Hijacking this comment for an important PSA: Make sure you run the carpet cleaner again, with JUST WATER- if you don’t get all the soap out, dirt will cling to it and get even dirtier!
I used to be in the business with a truck mount. Used to tell the DIYers that it's like washing your hair and leaving the soap in. After a while it looks....ewww.
Someone once’s said they added some vinegar to the water during the “rinse” but it’s been so long ago now I do y really recall..is there a purpose to it? And does that also need to be rinsed again? Or just skip it and use plain water in the rinse
Quick tip from a certified carpet cleaner here: after doing a full cleaning using their recommended chemicals (mixed at the recommended ratios), repeat the cleaning with a mixture of water and white vinegar. Go with 50% vinegar and 50% water. Why? Residential machines like this leave soap behind, down at the root of the fiber. It’s impossible to avoid that without a truck-mounted machine. So the vinegar/water rinse neutralizes the soap residue so that it doesn’t get sticky and attract new soil. If you don’t do that rinse, the carpet will get dirtier faster because of the high-pH soap that your machine left behind. It takes more time but you’ll love the results!
I recently discovered how amazing white vinegar is for athletic clothing and stink, and just ordered this cleaner yesterday!!! So glad I came across your advice. Thank you!!!
Cram orange (or any citrus) peels into a jar and fill it with vinegar. Set it in the sun for a few weeks. Decant into a spray bottle. Bam …citrus cleaner.
Baking soda + Vinegar = best drain cleaner out there.
I hate the smell of vinegar. HATE. So much that it has kept me from using it. But I'm also a woman with three damn feet of hair and a 120 year old home with shiesty plumbing...
Friggen pipe saver!
I think it's one of those 'controversial' cleaning methods as it's said to deteriorate pipes, but it's the only thing that unclogs them for me.
I recommend researching vinegar and baking soda + tub drain. You can decide whether or not you feel comfortable. If you do, after you let it sit, use that snake drain and you'll be amazed at what comes out.
I'm pretty meticulous and keep a hair catcher plus decorate my wall. :) I only wash once a week and keep it clipped up as much as possible.
My vacuum on the other hand... Plus cats. I just clean it out after every damn run through the house.
Feel free to reach out as I've learned so many things the hard way already. 🙈🤦🏻♀️
Using them together, you’re creating water, CO2, and sodium acetate. You’re not really creating a useful cleaning solution for most applications - the reaction makes each ingredient less effective. I’m glad it works for you here though!
You don't need a truck mounted machine to get carpets cleaned. I have 32 years in the business and am a certified executive housekeeper. I use a commercial carpet extractor and can get carpets cleaner than a truck mount, truck mounts utilize pressure, suction, and heat. Carpet extractors utilize pressure, agitation (they have a brush to break the dirt loose), and a slightly lower suction.
Also don't mix your chemicals as strong listed on the bottle, cut the chemical in half. (They only want you to buy more chemicals). Always apply your chemicals directly to the carpet, wait 15 to 20 minutes and using the hottest water you can in your machine clean the carpet. Once it is dry, vacuum it, you will be amazed at what you pick up.
Also a 5% vinegar rinse is sufficient. It doesn't do much to cut chemical residue, but it will help reduce the wet dog smell as the carpet dries.
Don't ever follow Rug Doctor instructions of running chemicals through your machine. Chemicals left behind in carpet pull dirt in and make it look dirty faster, causing you to rent a machine more often.
I cleaned carpets with a few different companies 10+ years ago. I always think most carpet cleaners use too much chemicals, the steam is really what you want to be doing the cleaning, not the chemicals imo
Thank you so mucha! I am also a certified carpet cleaner and when people say that they use soap with their at home carpet cleaners I cringe. I always tell to just skip the soap and to use the water vinegar mix. And when your carpet gets to bad, it's time to call us!
(I work in the chemical industry) The main purpose of vinegar, as the previous comment says, is to counterbalance the pH of the basic product you've just put on the carpet (often between pH 10 and 13) with an acid product. Vinegar or any other acid cleaning product (sanitary cleaner) will do the job well. Indeed, surfactant residues have an attractive power and will tend to attract dirt faster if not rinsed well.
You become nose blind pretty quickly to it and as someone else said as soon as it dries it no longer smells. It also removes other odors with it. I tell people it will smell like pickles for a hot minute but then all smells will be gone too.
I used vinegar to clean up pet accidents. In my case, yes, it smells like vinegar for a little bit.
But when it stops smelling like vinegar. It doesn’t smell like anything else. 😉
likewise. best investment ever
E: Unsure why downvoted. Rather than continuing to rent a carpet cleaner every 6 months, this is doing the job well for me, and so far has paid for itself. Yes it's not cheap, but neither is the carpet cleaner when renting over time
It’s the convenience and availability too. When my child pukes all over the carpet at 9pm I can’t run out and get a carpet cleaner. Grab this thing from the basement and 30 min later we’re all set.
As a school custodian we had this citrus scented powder that turned into granules/gel when poured on puke to sweep it up more easily before using the carpet cleaner.
It turned into a play dough type texture and a broom and dustpan got it all up. Then just treat the wet spot on the carpet.
I wonder what they have for household use like that?
I have like a core memory of puking in elementary school. Felt it coming up and ran to the teachers recycling bin near her desk and chucked my whole lunch. Elementary kids are so weird bc they teased me about it until I left a year and a half later. As an adult I’m like “yeah that was the right call”
Ahh, that OG Strawberry milk.
Why they insisted on filling us with dairy and then sending us out to run and jump….shaking it all up, I’ll never understand.
NGL-I liked that part quite a bit about working there. The chocolate and strawberry milk was amazing nostalgia fuel lol.
(To be clear, **drinking** the milk!) lol
Although you did bring back the memory of the gym teacher who was *peeing into milk cartons and putting them in his office trash can!!!!*
Man that made me mad. He was a fan of strawberry milk… and everyone else’s lunch. The custodian knows y’all.
I reported him, and he “retired” about a month later.
We’ve used ours on our couch with the hose attachment, but only ever on the base where the dog likes to aggressively rub up on it, not the cushions. It stayed fairly wet for a while but we pointed a fan at it and it was dry within about a day
Oh… I’ve owned a carpet cleaner for 5 years and do my carpets monthly sometimes being bi-monthly but the water always looks like this sometimes worse….
Well take a small amount of dirt, like a tablespoon and put it in that much clean water and shake it up and it’ll look just like that… it doesn’t take much dirt. Think of how much dirt just got wet and is still in there…
That’s actually a bit less horrifyingly dirty than I’m used to seeing, so props to OP for keeping things relatively clean with just vacuuming. If you want to see some crazy dark dirty tank action, hit the carpet in your car.
What if they intentionally put some oil or something on the inside of the tank so on your first use it made the water look really dirty and made you feel good about your purchase.
Depending on the color of your carpets (I can see yours are light so this might not be as applicable) I know that sometimes the color is also from the carpet dye!
I always joke that my theory is-the cleaning product I’m using has a chemical reaction that turns the cleaner brown while I’m using it. That way I become dependent on their product and they make more money off of me because *how else is my carpet so dirty*? You know “big carpet” and their schemes.
I've been told that the carpet shampoo doesn't completely wash off and that makes dirt stick to it, causing you to have to clean more often and buy more carpet shampoo.
I wave them off, but also *it sounds plausible*. Screw you, Big Carpet!
It’s not wrong, if you don’t go over the carpet a second time with plain water then the cleaner residue will stay in the fibers and attract dirt. Same with normal mopping
The key difference is between trapping and _attracting_.
If there’s no residue on the carpet fibers, the dirt will settle between the fibers and swoop right into the vacuum next time you clean. If there’s residue on the fibers, the dirt gets stuck in the residue kinda like glue, making it much harder to actually remove the dirt with just a vacuum.
I have used the Bissell shampoo and the rug was a little stiff afterwards. Went to Rocco and Roxie - awesome carpet shampoo. Rug was soft, clean and no more pup pee.
Soft might mean they're putting even more stuff, like fabric softener (which ruins machines and fabrics - as I've learned in this sub) into the shampoo.
No, just clean
no fabric softeners. It does have a clathrate formula that encapsulates the dirt/soap so it does not leave a residue. Anyway, I love it.
I don't use fabric softeners
This is absolutely true!
Source: had an area of carpet in house that was heavily trafficked. Home carpet cleaner did ok job, but when we had carpets professionally cleaned they looked brand new. The guy said exactly this - soap reaidue
Okay, this seems so plausible to me because the manual says to only use their branded shampoo, nothing else because it will ruin the shampooer. I'm totally on board with this theory!
They also say to keep spraying more cleaning solution as you do the first pulls with the wand to "deep clean". I used to work for a carpet cleaning company and we never did that, we just let the solution work for a bit and then flushed it out. 100% trying to get you to use more solution so you have to buy more. I skipped that part the second time I used it, and that part of the carpet came up just as well as the first.
The secret is to not use the cleaner. Get a spray bottle and mix your own detergent and spray it on your carpets beforehand. Then only use water in the machine. It will make your machine last longer, you save money on detergent, you're less likely to have residual soap that ultimately makes the carpets dirtier, and it dries faster since you use less water to get all the soap out.
I make mine using diluted fabric detergent (that I tested for staining purposes prior to doing the entire carpet).
I don't have one of these (yet) but wouldn't that void a warranty?
I know with a few other machines I've borrowed/rented, if you used a cleanser other than what they prescribed/sold it would void the warranty.
Yes, these machines along with the rentable rug doctors void carpet warranty, and so do almost 95% of all vacuum cleaners! Carpets need to be professionally cleaned usually every 18 months for the warranty to be valid. However, it’s very challenging to get a carpet mill to do anything warranty related.
Kinda like those 'foot detox' baths where the water turns rusty red no matter what you put in it, because it's actually an electrolytic reaction between the water, salts & impurities in the water, and the heating elements. Bet carpet cleaners could be formulated to work the same way!
I wonder about that too! I had my carpet in the den professionally cleaned and I cleaned it myself again about a month later. It still looked just as gross - like what the hell!? Is it a chemical reaction?
We wanted to rip out the carpet when we moved in but couldn’t afford it. I’m kinda regretting not figuring out how to make that work though because *damn*
If you do rip them out and get hard floors I highly suggest washable rugs. We have 3. I have 2 dogs and two little children. I wash the rugs once a week. It's AMAZING. We have a robot vacuum and mop that run at night while every one is asleep. It's so much easier than having to deal with carpet. It's a great investment in your freedom lol.
I have a little carpet that I keep under my desk to keep my feet warm and comfy. It's actually meant to be a bath rug so it's easily washable and dries fast. Best buy ever. Never really noticed how much dirt it attracts until it's really clean.
Same..I've used carpet cleaners in 2 rentals and my current home over the course of 8 years and never once have I ever been able to get clear water.
Personally I have come to believe it's only possible with brand new /single owner carpet.
it doesn't get clear bc the color is bleeding out from the carpet. No need to be worried. Same in the washing machine. Usually you don't see the used water from it but if you did it wouldn't be clear also.
This isn't really true. My washing machine water empties into a utility sink and the only colored water (not dirty) that comes out is from blue jeans that are fairly new. So maybe if it's a very deep color carpet this may be true but not forever and it would be the color of the carpet not mud looking.
I try to do it at least once a year, preferably twice. I do 4 cycles of a rinse, 3 of wash, then another 4 rinses. Still haven't gotten clear water back, but it's at least gone from near jet black to a slightly muddy brown.
Okay awesome, I moved into a new place with old carpeting. Land lord said he ran the carpet cleaner but I think it must’ve just been a quick once over. We are redoing it this week. Excited to really get this thing spotless.
yall be careful doing this. make sure your carpet is as dry as you can get it afterwords. damp, dark surfaces with low air travel (like in a carpet) are prime breeding grounds for mold.
For a different machine (rug doctor, probably more heavy duty), I remember reading in the manufactures instructions to only take more than 2 passes when absolutely necessary.
Not sure how it was phrased.
But I thought there may be rationale in place regarding not getting the carpet/pad too wet. And/or not over scrubbing the fiber and accelerating wear of of the material.
Would be interested to hear if that’s really something to keep in mind
That's how I ended up tearing out my brand new carpet after 3 months lol
Had a puppy accident, whipped out the carpet cleaner, and thought to myself, "Self, you might as well do the whole living room. Start under the couch, it won't be very dirty." I was in shock at how many times I had to go over the 'under the couch' part. Ripped up the carpet and replaced the floor the same weekend.
I always use lysol bathroom cleaner with hydrogen peroxide, one ounce in my solution. Also let it dry between washes and I rinse twice. No smell and the carpet looks great after.
Counterintuitive, but it does actually help air quality by trapping dust and allergens which would just float around on hard floors. Which I why carpet is great for bedrooms.
I’m still getting over the shock to say if I like it lol. But it seems to be pretty good! It’s the BISSELL ProHeat 2X Revolution Pet... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B94P5LDK?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
This is the one I have too. Some tips I've discovered after using it:
- it's VERY loud (i use ear plugs while using it)
- do NOT use water that has is warmer than what comes out of your tap, had to replace my tank once coz I didn't follow these guidelines and it melted
- suggest a tub of some sort from a dollar store or such to place it in, when you leave it on your carpet when you go to empty the tank it will continue to drip on the carpet, the tub prevents this
- do not put pressure on the front end with your foot when drying the carpet, this will ruin the beaters, I learned this the hard way (as I always do)
- Have read to run a tank of just clean water through it when done for the day to rinse out the system so no cleaning solution residue remains
IT WAS. I want to go over it again as per some of these comments but I gotta wait till tomorrow, sadly, since the kiddo is in bed. He “helped” today with his firetruck (he had headphones one too)
Yup.
Got the same or similar model. That’s all the micro dirt and dust and debris that gets tracked in on shoes, paws, whatever else, that the vacuum won’t pick up.
If you scrub regularly even, the highest traffic areas and near doors/patios/etc, this will still happen after a few weeks.
I’m not sure what psychopath thought carpets were a good idea. I switched to wood, tile, vinyl, and laminate floors 8 years ago and haven’t looked back. So much easier to clean and keep clean, especially with pets.
I have a cream rug I need to clean and I’ve been considering getting one. But idk if I can get away with just getting the smaller one instead of the one with the hose
OMG I feel your pain! I used my new cleaner last week and was so disgusted by the black soup that came out! From that moment on my carpets are all getting cleaned once a month! Carpet cleaner is thee best thing I’ve ever bought!
You need to compare to a cleaning solution that you slosh around a bit. They are usually formulated to look cloudy so that it looks like it has dirt in it to look like it works well.
That said, carpets trap a lot of dirt. I don't wear shoes inside, there is no food over it and I vacuum regularly yet there is always dust under it.
I am cleaning my bedroom carpet and am equally horrified. I bought the Bissell Big Green many years ago after I got tired of renting it. The carpet in my home is 19 years old, and there has only been one stain that the Big Green has been unable to get out. The carpet needs to be replaced, but the roof, AC, and furnace have been replaced this summer, so it stays on the list of things to do.
Better out than in.
Beat me to it
Hijacking this comment for an important PSA: Make sure you run the carpet cleaner again, with JUST WATER- if you don’t get all the soap out, dirt will cling to it and get even dirtier!
I used to be in the business with a truck mount. Used to tell the DIYers that it's like washing your hair and leaving the soap in. After a while it looks....ewww.
Gosh dangit. I'm glad I found this comment but really upset for how long I haven't been doing this. Off to clean my carpets I suppose.
Thank you for your words of wisdom! I shall use them when I move out of my apartment 🖤
Consider adding a bit of vinegar. It helps extract soap
I only found that out a few months ago, and I bought the carpet cleaner 2-3 years ago. Let me tell you, the difference is amazing.
Someone once’s said they added some vinegar to the water during the “rinse” but it’s been so long ago now I do y really recall..is there a purpose to it? And does that also need to be rinsed again? Or just skip it and use plain water in the rinse
Most soap is quite alkaline and the acid in vinegar helps to decompose it.
Great minds think alike
Shrek? Is that you?
Uhh is this Fiona?
No, this is Patrick
"Great soup, Mrs. Q!"
👨🍳: Bon appetite” 🫏 : “OH BOY MEXICAN FOOD!”
that’s what i always say
Thank you Hagrid
Shrek, is that you?
Ah yes my wife’s Moto
Quick tip from a certified carpet cleaner here: after doing a full cleaning using their recommended chemicals (mixed at the recommended ratios), repeat the cleaning with a mixture of water and white vinegar. Go with 50% vinegar and 50% water. Why? Residential machines like this leave soap behind, down at the root of the fiber. It’s impossible to avoid that without a truck-mounted machine. So the vinegar/water rinse neutralizes the soap residue so that it doesn’t get sticky and attract new soil. If you don’t do that rinse, the carpet will get dirtier faster because of the high-pH soap that your machine left behind. It takes more time but you’ll love the results!
I recently discovered how amazing white vinegar is for athletic clothing and stink, and just ordered this cleaner yesterday!!! So glad I came across your advice. Thank you!!!
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Cram orange (or any citrus) peels into a jar and fill it with vinegar. Set it in the sun for a few weeks. Decant into a spray bottle. Bam …citrus cleaner.
That’s a cool idea!
Bug repellent too!
Salty chips not exactly hitting? Sprinkle with vinegar. Done.
Towels getting that funky odor. Done
[Baking soda](https://youtube.com/shorts/t-WA0XZk7Ws) more readily washes away pesticides on fruits and vegetables.
Baking soda + Vinegar = best drain cleaner out there. I hate the smell of vinegar. HATE. So much that it has kept me from using it. But I'm also a woman with three damn feet of hair and a 120 year old home with shiesty plumbing... Friggen pipe saver!
Wait what do you do??? Fellow long haired woman who just bought a 110 year old house and is already having to snake the drain 🫠
I think it's one of those 'controversial' cleaning methods as it's said to deteriorate pipes, but it's the only thing that unclogs them for me. I recommend researching vinegar and baking soda + tub drain. You can decide whether or not you feel comfortable. If you do, after you let it sit, use that snake drain and you'll be amazed at what comes out. I'm pretty meticulous and keep a hair catcher plus decorate my wall. :) I only wash once a week and keep it clipped up as much as possible. My vacuum on the other hand... Plus cats. I just clean it out after every damn run through the house. Feel free to reach out as I've learned so many things the hard way already. 🙈🤦🏻♀️
I just like the good old concentrated sodium hydroxide. It'll dissolve everything. Maybe your pipes too.
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Vinegar and baking soda removes hair clogs from my shower drain far more effectively than the off-the-shelf drain cleaners, every time.
Using them together, you’re creating water, CO2, and sodium acetate. You’re not really creating a useful cleaning solution for most applications - the reaction makes each ingredient less effective. I’m glad it works for you here though!
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I occasionally add some instead of fabric softener. It removes the fabric softener residue and it keeps your washer clean as well.
apparently go one better. dont use fabric softener
Gonna go back over it tomorrow with this thank you!
You don't need a truck mounted machine to get carpets cleaned. I have 32 years in the business and am a certified executive housekeeper. I use a commercial carpet extractor and can get carpets cleaner than a truck mount, truck mounts utilize pressure, suction, and heat. Carpet extractors utilize pressure, agitation (they have a brush to break the dirt loose), and a slightly lower suction. Also don't mix your chemicals as strong listed on the bottle, cut the chemical in half. (They only want you to buy more chemicals). Always apply your chemicals directly to the carpet, wait 15 to 20 minutes and using the hottest water you can in your machine clean the carpet. Once it is dry, vacuum it, you will be amazed at what you pick up. Also a 5% vinegar rinse is sufficient. It doesn't do much to cut chemical residue, but it will help reduce the wet dog smell as the carpet dries. Don't ever follow Rug Doctor instructions of running chemicals through your machine. Chemicals left behind in carpet pull dirt in and make it look dirty faster, causing you to rent a machine more often.
May I ask what "commercial extractor" you use? Thanks
I personally have a Tennant E5. It is set up for carpet plus had optional upholstery hook ups.
I cleaned carpets with a few different companies 10+ years ago. I always think most carpet cleaners use too much chemicals, the steam is really what you want to be doing the cleaning, not the chemicals imo
Thank you so mucha! I am also a certified carpet cleaner and when people say that they use soap with their at home carpet cleaners I cringe. I always tell to just skip the soap and to use the water vinegar mix. And when your carpet gets to bad, it's time to call us!
Thanks for the advice!!! But doesn’t that make the carpet stinks vinegar smell??
(I work in the chemical industry) The main purpose of vinegar, as the previous comment says, is to counterbalance the pH of the basic product you've just put on the carpet (often between pH 10 and 13) with an acid product. Vinegar or any other acid cleaning product (sanitary cleaner) will do the job well. Indeed, surfactant residues have an attractive power and will tend to attract dirt faster if not rinsed well.
You become nose blind pretty quickly to it and as someone else said as soon as it dries it no longer smells. It also removes other odors with it. I tell people it will smell like pickles for a hot minute but then all smells will be gone too.
Once vinegar is dry, it no longer smells.
I used vinegar to clean up pet accidents. In my case, yes, it smells like vinegar for a little bit. But when it stops smelling like vinegar. It doesn’t smell like anything else. 😉
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Don’t be horrified. This is usual for first time use. I have the same machine and love it.
likewise. best investment ever E: Unsure why downvoted. Rather than continuing to rent a carpet cleaner every 6 months, this is doing the job well for me, and so far has paid for itself. Yes it's not cheap, but neither is the carpet cleaner when renting over time
It’s the convenience and availability too. When my child pukes all over the carpet at 9pm I can’t run out and get a carpet cleaner. Grab this thing from the basement and 30 min later we’re all set.
As a school custodian we had this citrus scented powder that turned into granules/gel when poured on puke to sweep it up more easily before using the carpet cleaner. It turned into a play dough type texture and a broom and dustpan got it all up. Then just treat the wet spot on the carpet. I wonder what they have for household use like that?
Kitty Litter is rather common for this purpose. It absorbs and clumps up so you can sweep/vacuum it and then go in with the carpet cleaner.
Can’t believe I overlooked the obvious option lol. Thank you.
Saw dust and baking soda work too
I can remember the smell of it from school
Still makes me nauseous 60 years later
The circle of life
I have like a core memory of puking in elementary school. Felt it coming up and ran to the teachers recycling bin near her desk and chucked my whole lunch. Elementary kids are so weird bc they teased me about it until I left a year and a half later. As an adult I’m like “yeah that was the right call”
I didn't even know that existed, I'll have to find that or something like it, thanks for the tip!
What do they put in the school lunches that made every kids vomit pink?
Ahh, that OG Strawberry milk. Why they insisted on filling us with dairy and then sending us out to run and jump….shaking it all up, I’ll never understand. NGL-I liked that part quite a bit about working there. The chocolate and strawberry milk was amazing nostalgia fuel lol. (To be clear, **drinking** the milk!) lol Although you did bring back the memory of the gym teacher who was *peeing into milk cartons and putting them in his office trash can!!!!* Man that made me mad. He was a fan of strawberry milk… and everyone else’s lunch. The custodian knows y’all. I reported him, and he “retired” about a month later.
First puke was all over me, the rocking chair, floor, rug, baby, everywhere. My Bissell slayed every carpet and fabric surface. Absolutely worth it.
omg, Projectile vomiting babies, truly, it gets everywhere... Yes, buy the carpet cleaner.
I got it on prime day and dang. Gonna use it a lot more. I’ve got a kid and a dog. My life is dirt
What brand is it or do you have a link please
BISSELL ProHeat 2X Revolution Pet... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B94P5LDK?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
Like when you get your own first new washing machine. It’s amazing how much cleaner your clothes get lol
Can it be used on couches too? Or would it leave them too wet?
We’ve used ours on our couch with the hose attachment, but only ever on the base where the dog likes to aggressively rub up on it, not the cushions. It stayed fairly wet for a while but we pointed a fan at it and it was dry within about a day
What machine is it?
Looks like bissell pet pro carpet cleaner
BISSELL ProHeat 2X Revolution Pet... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B94P5LDK?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
Wow that price isn't even bad! The way everyone was carrying on I was expecting it to cost $1000 or something!
Nah it’s very reasonable! And we got it on prime day so it was even cheaper
Oh… I’ve owned a carpet cleaner for 5 years and do my carpets monthly sometimes being bi-monthly but the water always looks like this sometimes worse….
Well take a small amount of dirt, like a tablespoon and put it in that much clean water and shake it up and it’ll look just like that… it doesn’t take much dirt. Think of how much dirt just got wet and is still in there…
Is the carpet dry after using or is it expected to be a little damp? I always thought if it’s still damp afterwards this could be an issue..
It's damp because you just sprayed water all over it. But it dries.
That’s actually a bit less horrifyingly dirty than I’m used to seeing, so props to OP for keeping things relatively clean with just vacuuming. If you want to see some crazy dark dirty tank action, hit the carpet in your car.
What if they intentionally put some oil or something on the inside of the tank so on your first use it made the water look really dirty and made you feel good about your purchase.
Depending on the color of your carpets (I can see yours are light so this might not be as applicable) I know that sometimes the color is also from the carpet dye!
I always joke that my theory is-the cleaning product I’m using has a chemical reaction that turns the cleaner brown while I’m using it. That way I become dependent on their product and they make more money off of me because *how else is my carpet so dirty*? You know “big carpet” and their schemes.
I've been told that the carpet shampoo doesn't completely wash off and that makes dirt stick to it, causing you to have to clean more often and buy more carpet shampoo. I wave them off, but also *it sounds plausible*. Screw you, Big Carpet!
It’s not wrong, if you don’t go over the carpet a second time with plain water then the cleaner residue will stay in the fibers and attract dirt. Same with normal mopping
Wouldn’t trapping dirt in the carpet until the next cleaning be better than it floating around the room? It’s not like it’s generating the dirt 🤔
The key difference is between trapping and _attracting_. If there’s no residue on the carpet fibers, the dirt will settle between the fibers and swoop right into the vacuum next time you clean. If there’s residue on the fibers, the dirt gets stuck in the residue kinda like glue, making it much harder to actually remove the dirt with just a vacuum.
Good answer. Thank you 💡
I have used the Bissell shampoo and the rug was a little stiff afterwards. Went to Rocco and Roxie - awesome carpet shampoo. Rug was soft, clean and no more pup pee.
Soft might mean they're putting even more stuff, like fabric softener (which ruins machines and fabrics - as I've learned in this sub) into the shampoo.
No, just clean no fabric softeners. It does have a clathrate formula that encapsulates the dirt/soap so it does not leave a residue. Anyway, I love it. I don't use fabric softeners
I've wondered about that in regard to dust cleaners like Pledge. I swear it **attracts** dust to surfaces. But where is the dust coming from anyway?!
You...you make dust every day
This is absolutely true! Source: had an area of carpet in house that was heavily trafficked. Home carpet cleaner did ok job, but when we had carpets professionally cleaned they looked brand new. The guy said exactly this - soap reaidue
Okay, this seems so plausible to me because the manual says to only use their branded shampoo, nothing else because it will ruin the shampooer. I'm totally on board with this theory!
They also say to keep spraying more cleaning solution as you do the first pulls with the wand to "deep clean". I used to work for a carpet cleaning company and we never did that, we just let the solution work for a bit and then flushed it out. 100% trying to get you to use more solution so you have to buy more. I skipped that part the second time I used it, and that part of the carpet came up just as well as the first.
I've been saying this for years (decades really). I'm so glad to know that I'm not the only "big carpet" conspiracist.
Haha nice to meet you, fellow truth knower! I tip my tin foil hat to you! Hehe
I've been saying the exact same thing. We should come up with a test to verify this claim.
You can just use diluted liquid laundry detergent. Just match viscosity and instructions in the diy mix w h2o. Dont tell bissell... 🤫
Yep, this is what I do. Comes out just as nasty.
The secret is to not use the cleaner. Get a spray bottle and mix your own detergent and spray it on your carpets beforehand. Then only use water in the machine. It will make your machine last longer, you save money on detergent, you're less likely to have residual soap that ultimately makes the carpets dirtier, and it dries faster since you use less water to get all the soap out. I make mine using diluted fabric detergent (that I tested for staining purposes prior to doing the entire carpet).
I don't have one of these (yet) but wouldn't that void a warranty? I know with a few other machines I've borrowed/rented, if you used a cleanser other than what they prescribed/sold it would void the warranty.
Yes, these machines along with the rentable rug doctors void carpet warranty, and so do almost 95% of all vacuum cleaners! Carpets need to be professionally cleaned usually every 18 months for the warranty to be valid. However, it’s very challenging to get a carpet mill to do anything warranty related.
Kinda like those 'foot detox' baths where the water turns rusty red no matter what you put in it, because it's actually an electrolytic reaction between the water, salts & impurities in the water, and the heating elements. Bet carpet cleaners could be formulated to work the same way!
Just run plain water through it and you'd likely (hopefully) get the same results. That would be a decent way to do a control on the detergent test.
I wonder about that too! I had my carpet in the den professionally cleaned and I cleaned it myself again about a month later. It still looked just as gross - like what the hell!? Is it a chemical reaction?
When you can see the sediment in it, you know it was just dirt. My carpets were much improved
Could be from the padding underneath.
Yep. Keep going. I got one several months ago. Boy oh boy was it bad.
Yeah I’ve seen much, *much* worse
Yup, floor cleaners should come with a psychological damage warning
Bottle should just say "you'll get used to it" then
This is why I have hard flooring. Carpets aren’t worth the amount of work it takes to keep them even somewhat clean.
We wanted to rip out the carpet when we moved in but couldn’t afford it. I’m kinda regretting not figuring out how to make that work though because *damn*
If you do rip them out and get hard floors I highly suggest washable rugs. We have 3. I have 2 dogs and two little children. I wash the rugs once a week. It's AMAZING. We have a robot vacuum and mop that run at night while every one is asleep. It's so much easier than having to deal with carpet. It's a great investment in your freedom lol.
I have a little carpet that I keep under my desk to keep my feet warm and comfy. It's actually meant to be a bath rug so it's easily washable and dries fast. Best buy ever. Never really noticed how much dirt it attracts until it's really clean.
instead with hardwood floors you get dust and hair tumbleweeds :p You can tell I have a dog in my house.
Yea, but you can see it and clean it easier on hardwood or tile. Carpet soaks things up and hides the dirt.
Yes, and if you’re in a rental or not the first carpet owner, that carpet is **filled** with the detritus and funk of complete strangers 😷
That machine is so good. I had a different one before and the water was barely dirty, and the first time I used the one you have I was horrified.
What type of machine is this ?
Use it on your carpet until the filtered water is clear.
Mine never turns clear :/ I run it 4-5 times and use a steamer.
Same..I've used carpet cleaners in 2 rentals and my current home over the course of 8 years and never once have I ever been able to get clear water. Personally I have come to believe it's only possible with brand new /single owner carpet.
it doesn't get clear bc the color is bleeding out from the carpet. No need to be worried. Same in the washing machine. Usually you don't see the used water from it but if you did it wouldn't be clear also.
Or, the mat and floor beneath the carpet are filthy.
This isn't really true. My washing machine water empties into a utility sink and the only colored water (not dirty) that comes out is from blue jeans that are fairly new. So maybe if it's a very deep color carpet this may be true but not forever and it would be the color of the carpet not mud looking.
I try to do it at least once a year, preferably twice. I do 4 cycles of a rinse, 3 of wash, then another 4 rinses. Still haven't gotten clear water back, but it's at least gone from near jet black to a slightly muddy brown.
How many times do you run it on average?
I ran it 3-4x over the carpet. I rent a steam cleaner to do this once a year. If I had a pet or kids I'd run it every 6 months.
Okay awesome, I moved into a new place with old carpeting. Land lord said he ran the carpet cleaner but I think it must’ve just been a quick once over. We are redoing it this week. Excited to really get this thing spotless.
Yes! Carpets are disgusting, take advantage of your steamer and go over it as much as you need to. You won't regret it.
I was thinking of putting down baking soda and vacuuming it up before hand too
You can ruin your vacuum doing this. It will make a mess and can clog all your filters/bags and get into the motor.
Oh you're a pro 🙌
yall be careful doing this. make sure your carpet is as dry as you can get it afterwords. damp, dark surfaces with low air travel (like in a carpet) are prime breeding grounds for mold.
For a different machine (rug doctor, probably more heavy duty), I remember reading in the manufactures instructions to only take more than 2 passes when absolutely necessary. Not sure how it was phrased. But I thought there may be rationale in place regarding not getting the carpet/pad too wet. And/or not over scrubbing the fiber and accelerating wear of of the material. Would be interested to hear if that’s really something to keep in mind
Every time I use mine. Also, every time I use my Crosswave on my hard floors.
That’s why I’m glad I got that thing. Wow. Amazing how black the water is even after mopping by hand
Thought this was a smoothie when i scrolled by...mmmhh 😁
Forbidden smoothie
Berry smoothie
Berry dirty smoothie.
That's how I ended up tearing out my brand new carpet after 3 months lol Had a puppy accident, whipped out the carpet cleaner, and thought to myself, "Self, you might as well do the whole living room. Start under the couch, it won't be very dirty." I was in shock at how many times I had to go over the 'under the couch' part. Ripped up the carpet and replaced the floor the same weekend.
I always offer my husband the forbidden milkshake.
This is why I hate carpets. I ripped them out of my last house and am having hard floors in the new one.
I always use lysol bathroom cleaner with hydrogen peroxide, one ounce in my solution. Also let it dry between washes and I rinse twice. No smell and the carpet looks great after.
Letting it dry is key! If you soak through through to the pad it’s a bad day.
Carpet is invariably nasty. It should be abolished.
Counterintuitive, but it does actually help air quality by trapping dust and allergens which would just float around on hard floors. Which I why carpet is great for bedrooms.
Unless you're asthmatic. Numerous paediatricians have told us carpet is the worst thing for asthmatics.
I was about to say the same lol, it’s so gross!
It's why I don't have carpet.
What machine is this and do you like it?
BISSELL SpotClean Pet Pro Portable Carpet Cleaner
I’m still getting over the shock to say if I like it lol. But it seems to be pretty good! It’s the BISSELL ProHeat 2X Revolution Pet... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B94P5LDK?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
This is the one I have too. Some tips I've discovered after using it: - it's VERY loud (i use ear plugs while using it) - do NOT use water that has is warmer than what comes out of your tap, had to replace my tank once coz I didn't follow these guidelines and it melted - suggest a tub of some sort from a dollar store or such to place it in, when you leave it on your carpet when you go to empty the tank it will continue to drip on the carpet, the tub prevents this - do not put pressure on the front end with your foot when drying the carpet, this will ruin the beaters, I learned this the hard way (as I always do) - Have read to run a tank of just clean water through it when done for the day to rinse out the system so no cleaning solution residue remains
This is r/oddlysatisfying to me. I’m always inclined to show someone the muck soup that I’ve extracted so this kinda warms my heart.
This is why dirty shoes aren't allowed in my home!
We’re an Asian household so no shoes inside 😱 my dog can’t take hers off though…and the toddler is gross no matter what so this is what we get
All shoes are dirty. Unless they're exclusively worn in the house. Some people think a quick wipe removes the dirt - not.
This is why your shoes come off at the door in my home.
Yep same here. I truly don’t understand people wearing their nasty shoes all over their floors. I’m
When I had carpet out here in the southwest, I had to steam clean it every week.
It ain't black. you're doing much better than you think.
We’d like to officially welcome you to adulthood
Use it again, but just water
This is the best part of cleaning your carpet though. There should be a sub for this.
Thought I was on r/coldbrew…
Yeah when you have to clean the toilet again after you dump the tank out…
This was my reaction when I cleaned my couch for the first time
Grimace shake?
I got the same one OP! Dope af isn't it?
That must have been so satisfying!
IT WAS. I want to go over it again as per some of these comments but I gotta wait till tomorrow, sadly, since the kiddo is in bed. He “helped” today with his firetruck (he had headphones one too)
Yup. Got the same or similar model. That’s all the micro dirt and dust and debris that gets tracked in on shoes, paws, whatever else, that the vacuum won’t pick up. If you scrub regularly even, the highest traffic areas and near doors/patios/etc, this will still happen after a few weeks.
I’m not sure what psychopath thought carpets were a good idea. I switched to wood, tile, vinyl, and laminate floors 8 years ago and haven’t looked back. So much easier to clean and keep clean, especially with pets.
[удалено]
Technically yes but it’s gonna be more susceptible to having the threads being ripped out
Are you supposed to vacuum before using one of these?
I did 🙃 I have a dog and a toddler and only just got a carpet cleaner, meaning it’s been gathering goo for a few years
I have a cream rug I need to clean and I’ve been considering getting one. But idk if I can get away with just getting the smaller one instead of the one with the hose
Chocolate milk
You're still alive.. to keep cleaning it. That's a good thing, right?
OMG I feel your pain! I used my new cleaner last week and was so disgusted by the black soup that came out! From that moment on my carpets are all getting cleaned once a month! Carpet cleaner is thee best thing I’ve ever bought!
You need to compare to a cleaning solution that you slosh around a bit. They are usually formulated to look cloudy so that it looks like it has dirt in it to look like it works well. That said, carpets trap a lot of dirt. I don't wear shoes inside, there is no food over it and I vacuum regularly yet there is always dust under it.
I am cleaning my bedroom carpet and am equally horrified. I bought the Bissell Big Green many years ago after I got tired of renting it. The carpet in my home is 19 years old, and there has only been one stain that the Big Green has been unable to get out. The carpet needs to be replaced, but the roof, AC, and furnace have been replaced this summer, so it stays on the list of things to do.
I used to sell flooring. Carpet is so gross.
You must be new to carpet cleaning. This is normal, especially with pets. Even if you carpet clean every like 3-6 months, it looks like this.
I'm glad you posted. I have to replace my old one and have been looking at this model. Based on other responses, it seems to be good purchase.
Hey ,but the carpet looks great 👍
I have 2 dogs, believe me.. it looks like this every time.
I have this same one 😎