Carpet cleaning?

[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.

[Sevaede]

Sometimes if you go to Albertsons, Safeway, Brookshires, etc. they have the machines and various "soaps" and it is almost easier to do it yourself. You have a time limit but you also have control over the situation (if there is one particular area, you can concentrate on that, etc.).

Stanley Steemer is probably your best bet if you're worried about chemicals and residues.

Just a tip, don't forget to check your phone book for any applicable coupons no matter which way you go!

[jazzcat]

I've used Chem-Dry and I've used Stanley Steamer. Overall I was more impressed the steam clean than the chem dry results. After Stanley Steamer the carpet just looked cleaner and smelled cleaner longer. I had expected the carpet to feel dry after Chem-Dry but it was almost as wet as when it's steam cleaned.

It's time to get it done again and now I'm going to look into the industrial cleaner you can rent from Lowes or Home Depot (hadn't heard about that until now) because I feel like I will do a better job since it's my house. I oversaw Stanley Steamer cleaning my Dad's carpet a while back and it seemed like he didn't pay as much attention to some areas as I had hoped, even though I pointed them out to him. I really wanted to just say "let me do it!".

I have a Hoover steam-vac but haven't used it on the newest carpet we had installed because it seems like it just leaves a residue that makes dirt stick worse.

If I had my choice I would have hard floor all over but hubby likes carpet in the bedrooms.

[Sonia59]

I have a steam cleaner. It's a Polti Vaporetto, an italian brand, no idea if it exists over the ocean. But it's great. I do it once or twice a year. It cleans, kills bacteria and all acarian bugs. Your carpet is really re-newed after a cleaning.

[Twisterdog]

I love to have my carpets professionally cleaned. I have done it a few times. I own a carpet cleaner, a Bissell, which does a good job, albeit with a lot of elbow grease! But it is nothing compared to the pros!

I would recommend steam cleaning over dry cleaning.

[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.