Should I Rent A Rug Doctor?
When near the display while wearing my work uniform at the grocery store, being asked questions about the Rug Doctor is quite common. Can Rug Doctor provide a professional level of clean? My response, compared to $20,000 truck mounted equipment, I think not. Why anyone would even compare the performance of a deiseal generated equipment to a grocery-store rental unit is beyond reason. But to be fair, the effectiveness of the Rug Doctor rental is completely based upon its intended use. Will it provide adequate wall to wall carpet cleaning? Absolutely not. Can it be used for small jobs and cleaning up spots? Absolutely it can. So, the basic reason for writing this article is to provide a little framework regarding when to rent a Rug Doctor machine and when to hire a professional carpet cleaning company.
Due to being an electrical appliance, the practical use of the Rug Doctor is somewhat limited. However, truck-mounted steam cleaning has far greater capability and power. Rug Doctor is limited the the temperature of water coming from the sink where as a truck mounted equipment can easily sustain temperatures up to 230+ degrees. When it comes to effectiveness, ideally, 230 degrees is perfect for melting gum, dissolving sticky residue, melting wax, sanitizing surfaces, etc. The Rug Doctor simply lack the capability of achieving any of those. However, for small application like cleaning up baby's spilled milk, cat vomit and minor foot traffic, the Rug Doctor will fair just fine. For wall to wall carpeting with minor soiling, it may perform satisfactory, if having the time a patience to do it correctly. This is where even some professional cleaners get into trouble. The IICRC has laid out some specific guild lines for proper carpet care, and they should not be neglected regardless. No, you do not need to take an IICRC class to rent a Rug Doctor, but some of the basics can be extremely useful regardless of truck mounted steam cleaning by a professional or a grocery store Rug Doctor rental. And knowing is half the battle to obtaining desired results.
What is that pungent smell when the carpet get wet? Well, it's likely not the carpet but what's lurking below the surface. Did you know that carpets can hide up to one pound of debris per foot. Granted most carpets do not have nearly this much, but it is a fact. Furthermore, thorough vacuuming with commercial-grade equipment is capable of removing nearly 80% of this dry contamination. Being that dander and matted hair contain proteins, a foul odor is released when becoming damp. Dirt becomes sticky and tacky when wet and less likely to be extracted with a quick pass of the carpet cleaning wand. In my opinion, thorough vacuuming should ALWAYS be performed prior to any carpet cleaning methodology, regardless if it is the Rug Doctor or truck mount steam cleaning.
Although extremely inexpensive, one of the first things to realize is that cheap cleaning products do contain high concentrations of residual residue. If allowed to remain in area rugs, carpeting and upholstery, it will attract dirt like a magnet. Ever experience carpets or upholstery that quickly 'uglied-out', having dingy appearance? This was most likely due to residual residue. However, top-notch green products, used by the professional industry, often contain minimal or even ZERO residue. The quality of solutions utilized by a company often reflect in the cost of service. With this in mind, how does it make sense that Rug Doctor cleans with the same soapy residue water that it rinses with? Ever watch a professional cleaner? They apply the pre-spray product with a chemical sprayer and then rinse with a carpet wand. How does it make any logical sense for Rug Doctor to perform this all in one step while professionals always perform two? So, tip number one, always mix the cleaning solution using a garden style pump-up sprayer and only put clean water into the Rug Doctor, for rinsing purposes.
Regardless of the logic and science behind either option, a portion of society will choose the Rug Doctor rental over hiring a professional due to perception. Rug Doctor has done a great job marketing themselves as cheep solution to a costly professional service. But this is not entirely true. Sure, the base unit is only $24.95 for a 24-hour period. Most people forget to factor in the additional cost of required cleaning solutions, attachments, etc. On average, customers are invested about $75 plus countless hours of their own time. From a professional stand-point, deep thorough steam cleaning, performed by a professional, requires about 30 to 45 minutes per room to perform properly. We are talking about truck mounted steam cleaning, quality requires time. Back to the Rug Doctor, if taking less than an hour to clean a room, wall to wall, its not being done correctly. For a two bedroom apartment performed correctly with a Rug Doctor, five to six hours would be a good guesstimate. Additionally, it all needs to be returned to the store when finished. Realistically, plan on spending an entire Saturday and $75 on cleaning carpets in a two-bedroom apartment with a Rug Doctor. But for those that insist on going this route, the following will detail how to maximize the most from your rental.
They are convenient and available on short-notice and available at most grocery stores, Home Depot and Lowes. For those insisting on the DIY carpet cleaning, lets detail a few things. First things first. Having the following items will greatly maximize final results. All of these items can be found at a local hardware store of Home Depot:
- 1 Gal. Lawn and Garden and Home Project Sprayer
- Bulldozer 24 in. Multi-Surface Fiberglass Push Broom
- Furniture Sliders For Carpet
Note: Plastic sliders not only furniture easier to move but keeps metal feet of damp carpeting as well. Fan / air mover to expedite dry-time is recommended.
In the carpet cleaning business, we rely upon principles of chemistry and physics to do the heavy lifting. There is a simple equation that is used to accomplish this. It is called CHAT (chemical, heat, agitation, time). Each element is a variable in the equation. The chemistry is the cleaning solution. The heat is the hot water from the sing. The agitation is being generated by the push broom. And finally the time is allowing the solution to remain in the carpeting for 10 to 15 minutes prior to extraction with the Rug Doctor. Since we are only dealing with hot water from the sink, additional agitation from the push broom helps to re-balance this equation.
- First, thoroughly vacuum all carpeted surfaces to be cleaned. The more dust, mated hair and crud removed, the better the results and less potential for pungent odor to occur.
- Mix Cleaning solution in sprayer bottle with hot tap-water from the sink. If the water is too hot, it may cause cleaning detergents to foam and or destroy equipment.
- Thoroughly apply the cleaning solution to the area to be cleaned. Be sure to provide a little more cleaner to visible problem areas.
- Agitate cleaning solution into carpet via push broom. The agitation will help to break-down sticky residue and problem areas the same way a scouring pad is used to clean dishes.
- Allow the product to dwell in the carpeting 10 to 15 minutes.
- Fill the Rug Doctor's reservoir with hot tap water only. Do not add any cleaning solution.
- Thoroughly rinse and extract the treated area. The slower one goes, the more effective the cleaning.
- Upon completion, be sure to set fans to help dry. Damp carpeting is prone to odor so the faster it dries, the better.
Be sure to extract much waster as possible, If the waste water appears extremely dirty, repeating the above steps a second or third time would be extremely useful for obtaining optimal results. Keep in mind that the Rug Doctor is not very powerful and uncapable of providing a deep and sanitizing clean. But, it can help on a budget in making thigs appear more acceptable. Be sure to turn on a bathroom exhaust fan to increase air circulation in doors. Hope that this DIY guide was found useful and that Rug Doctor carpet cleaning is off on the right foot.
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