Rug Doctor?

Thank you so much everyone for your very useful comments. I’m thinking my best bet is to actually buy my own machine which I’d never even thought of!

As others have said the big machines that you can hire from supermarkets and dry cleaners are very heavy and cumbersome to use, especially in average size rooms unless you can empty it completely.

We bought the smaller Rug Doctor domestic machine and it's marvellous, well worth the money. Much lighter and easier to manoeuvre, and it cleans really well and leaves carpets almost dry. The Rug Doctor liquid can be a bit pricey and difficult to get where we live, so I buy a similar product from Amazon and it's actually better. We do our bedroom and stair carpets once a month (we have a dog) and it keeps them fresh and soft.

Second the suggestion to buy own carpet shampoo machine if you have space for storage if you are going down the diy route. They are very effective, leave carpet virtually dry and can be used for immediate attention for any spills etc. A professional is obviously the easiest but I have found that once a carpet has been cleaned, it needs to be cleaned more frequently so your own machine would be an investment.

Professionals should move heavy stuff - they put ‘guards’ on the furniture feet resting on the newly cleaned carpets, so there’s no ‘bleeding’ in either direction.
In the past we’ve used both wet and dry methods and a professional should ask about the materials used in the manufacture of the carpets and the colour. Old fashioned patterned carpet ‘Turkey red’ nearly always caused problems.

I'd say to have your own carpet shampooer if you have the storage space. It's great to be able to clean them whenever you wish. I had to get rid of mine when I moved.

Otherwise I would get a professional in. You can always do some of the carpets and the rest later. Or just do the most trafficked areas only. I would not bother moving any large furniture which stays in place. What's the point, it won't be dirty underneath the sofa or the sideboard. I would not be able to move the kingsize bed either. Just move smaller items which can be moved.

Yes they are good but as GagaJo says, hard work.

I hired one but I had a HelpX girl staying who did the work!
It was great seeing the dirty filthy water coming out of those old carpets revealing their lovely colours. I also think that the strong chemicals in the shampoo, they make you use, kills any carpet moth lurking.
We hired it over a weekend so washed all the carpets. Definitely worth it but heavy.

Not to me Calendargirl as I am wondering the same thing. My living room carpet could do with a clean and while I could manage to move most things out I couldn’t move the sofa from the room.

A question for all of you who have used a professional carpet cleaner.

Do you clear the rooms before they come, or do you move as much as you can and they do the parts you see?

I could do with my three bedroom carpets being cleaned, but no way can I empty all three rooms at once.
So I wondered if it would be worth it for them to do the main areas that are grubby?
Or does that make me sound rather slovenly?

I've just had a large living room carpet, 2 bedroom carpets. a sofa and 2 armchairs professionally cleaned for £120 the lot. I've hired the Rug Doctor machines in the past and was pleased with the results, but now I've seen the results from professional cleaners, I wouldn't hire one again.

At least in the US, the rug doctors that professionals have are not the ones that are available for rental or home use sales.

My friend bought one too, then she could use it as and when, instead of half-killing herself, hiring one to get it all done over a weekend.

Yes they are very good, I bought my own and use it regularly.

I haven’t used one for years, but it’s correct that they are very cumbersome and heavy.
I’ve just had two sitting room, dining room and hallway cleaned for £160

I hired one when I left my rented cottage, it is hard work as GagaJo says. It was very effective but I hadn't hoovered as thoroughly as I should have, and it clogged with sand.

You can hire them at several places.

It’s hard work - a Proffesional carpet cleaner will charge you £50 per room or less - well worth it and the carpets are dry almost immediately

Yes. Many times over many years. They work well but are hard work.