a light colored rug I am not sure. You might want to try a mixture of water and oxiclean. Make sure the oliclean is dissolved before you put it in the machine. tk##
January 26, 2003 at 4:23 am #20573imported_tk625ParticipantOn the above message suggesting oxiclean, I would try and test a small portion of the carpet in an unobvious place first. tk
January 26, 2003 at 3:29 pm #20581imported_AnnieHoweParticipantI love the vinegar and water idea! That would freshen any odor and do the job well, I bet! I’d try a test patch with the oxy-clean, too, or you might end up with REALLY light colored carpet! ;D
January 26, 2003 at 6:38 pm #20586AnonymousI’ve used this….works great. One cup Tide detergent, 1 cup ammonia, fill the canister on the carpet with warm water and use. For upholstery or detailing an auto, substitue a little dishwashing (liquid) soap, 1 cup ammonia, warm water in a bucket, Use with a small brush by skimming off the suds with the cleaning brush. My friend gave me this recipe…her Dad details cars.
January 26, 2003 at 6:53 pm #20587imported_AnnieHoweParticipantArlene, thanks for the great professional tip!!! My carpet cleaner has a 1 gallon clean solution tank. Would you use 1 cup of Tide and 1 cup of ammonia in a one gallon tank? Seems like that would be very, very soapy. I’m wondering if you’re maybe referring to a larger machine with a larger clean solution tank. Thought I’d better ask before trying. Thanks!
January 27, 2003 at 11:42 pm #20615AnonymousI use 1 scoop of oxiclean, to the 2 gallons of hot water, when I rent the rug doctor. It cleans my rug very well….let me add, that I have a toddler, that makes a mess out of everything he eats. lol But this has gotten out all the stains. :D
January 28, 2003 at 12:54 am #20617imported_AnnieHoweParticipantSomeone told me that the best thing for your carpet is to only use detergent once every great while, like every 4th or 5th time you cleaned your carpet, and to use plain water all the times in between. :)
January 28, 2003 at 3:29 am #20619imported_tk625ParticipantThanks everybody. This has been very educational for me as well and I was just trying to help Steve out. tkrys
February 21, 2003 at 9:19 pm #20658imported_MomB96ParticipantMy carpet was so filthy that I went through the bottle of cleaner I had bought when I rented the machine. I use Simple Green for so many other things, that I thought I would give it a try. It worked like a dream and was better than the cleaner they sell you!!! Like I said, my carpet was filthy, so I did a 1:1 ratio of the Simple Green with water at first. It’s actually pretty powerful stuff, though, so you can change that to a lot less. I think they even have a recommended ratio right on the container for cleaning carpets. Yep, it’s 1 oz of Simple Green to 4 cups of water, or a 1:30 ratio.
Good luck!!!
February 22, 2003 at 1:01 am #20659imported_AnnieHoweParticipant:)Another great idea about the Simple Green! It really does clean everything, doesn’t it!! ;D
August 15, 2003 at 12:47 am #20854imported_wlbanksHey Steve, you want to avoid the solutions that come with the rug doctor anyway. What you really need to do is go to a carpet cleaning solution distributor and get a pre-spray. I would not skimp on a solution. It is what separates the soil from the fiber to allow cleaning. Mixing something up yourself is probably only going to cause you more aggravation in the long run. We recommend home solutions for spotting, but not carpet cleaning. And while it is true that vinegar doesn’t leave residue, it has no dirt lifting or dirt separation chemical qualities
Hope that info helps.
Laura Bankston
Professional Carpet CleanerAugust 28, 2013 at 3:24 pm #22447AnonymousHi i am going to share some carpet cleaning Secrets
Detergent attracts dirt. This is why it’s important to rinse out any cleaning solution thoroughly. This is another reason why hot water extraction gets carpet cleaner than the “dry” methods. The bottom line is that you need to rinse well when you clean carpet.
One way to clean stains is with the use of a shop-vac. No, you can’t just suck out the stain, but you can repeatedly wash and rinse the area, and suck out the solution each time. This is a more effective method than blotting up the water with cloth, mostly because you won’t have the patience to wash, rinse and extract enough times using paper towels or cloth.
Another little secret of the carpet cleaners is putting rugs outside and inside the front door. They can catch much of the dirt that people bring in on their feet. This isn’t just about less vaccuuming, though. Dirt is like thousands of little blades that cut carpet fibers. The damaged carpet stains more easily then, and it’s harder to remove the stains. An even better practice is to take off your shoes in the house.
March 10, 2014 at 1:20 pm #22474imported_williamscott395The best cleaner for me is the steam cleaner. It is convenient to use.
August 12, 2019 at 9:12 am #24500JamesGreat information
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