Thread Number: 15182
Rug Doctor? |
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Post# 161154 , Reply# 1   12/5/2011 at 06:51 (4,523 days old) by scvacuumguy (SC)   |   | |
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Post# 161197 , Reply# 2   12/5/2011 at 12:33 (4,523 days old) by baglessball ()   |   | |
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I love mine, its the fastest domestic machine I have had to use. Minimal repeated passes. Easy to fill and empty ad low maintenance! |
Post# 161250 , Reply# 3   12/5/2011 at 17:37 (4,523 days old) by joshdonnell ()   |   | |
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They would out clean a silly TTI Crap |
Post# 161256 , Reply# 4   12/5/2011 at 19:05 (4,523 days old) by thevacuumman (Borger, TX)   |   | |
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Actually I agree with the Royal extractor because my sister's fiancée has one and i used it the last time i was at their house and it did clean well |
Post# 161261 , Reply# 5   12/5/2011 at 21:07 (4,523 days old) by vacfanatic (Omaha, NE)   |   | |
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I own one and love it. I do disagree with the statement about it being better built than a Bissell because I actually threw a Bissell Pro-Heat in the trash after it would stop spraying. Heater block got all corroded and leaked black water all over my white carpet - not cool :) There is absolutely no comparison in suction at the hose / floor nozzle either.
We all have our opinions - the Bissell is better than the Hoover Platinum Carpet Cleaner which is a rickety cheapy plastic piece of work to put it nicely. After both it and the Bissell Pro-Heat, I got something that will last me. See the video demo I did of mine in use a while back. Andrew CLICK HERE TO GO TO vacfanatic's LINK |
Post# 161355 , Reply# 7   12/6/2011 at 21:36 (4,522 days old) by bagintheback (Flagstaff, Arizona)   |   | |
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I really enjoy using the Rug Doctor. I have personally rented a unit with over 500 hours on it and it ran perfectly.
The Rug Doctor is great at cleaning carpets. It has some trouble removing set-in stains, but definitely brightens our 15 year old white carpets when used with right solution. When cleaning upholstery, the Rug Doctor does an acceptable job, but still much better than my Bissell Proheat. Although Rug Doctors are no longer made in America, they will still last decades. Much better than Hoover or Bissell has ever offered. Scvacuumguy's comment is biased. He owns a vacuum repair shop and is a TTI dealer. Since he does not sell new Rug Doctors, the only machines he will ever see are the units that are in need of repair. He only sells TTI machines, so of course he will tell you to go with a Royal. I have heard good things about the Royal, but the model originated as a Dirtdevil in the mid-2000s so I question it's reliability. If you have the money and you need a carpet extractor, a Rug Doctor is an excellent choice. |
Post# 161391 , Reply# 9   12/7/2011 at 07:23 (4,521 days old) by gsheen (Cape Town South Africa)   |   | |
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while it hasn't been out here long We became bissel agents when the brand was relaunched in SA earlier this year.
I bought a pro heat x2 for myself to replace my ageing hoover steem vac.
From a user point of view It is fantastic,. I used to own a carpet cleaning company with a truck mount carpet cleaner , I sold the business to my dad but he still cleans my carpets for me . the bissell proheat leaves the carpets so nice and fresh, its twin brushes really do work wonders and I prefer using it than the truck mount when I clean my carpets.
However I think they are a pain to repair . |
Post# 161426 , Reply# 10   12/7/2011 at 15:22 (4,521 days old) by kirbylux77 (London, Ontario, Canada)   |   | |
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I agree with the majority of people on here that the Bissell Proheat shampooers are cheaply made, & don't last long, nor clean well. However, I would NOT buy a Rug Doctor instead.
I did rent a Rug Doctor back a few years ago, to clean a house I was living in that had brown, medium cut pile carpet thruout, that was filthy & in dire need of cleaning. The Rug Doctor did do a good job. I liked the solid construction, build quality, & the vibrating brush was very good. BUT, compared to the Hoover Steamvac, & most other extractors that use 4-litre tanks, the Rug Doctor uses TWICE that amount-8 litres- and it cleaned the same amount of carpet approximately as the Hoover, with a full tank of solution, when used as directed. And, despite going over the carpet a couple of times after extracting, to make sure it picked everything up, the carpet was still very soaked! Much more than if I was to use my Hoover Steamvac. Took about 8 hours for the carpets to completely dry....and this was in the middle of summer, with all the windows open. That kind of soaking to me is unacceptable. I personally own a Hoover Steamvac F5914-900, and another Hoover Steamvac before that, & have always gotten great cleaning results with the Hoovers. This is the ONLY residential carpet extractor I would buy besides the Rug Doctor....the others in the marketplace are too poor quality machines for my liking. Rob |
Post# 161436 , Reply# 11   12/7/2011 at 17:25 (4,521 days old) by bagintheback (Flagstaff, Arizona)   |   | |
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Post# 161438 , Reply# 12   12/7/2011 at 19:20 (4,521 days old) by joshdonnell ()   |   | |
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@kirbylux77 well its was a rental those are nasty ! So thats why it cleaned like crap haha , i personal like rug doctor but then again never used one just saw videos . I just use my kirby |
Post# 161439 , Reply# 13   12/7/2011 at 20:00 (4,521 days old) by vacfanatic (Omaha, NE)   |   | |
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8 hours for carpets to dry by anything is too much for sure. I have a theory on some Rug Doctor rentals that get bad reviews. Imagine how many people operate it without the intake filter properly in place. Over time, hair, lint, carpet fluff, etc goes through the motor fan. I bet that the fanblade is caked with debris and hair resulting in reduced suction. Another thing could be internal hoses cracked with age (I find that they are under tension in mine when I peeked under the cover), or that the nozzle may have schmutz stuck up inside it.
My Rug Doctor has a TON of suction at the hose and tool end, even at the floor nozzle. My carpet dries in about 2-3 hours normally with my Rug Doctor. |
Post# 161486 , Reply# 15   12/8/2011 at 16:01 (4,520 days old) by floor-a-matic (somewhere)   |   | |
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I didn't know they're no longer made in USA? Or are they still? Most of the RD machines that I've rented don't even have the county of origin. |
Post# 161489 , Reply# 16   12/8/2011 at 16:26 (4,520 days old) by bagintheback (Flagstaff, Arizona)   |   | |
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Post# 161583 , Reply# 17   12/9/2011 at 20:25 (4,519 days old) by kirbylux77 (London, Ontario, Canada)   |   | |
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Josh- I made sure the rental I took was clean before I took it. Even if it had been dirty, that has nothing to do with it's capabilities as a cleaner, & I could have easily cleaned it before I used it on my carpets.
Andrew- I made certain the machine had nothing wrong with it before taking delivery of the rental from the grocery store. When I got it home, I checked for suction at both the nozzle & with the attachment hose in place; both were perfectly fine, TONS of suction. My theory is this....It simply sprays too much water for the suction to pick up at one pass, thereby leaving the carpets too damp. I also have to wonder whether the nozzle was properly designed....It is my opinion that the Rug Doctor seems to work best on low-pile carpets, not thick or heavy pile. Rob |
Post# 161586 , Reply# 18   12/9/2011 at 20:42 (4,519 days old) by joshdonnell ()   |   | |
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Use a dry clean foam or host |
Post# 161719 , Reply# 19   12/11/2011 at 09:21 (4,517 days old) by MysteryManBob (New Port Richey,FL)   |   | |
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Post# 161795 , Reply# 20   12/12/2011 at 04:10 (4,516 days old) by tolivac (Greenville,NC)   |   | |
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I am also gunshy of dirt picked up by a machine used in someone elses place-best to have your OWN.and its ready right when you need it.But--as collectors--we buy or get vacuum cleaners used in someone eleses place-but with the floor-carpet cleaners-just more "ick" to me. |
Post# 163118 , Reply# 21   12/22/2011 at 12:58 (4,506 days old) by sanitaire (anchorage, alaska)   |   | |
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I have a hoover carpet machine and a rug dr. and a 8 gallon heated box extractor.... each one one has there pros and cons. I can make them clean better if you use commerical grade soap. |
Post# 163214 , Reply# 22   12/23/2011 at 22:19 (4,505 days old) by floor-a-matic (somewhere)   |   | |
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@sanitaire Does that box extractor have a powered brush? If so, it'll do a MUCH better job with less effort; also saves your back. :) |
Post# 326148 , Reply# 23   5/30/2015 at 19:55 (3,251 days old) by joerwheeler (USA)   |   | |
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Controversial as the Rug Doctor is, I used an X-3 on this really badly stained carpet and it worked pretty well. The secret is pre-spray (Simple Green in this instance), and dwell time (about ten minutes or so).
Using only water in the machine (which protects the pump, seals, and o-rings), thoroughly remove all the stain, and the cleaning agents, to ensure long lasting clean carpet. Residue will cause rapid re-soiling, and not vacuuming enough water out leads to wicking, and browning. The machine is capable of fantastic results. Most complaints of soaked carpets are due to improper handle adjustment, which allows the front (suction) edge to be lifted off the carpet from the handle being too high. And some accidentally switch the toggle to "tools" instead of "carpets" setting, which sprays continuously, which will soak carpets. Careful adjustment and practice is key to getting good results...just my two cents. Watch the video and see that they can work quite well. CLICK HERE TO GO TO joerwheeler's LINK |
Post# 326165 , Reply# 24   5/31/2015 at 09:32 (3,250 days old) by seanc (Cambridge, United Kingdom)   |   | |
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Yes, I have a Mighty Pro and find it to be a very good machine. It will transform my parents carpet back to cream from the current muddy brown colour very shortly. I was amazed the first time I used it. I bought the unit second hand and I've replaced the pump already, not a particularly easy job. |
Post# 326169 , Reply# 25   5/31/2015 at 10:52 (3,250 days old) by gsheen (Cape Town South Africa)   |   | |
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The biggest issue with rentals and diy machines is overwetting. It not the machines fault but rather the user. The thought process is that more water will clean and it just isnt so. Like said above pre spray is important. I owned and opperated a Truck mount machine and I could have carpets dry in minutes. I would walk into each room using a chem lance and spray the carpets first with a fine mist. Then using the wand and water only clean.Their are very few bad work8ng machines out their, bad chemicals are more the issue. If you have a Good chemical you can get a carpet clean using a garden pressure pump spray can,A broom and a Shopvac.
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Post# 326200 , Reply# 26   5/31/2015 at 17:31 (3,250 days old) by seanc (Cambridge, United Kingdom)   |   | |
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On that point gsheen, you've reminded me of my annoyance with the Rug Doctor, if you want to activate the agitator brush, the pump runs too, you can't turn the pump off and just agitate the carpet. |
Post# 326209 , Reply# 27   5/31/2015 at 20:34 (3,250 days old) by gottahaveahoove (Pittston, Pennsylvania, 18640)   |   | |
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but, a good friend (ALWAYS had SEARS vacuums) awore by Rug Doctor. He moved, couldn't get a Rug Doctor. I loaned him my Hoover Steamer. He HATED to admit that it did a great job. My uncle (69 Convertible) had a Big Green Machine by Bissell....... did a so so job (might have been the operator), also had a Regina... again.............................. I know people who LOVE Rug Doctor... |
Post# 326215 , Reply# 28   5/31/2015 at 22:03 (3,250 days old) by joerwheeler (USA)   |   | |
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I worked for a motel that used Hoover Steamvacs with spin scrub brushes. Had to clean 30 rooms one night when a storm with straight line winds drove gallons of water under the doors and flooded the rooms.
Except for having to empty it after about a minute (several hundred times it seemed...long night), it sucked up most of the water. did a good job overall. I used it quite a bit because they insisted on using that machine (they bought refurbished units), and it did a good job on glue down carpets. But they wore out pretty frequently. Motel 6 uses Rug Doctor in most of their in house situations. They are good machines, but many absolutely hate them with a passion. It's all cool! Most of the available machines for home use work fine, but aren't very durable. Using pre-spray and letting it dwell a few minutes improves most any machines performance. It us as the operators that mess up the results, not the machines. |
Post# 326223 , Reply# 29   6/1/2015 at 01:54 (3,250 days old) by spiraclean (UK)   |   | |
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Used to have the RD Wide Track and it's true, they do put out a lot of water. Part of the reason they work so well, but you do have to be careful about overwetting. Don't pull the machine back *too* slowly while spraying (particularly on berber type carpet), and be sure to follow up with plenty of dry strokes afterwards to lift out as much excess moisture as possible.
Mine was a Quick Dry version, with a knob at the rear allowing you to select either regular/quick dry mode. The latter reduces the solution flow rate, and I found that to be plenty for most jobs. Only for really heavily soiled carpets would I use the regular setting. A lot of pro carpet cleaners are a bit sniffy about the RD, partly because it's something you can hire from the supermarket, but mostly because it doesn't cost thousands to purchase. Still has no bearing whatsoever on its capabilities though, and for domestic use it's hard to beat. In the hands of someone who knows what they are doing, or at least follows the instructions to the letter, it does an excellent job. |
Post# 326332 , Reply# 30   6/2/2015 at 23:39 (3,248 days old) by mr_mom (pittsburgh (PA))   |   | |
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Post# 326344 , Reply# 31   6/3/2015 at 09:27 (3,247 days old) by HVRVACLVR (Altoona PA)   |   | |
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