Hot Water Extraction (Steam) carpet cleaning - solution(s)

[mattl]

Doing my annual fall cleaning and noticed a few areas that warranted cleaning.  I used a few home made concoctions last year, seemed to work ok, but this year I hit Google again and came up with a new for me option - vinegar.

 

I've got a Bissel Pro-heat 2, the type with the separate tank for the cleaning solution and a switch to determine how much is added. After reading a number of success stories about vinegar I decided to try it. I filled the tank with white vinegar and set to the machine to heavy cleaning and did the trouble areas last night.  Checked it today and found it to be as clean as if I used some professional solution or cleaner.

 

True, it was not very soiled, but the results were great.  Will try it one an area that is a bit heavier soiled when I get to that room next week and report back.

 

[g3bill]

Sounds good but wonder if long term the acid in vineger will shorten carpet life?

 

[dustin92]

I just use the blue carpet cleaner from Sam's Club. It only costs $8 or so a gallon and comes with a bottle of pre spray. Works great in my Bissell Proheat 2x and I usually only use the "light soil" setting since it's very concentrated. Leaves a very pleasant clean scent. I always rinse with clear water after washing and it always works well. Sometimes I use a cup of white vinegar in the rinse water but I've never done any homemade concoctions, I don't want to risk damage to the carpet or the machine, both cost way more than an $8 bottle of detergent.

 

[iheartmaytag]

Vinegar works well as a rinse

For the actual cleaning you need something with a more alkali Ph.  I have very good luck with my Hoover Spin Scrub using Hoover solution.  You can order it through the outlet store on ebay and buy a case for what a bottle will cost you at Wal-Mart.  

 

Now when I first moved to my house the carpet had some "browning" in the traffic areas.  A carpet professional advised me to clean with regular methods as most dirt needs the Alkali, but then use a mild white vinegar solution, about a cup to a gallon, as a rinse as some dirt is alkali and needs the acid to release it.  

 

Did the double pass, cleaned first then went back and rinsed and the browning was gone.  

 

What ever you do, don't follow the directions of some of the youtube people.  Do no use bleach, and don't use a fabric softener in the rinse.  Your carpet is not supposed to be soft, and the softener will coat the fibers and cause it to re-soil very quickly.

 

 

 

[thomasortega]

Good to see a question about extrators.

Kärcher just sent me a SE4001 extractor for testing and I'd love to know other opinions about it.

It's not like the carpet washers I usually see in the US. It looks like a shopvac with a hose (actually two hoses) and a nozzle.

It also comes with several accessories to be used as a regular wet/ dry vacuum cleaner.

Do you know this type of extractor? What about this specific model? How good is it for carpeting and for upholstery?

 

[askolover]

I have

a Bissell that sounds like your description, from back around 1988.  It basically is a shop vac, but the angled part that connects the hose to the wands has a trigger on it to which attaches a 50ft long water hose.  The other end of that hose attaches to any faucet and has a suction hose that just sticks down into a bottle of carpet solution.  It mixes correctly and sends it down to the floor nozzle.  I control the amount of water released.  It also has an upholstery nozzle that's smaller, I use it in the car sometimes.  It really does do a good job.  I used it on a really dirty Mercedes with a light gray interior carpet....they looked like new when I finished shampooing.