Carpet cleaning - help!!

[Hissing Syd]

Without going into too much gory detail, I've had a temporary lodger in my house who has tonight been sick all over the carpet. I've been scrubbing, and it's grim.

I would very much appreciate the details of anyone locally who does carpet cleaning and doesn't charge a fortune.

Thank you.

[japesy]

You can hire a Rug Doctor carpet cleaning machine from Homebase or B&Q ( can't remember which). They are easy to operate and get great results.

[Hissing Syd]

Oh, that's great, thank you - I'll investigate it.

[Doubles]

You can hire it from Homebase - quite heavy so yo would need a car.

Did you always plan the them to be temporary, or has this incident led them to become temporary?

[Hissing Syd]

Thanks - I'm afraid I don't drive, plus the price of hiring the Rug Doctor is pretty steep, so that's ruled out. I have a steam mop so I'm going to have to try using that and gumption. I don't think it's heavily stained, but saving up to get brand new carpet in my home a few years ago was a big deal for me - I'm on a low income and I look after my stuff. Having someone vomit over it - and then, while still drunk, tell me: "Oh I think the carpet's fine"... well it's not ideal, is it.

To answer your question, yes, the person was always on a short let - though she is the latest in a series of difficult guests, and I've reached the end of my tether, so she'll probably be the last. I'm staggered by the behaviour I've seen... Never again!

[Rachael]

I can recommend Vanish carpet foam and some elbow grease, combined with your steamer. It effectively dealt with the, er, 'fallout' from the norovirus in this house a few years ago.

[Hissing Syd]

That's brilliant, Rachael and much appreciated - I shall hop to Sainsbury and grab some, thank you.

[mosy]

I'm a fan of Vanish for spot cleaning - their Carpet & Upholstery Cleaner (I think marketed as car care). However, I looked at shampoos for steam cleaners and this Mylek gets good reviews if needing a lot for a steam cleaner: http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_nos ... et+cleaner

Vax have brought out a Dual Pro (around £200 to buy) which reviewers say is pretty good but their Vax shampoo not so much, so I'd avoid that. Their machine is an upright (with hand tool extensions) and the spec looks good, but still heavy at 9.5Kg. Mind you, the hire machines are at least double that weight, so would be quite unmanageable for me.

If smell is an issue, you could try generously sprinkling pure bicarbonate of soda on (NB NOT baking powder) which absorbs smells if left for several hours before just (dry) vacuuming up.

Edit PS: I haven't tried Vanish for a steam cleaner so not commenting on that.

[Rachael]

Mosy - I think we're talking about a little steam mop here, not a full sized steam cleaner.

I would work regular Vanish foam into the carpet, give it a scrub, leave it to dry then go over it with the steam mop with the carpet glider on to kill the last of the pong.

[mosy]

I think cross purposes. Horses for courses - if a stain or smell can be removed with spot remover-type process, all well and good (and, yes, I'd recommend Vanish).. Rug Doctor mentioned earlier is more like an armoured tank than a steam mop, the Vax Dual pro is somewhere inbetween having brushes and deep suction. Hence, depends on what is needed and whether might be needed ongoing.

[Hissing Syd]

Belated thanks, Mosy! Advice appreciated, though it is indeed a small scale steam mop.

My vomiting visitor departed earlier, and the Vanish mousse is absorbing as we speak, so fingers crossed.

There's a lot of things that I'd never considered I would need to spell out to tenants when letting out a room, from "please wash up after yourself" to "please make sure the loo is clean when you've used it". Live and learn: as God is my witness, I'll never take lodgers again!

[mosy]

The only thing I've found with hiring professionals is that they're not usually keen on moving furniture, expecting a clear space, so that is a point worth looking into. Of course, if you hire a machine, you can do it bit by bit. Rather depends on the areas you want cleaning I guess. Or perhaps a mixture of the two (pro or DIY) depending what the cost looks like for different areas.

[stuart]

Please note Davenport1 and Bace 123 (above) is a nasty scammer. He/she has taken a genuine post quote and doctored it with spam links. Disgusting. Hopefully Admin will send them to the great blackhole in the sky shortly.

Stuart

[admin]

Thanks for alerting me to this, Stuart. Both have been exterminated, forum-wise.

Admin