From 1976 to 1985, I was a training manager for Kirby, and used the Rug Renovator as the way to close hundreds of sales. I also used to clean carpets professionally using the Renovator.

 The Kirby Rug Renovator is designed to use little water. Kirby suds are dry foam that are concentrated soap which dry quickly, and are vacuumed away about two hours later. (For heavily soiled carpets, add a little Kirby 'Scuttle.") If you have soaked the carpet then you have the wrong setting and are not letting the brush roll do the job. The renovator works on a backward stroke, and one pass is enough! You should overlap slightly covering a 5 foot square, then shut off the flow of suds, and work them in. Repeat till the entire carpet is slightly damp. After this I like to remove the renovator, and use the miracle head, leaving the water dispenser still in place, working in the suds so that they go deep into the carpet. Once the carpet is completely dry, vacuum the shampoo residue and carpet dirt.

All this is described in the instruction book.

Hi, I've always found the Kirby shampooer to work very well and not leave any residue. Esp when using genuine Kirby shampoo and not he cheap copy shampoo or 1001 etc. In the demo we use to get the prospect to rub some kirby suds in to their hands to show it wasn't greasy and sticky.

If I shampoo a carpet that has stains on it or has a  particularly dirty patch I use the "Spot Remover" and "Heavy Traffic" Pre-treatment sprays. I prefer the G series shampooers to the Pre G series ones.

Also you have to vacuum the carpet well before shampooing. Remember we shampoo to get rid of the grease and stains not surface litter and grit etc. 

It surprises me how many people don't vacuum before shampooing a carpet. Same as dealing with a stain ASAP and not leaving it to dry.

I've never liked the big carpet upright shampooers Bissell and Vax etc turn out. Nor have I found them as good as they claim.

I don't like working on them when they go wrong which they often do. When you get customers often bringing them in for repair and saying "Oh I've only used it 2 or 3 time...."Hay ho...

James

Hi, Yep the shampoo is the same shampoo but it came in big drums. I should get one myself. I wonder what I could get one at??

Yes I have seen that type of build up before on many vacuum cleaners I get come in to the shop as well as vacuum cleaners I recondition. The vast majority do not own a Kirby assuming they have any shampooer at all. Most people as I said seem to have the Vax or Bissell upright shampooers they bought in the sales lol.

Also I've not had a build up on my Kirby's on the sole plate after I've shampooed the carpet.

I wouldn't get the build up off the sole plate with a knife. I tend to use a cloth or green scouring pad with a bit of warm water and detergent.

James

Used the Classic 1-CR last night with it, I was very surprised how effortlessly the stain came up! I thought I would have to go-over it with the big, clunky Hoover Steam-Vac. Nope! I did, however, pre-treat with the sprayer and some Kirby Shampoo, It blasted the stain right out of that carpet!

I've Never had such "Gunk" deposit on my Kirby, Except once, I seem to recall it depositing on my Heritage 1, but I had shampooed the entire room when the belt had slipped off!

It makes me wonder what it would be like to vacuum with the RR's brush, it seems very efficient in design and performance,