Carpet cleaning?

[lizbud]

I can't wait to hear what people say because I need to have mine cleaned also!
Our house is up for sale and we've had 2 people say that our house smells like dog.

You probably would be better off trying to catch a carpet sale & replace
the old carpeting. Consider it an investment to sell the house.

I ripped out all old carpeting & never replaced it. Just use room size rugs
in a few bigger rooms & natural hardwood for the rest. I've had these area rugs before, but just did it myself or used Stanley Steemer.

[shepgirl]

We get ours done professionally every year. We always get the same company because they use the truck mounted machines and it doesn't leave the carpets set. Slightly damp at worse. We had Chem Dry company in town but they went out of business. Nobody was happy with the results and the chemicals are harmful to pets as well as children. We don't have spots on ours, so can't comment on that but the guy who comes over always says he does carpets with "doggy " spots and they come out fantastic.

[JenBKR]

the chemicals are harmful to pets as well as children.

That is certainly a concern for me...I am going to call a couple of places and ask some questions, that being the first one.

Thanks for the replies everyone, I knew I could count on all of my pet-friendly pals for advice on trying to keep things clean!

[Medusa]

I've had the chem dry done and I was so unhappy w/it that I had Service Master do it again. I think that Service Master is even better than Stanley Steemer. My carpets smelled so fresh and clean and they were fluffy and like new when they finished and I had only 4 indoor cats at that time but I was so conscious of the possibility of people turning up their noses when they walked in my house. What we've grown used to, others get sick when they smell it. I also used them to clean the house when I moved out. Service Master is wonderful, here in Ohio at least.

[catnapper]

We rent machines and do it ourself. Its SO EASY these days, the machines do all the work, its just like vacuuming (except you have icky water to dump). When you do it yourself, you also control what soap you use, and how much. You also are certain its been rinsed enough. If its not rinsed enough, the residual soap attracts stains much faster than if the soap was completely rinsed. A few places neglected to rinse ours thoroughly and we ended up with huge stains VERY soon afterwards.... they WANT that so you ask them back again and again.

[catnapper]

We have a Hoover steam vac - it does clean well, but the stains start to reappear after about a week or so. I'd really like to have it professionally done, since they use the heavy duty, truck mounted equipment.

Oops, just noticed this reply..... chances are your stain reappear because it wasn't rinsed enough.

[JenBKR]

Oops, just noticed this reply..... chances are your stain reappear because it wasn't rinsed enough.

I bet you are right.....I doubt that I rinsed well enough when I was finished. I didn't realize that the soap residue attracted dirt.