We tested it: The Rug Doctor

August 4, 2010

By Kim Carlton

After being used and abused by two humans, a cat and a baby, my condo’s three-year-old white carpets needed a good cleaning before we put it on the market. I had heard about this machine called the Rug Doctor that you could simply rent at the grocery store and use to clean your carpets yourself, so I thought I would try it out before going through the hassle and expense of hiring a professional. I rented one at the local moving truck company location and picked up the Oxy-action cleaning solution (that you have to buy separately). You plug in the machine and fill it up with solution and water.  It then works like a regular vacuum cleaner, you run it over small sections of the carpet and it washes them, and the dirty water fills into the bottom compartment. You don’t want to keep going over and over the same area as it would leave your carpet extra soaking. It leaves the carpet damp, so be sure to leave your home with the windows open, so it can dry. I would recommend vacuuming with your regular vacuum first if you have a lot of pet hair embedded in the carpets. The results were quite good – maybe not quite as thorough as having them done by a professional company– but great if you need a quick and easy solution.

Filed under: TESTED AND TRUE