Can You Use Any Carpet Cleaner In Rug Doctor?
Can Any Carpet Cleaner Be Used In Rug Doctor? Officially, the branded Rug Doctor website will tell you that you shouldn’t use any other type of carpet cleaner in your machine other than the ones sold by them.
However, this is mostly done for liability reasons and there’s no research or evidence to support that using other carpet cleaning solutions will pose any risk to the machine.
However, it is important to understand that the Rug Doctor is an industrial strength extractor machine requiring careful consideration whenever detergents are used.
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Getting Started With Carpet Cleaning
First and foremost, never use cleaning solutions that cause the machine to foam.
Ultimately, you will need to purchase a cleaner that’s specially formulated for hot water extraction.
There are many manufacturers that offer these types of products, and that includes the Rug Doctor brand themselves.
However, the machine itself cannot feel or determine the type of cleaner you’ve used, therefore, any brand that works for an extractor will work for your machine.
Don’t Use Too Much Detergent
It’s crucial to measure your cleaner fluid carefully and simply put, don’t overdo it!
Using too much detergent will cause permanent damage to your carpeting and leave behind unsightly spots or stains that are impossible to remove.
In some instances, these stains are made only visible weeks after your initial use of the machine.
When In Doubt, Use Water!
If you’ve never used a hot water extractor machine before on your carpets, it may be best to get the feel for how to use the machine first.
You actually don’t need to add detergent of any kind to the machine for it to perform a passable cleaning job on mildly stained carpeting.
It’s important to use hot water to achieve the desired results in this manner, but do bear in mind that you will need to make several passes with the machine when using only water.
You may also decide to add a natural cleaning agent to your hot water by pouring a small measured amount of white vinegar.
This can help you address odors as well as tougher stains without committing to the use of any special detergent.
How To Clean Your Carpet With Rug Doctor?
It’s important to employ proper use of the Rug Doctor machine as failure to pay attention to manufacturer instructions may cause harm to your flooring material.
Here’s how to get started with the process:
Step 1: Relocate Furnishings
To achieve the best results with Rug Doctor, make sure to remove all furniture and belongings from the room you’re about to clean.
This may not always be an option, and if that’s the case for you, consider putting your heavier furnishings in the middle of the room.
As you finish the perimeter of the space, you can move your furniture back to its rightful place.
Step 2: Remove Surface Debris
It’s important to do what you can to make the extractor’s job easier.
Run a vacuum through the surface of your carpeting to remove any dust or debris that may not have settled deep into the fibers.
The machine itself has the ability to go beyond what a vacuum cleaner does to completely remove caked dirt, grime, debris, stains, and other allergens.
Step 3: Pre-Treat Stains
Take the time to perform a walk-through and actually pre-treat stains that are really caked into your carpet fibers.
The Rug Doctor brand actually has its own stain remover that can ensure every stain or spot is adequately eliminated.
The Rug Doctor Pet Stain Remover spray is also perfect for households with pets that may have urinated on their carpets.
Step 4: Using The Machine
Make sure to fill the machine using manufacturer instructions with hot water and an appropriate cleaning liquid.
It’s important to also understand that while using this extractor, you can only walk backwards pulling the machine in small sections across your flooring.
The machine also has adjustable height handles so this is a good time to determine your ideal comfort level.
Cleaning Solutions For Your Rug Doctor
Due to its industrial nature, this machine can handle plenty of wear and tear.
For example, you can use the Mr. Clean solution in your Rug Doctor.
However, it’s important to stick to the following formula: 1/2 cup of Mr. Clean for every 2 gallons of hot water.
It’s also perfectly acceptable to use household dish soap in the extractor.
For every 32 ounces of water, make sure to add approximately a 1/2 teaspoon of dish soap detergent.
If you encounter tough stains such as blood or chocolate that simply won’t budge, you can add another 1/4 cup of either ammonia or white vinegar to the mix.
In Conclusion
The Rug Doctor is a fantastic machine to rent in order to properly clean your dirty carpets at home.
It offers you the ability to prolong the life of your flooring while allowing you to rest easy knowing all allergens have been adequately addressed.
