Plan B Forum

My name is rubato and I have a confession.

My secret shame is that I like cleaning carpets. I like the fact that I can do experimental chemistry when I do it. The cleaning step is basically an extraction so you want chemistry which will solubilize dirt and whatever stains you have and allow the water to flush it back out. So far laundry detergent seems to be the best; don't use too much! The H2O is doing most of the work. I also put 1/4 to 1/3 of a pint of 90% (or higher) rubbing alcohol into each tank of the rinse solution which really lofts the carpet and speeds drying. If the carpet isn't all that dirty you can use minimal detergent and do it in 1 pass.

Every place we rented when my spouse was in med school and residency I cleaned the carpets when we moved out. And the first place we lived in Portland too (before we bought a house). They looked great!

yrs,
rubato

There is a joke in here somewhere. Im just having trouble seeing it....

Rubato, do you make house calls to southern Sonoma County?

But seriously, does the laundry detergent work better than the stuff sold specifically for carpet cleaners?

I didn't find fancy, more expensive soap to be any better, than using simple green and Oxy-clean.
Finding a good carpet cleaner is important too. I have a little home joby, for average clean-up, but once in a while when I can afford it, I go rent a professional machine. Surprisingly to me, the best one was most archaic-looking; it's a hulking monster of vacuum/water/soap tank here- with a stainless steel pipe nozzle and hose out to there. It's bigger, than those compact Rug Doctors, but more powerful and the hose head can actually reach into more places, more easily that the boxy little cleaner. You don't have to change out the water as often, it's kept heated at a hotter temp than the other machines. It also has more powerful suction, so there really isn't a long drying time if the weather is good.

kristina wrote:Rubato, do you make house calls to southern Sonoma County?

But seriously, does the laundry detergent work better than the stuff sold specifically for carpet cleaners?

It works just as well and I already have some. I use about 1/4 the amount I would use for 1 load of laundry for each tankful of water. We (meaning "I") bought one of those schmansy front-loading washers a few years ago and they use some special "HD" detergent. Great on the carpets. The 1/3 pint of rubbing alcohol per tank helps too.

yrs,
rubato

My name is rubato and my secret shame is I LOVE free stuff.

All the things you get when you stay in a nice hotel? Fancy soap, conditioner, hair nets, shoe cleaners, mouth wash (called "dental rinse" in the fancy places), sewing kits, shower caps, shampoo. If we are staying multiple days and any of it is really good I pack all the new and unopened stuff in my luggage each day so they'll deliver more. Do you know that there is this liquid soap they call "body wash"? It's really just soap but it works good and usually smells nice.

To amuse our friends when they stay overnight we sometimes put a basket of an assortment of these items on their bedside table.

yrs,
rubato

LOL Can I stay over at Casa de Rubato some time?

Oh wait, you don't wanna do that; I steal towels.