Hey there,

I'm considering purchasing one of those home carpet deep cleaners (previously known as steam cleaners, I think, or carpet shampooers, as I recall from childhood).

We've got two kids under 4 and 4 cats ... the combination requires us to steam clean regularly, whether it be the couch, easy chair, rugs or carpets around the house and the car.

I come to ConsumerReports before I buy ANYTHING, and haven't seen anything here on carpet cleaners. Does anyone have any advice? We're tired of spending the money on renting and purchasing the cleaning/deodorizing formulas (and when you have two kids throwing up at the same time in the living room, you grow to appreciate the deodorizing formulas that my parents dismiss as "money making ventures.")

Any thoughts, suggestions, ideas for what we can get would greatly be appreciated.

Thank you!

Miyo Wratten, North Brookfield, NY

I came here for the exact same reason (4 yr old + 1 yr old + dog) and I'm disappointed to not find anything about carpet cleaners/steam cleaners/deep cleaners/whatever.

I am also looking for a deep carpet review

I've been looking for a steam cleaner (for tile floors) review, but would also love to see one for carpet cleaners too!

Lisa,

At best buy hoover has a steam vac that will clean your carpet, clean your hardwood floors and pick up any spills on both surfaces.....I have one and it's great. It has auto rinse so you can control when you want to use detergent on your carpet and when to use just water..i believe it's 300.00 and it's well worth it!

Thanks for the tip, Brian!  :)

ditto re: disappointment w/consumer reports!  we're off to Lowe's to get the Hoover described which we saw there last night @same price.

thanks

Same message to Consumer Reports, I am also looking for info on home carpet cleaners and disappointed. 

Brian,

What model Hoover are you using. Looking at a Hoover SteamVac Dual V Deep Cleaner with SpinScrub from Costco and wonder if this is the same/similiar as yours. Hate buying these things without at least one good review.

 

JF

Sorry...i started a new comment line, but realized the question had been asked already!

Did you purchase the hoover? Are you happy with it?  And, if so, what was the model number?

 

THanks much

 

Bev

How do you like the hoover?  What model do you recommend.

 

Thanks for the tip Brian

We emailed Consumer Reports and the told us they did a report on steam cleaners in July '03 and we could buy a back issue for $7.95.  Thanks for nothing.  I'm sure glad I spend the extra on the ConsumerReports.org membership.

We've subscribed to the print version for over 30 years, and now that kids are grown and gone, opted for the on-line version.  I've been waiting for 2 years or more for a carpet cleaner recommendation.  Their last review basically said home appliances for carpet cleaning were poor substitutions for hiring a professional carpet cleaning company.  I found that review very disappointing.

I however, like having a machine to do it myself.  If you rent, you are committed to working all day to get as much as you can done.  With your own machine, you can do a small area at a time as strength and time allow.

What I would like to know is:

How do the horizontal rotating brushes as in the Hoovers perform relative the the rotating bar brushes similar to vacuum cleaners as in the Bissel and others?

How is their performance relative to scrubbing, picking up the water, rinsing, durability, ease of use etc.?  Do various cleaners to better on different types of carpet?  is berber, low pile, high pile, etc.? 

As an aside, which cleaning solutions work best?  Does it matter?

I've been really surprised that this category of home appliances has not been adequately evaluated.

I too have been looking for another carpet cleaner. I have used the Bissel Big Green Machine for years but it has worn me out and does not scrub the carpet, I do. I am ready to try one of the Hoover machines but don't know which one. Consurmer Report recommends Oxyclean as a good cleaning detergent but I like using 1/4 cup Simple Green with 1 teaspoon bleach. This has really been effective through 15 years of cleaning my carpets. I have light carpets so the bleach. Test a small area of carpet if you have colored carpets or just omit the bleach.

I too am disappointed that Consumer Reports hasn't tested carpet cleaners! With allergies on the rise like they are, and mold problems, lots of folks are purchasing carpet cleaners!! Please, CR, run some tests for us!

 

MD

I'm in the same boat. I really need a good "steam" cleaner and no reviews. I don't even know what's out there and I would really like to get a good one and not waste a lot of money.

I would like the model # and brand of any one that you have found to be good and does the job.

Consumer Reports now is the time to do a review or at least post the last one. I also subscribe to the paper version, but I would really like to not have to store these magazines for 30 years so I have a reference. The web version doesn't cost you any more to keep the last report available and I would be happy not to order the paper version if you would keep the web site more up to date.

Tristam

Hi -

Seems like a year or two ago that I read online the CR review on steam cleaners.  They must have still had the 2003 review available that someone mentioned earlier.  It did basically say there's no contest between home machines and professional services.

Well, I bit the bullet and finally ordered a Rug Doctor online (haven't had a chance to use it yet).  Never thought I'd choke out that much cash for one, but I'm hoping it will be a worthwhile lifelong investment.  Top of the line department store brands, Bissell etc., run around $300.  This was $700 (yikes!).  I've been putting away about $50-75/month saving up for it.  They also have a $50/mo payment plan, but it tacks on an extra hundred. 

I rented one (they're everywhere - grocery store chains, etc.), and I was utterly and absolutely amazed ( repulsed, actually) by the amout of dirt it sucked out of my carpets.  The small hand-held upholstery attachment worked beautifully around toilets and other tight areas.  I didn't have time to do try any upholstery or my car carpets, but am looking forward to it.  It was very easy to operate.

Rug Doctor machines advertise a rental price of about $30 for a 24-hour rental, but by the time I purchased a variety of cleaning solutions along with the basic shampoo, and then kept it out for a second 24-hour period so I could finish my whole house, I'd shelled out ~$90!  I had to take the first one I rented back because it was leaking water, but the next one I used was great.  If they can still do such a good job after the abuse from hundreds of renters, mine will probably still be doing an excellent job long after I'm too old to push  it around anymore!

I went away from reading Consumer Reports for many years because they were always out of date with info. Product lines move very quickly these days and you cannot compare a product from 3 years ago. I thought I would give them another try and join up to get info on deep cleaners also. As far as I am concerned I will stick to researching on the internet.

Quote "We emailed Consumer Reports and the told us they did a report on steam cleaners in July '03 and we could buy a back issue for $7.95.  Thanks for nothing."

 

Well, doesn't *that* make us feel special!

 

I have tried to contact CR customer service 2 times over the past month via email in regards to the lack of being able to find the review on this site.  I know I saw it before the site rebuild.  I have yet to receive a response back from anyone.  They did, however, not delay in hitting my bank account for a subscription renewal right on time . . .

 

I'm going to try one more time through conventional channels to get a response, then it will be time for an "email carpet-bomb" to CR Corporate :P