Does cleaning carpets sound like something you would want to DIY? If yes, which carpet cleaner might be the best for you?
Ok, I have to admit this was a #influenced buy– but, I will also say in the few months that I’ve had the carpet cleaner, it has very much been a ‘sparks joy’ buy!
Basically… I saw a clip of someone using a handheld attachment of a carpet cleaner to totally de-stain (is that a word?) super dirty light cream fabric bar stools like magic, and I had to try it for myself. I really liked the idea of the 2-in-1 upholstery and carpet cleaner, so without much research, I just went with the model in the video clip: Hoover PowerDash Pet Compact Cleaner.
When it arrived, all I had to do was connect a few parts, add in some water and carpet shampoo solution and start vacuuming. I first tried it on a once-light cream with gray trellis shag rug, (turned totally gray) rug. After going over the rug 2-3 times, the return water basin was filled with dark gray dirty water and there were tons of wet moist hair/dust balls on the side. It didn’t quite get back to its original cream color, but I definitely saw some improvement and it had to be doing something because the water was so shockingly dirty. I think because it was shag… and there were a lot of deeply embedded stains, it was beyond the point of return (it has since been relocated to the dumpster).
I then tried it on a low pile patterned rug and again the return water was a dark dirty gray. I didn’t see a hugely noticeable difference before and after because it was a darker patterned rug, but it felt so much cleaner and just seeing the dirty water, I knew it had to be cleaner. I didn’t even realize how much filth was living in the rug until I washed it.
Ultimately, I had to return this version of the Hoover though because I could not get the upholstery cleaner attachment to work. I don’t know if it was defective or poorly designed, but it would not properly connect to the water source or suck up the water. More likely it was defective, but I didn’t want the hassle of buying and returning again, so I just opted to return it. As a carpet cleaner though, I was very satisfied.
A few months later, I saw a great deal on another version of the Hoover, a larger heftier full size machine with upholstery attachment, so I went for it. And I’m so happy I did. This machine was definitely bulkier and heavier than the first one, but the pro was that it held much more water than the first version, so it could get through multiple carpets without having to refill it, whereas with the compact version I had to add more water and solution for every carpet or so.
The upholstery attachment was also a lot more sturdy and offered multiple brush/head types for different types of fabrics and stains and worked amazingly on my large sectional couch.
So, which is the best cleaner to clean carpets?
There are a bunch of different versions on the market, and I only have first-hand experience with the 2 mentioned above. But, based on understanding the pros and cons, here are my recommendations on which carpet cleaner you should get:
- If you’re looking for something lightweight, easy to maneuver just to clean some area rugs and don’t care as much about the upholstery attachment, go with a compact carpet cleaner (note this can’t be used on stairs):
- If you have full wall to wall carpeting in many rooms and have carpeted stairs, definitely worth going with a full size version:
Deluxe Hoover with upholstery/stair attachment
- If you are more interested in cleaning couches, chairs, stairs or just spot cleaning stains or small spills on rugs, you can go with a much smaller footprint and easier to store upholstery cleaner. People rave about the:
All in all, if you get a deep satisfaction out of seeing clean soapy water turn a super dark dirty gray, have dust allergies, and can see yourself (or your housekeeper) doing a deep rug or spot clean every 2-3 months, it’s totally worth it. If you think it will sit in the basement for 12 months until the next Pesach… it still might be worth it because it’s a lot cheaper than professionally carpet/couch cleaning your whole house. But if you really think it’s one too many steps, you may be better off leaving it to the pros.
P.S: Cleaning your carpets is pretty labor intensive and definitely counts as a good arm workout.
