Can I add one more question? Which method is best at getting the stains out?

I had a private carpet cleaner at my last apartment and I wish I knew what his method was called. The carpet looked better than when I moved in. He had a large machine outside that was connected to the carpet cleaning machine inside.

Almost all of the commercial carpet cleaners use "hot water extraction". The suction on their cleaner is really powerful and it just sucks up the water with the cleaner they put down and it goes into the truck. The reason at home cleaners do not work as well is they cannot get the water and cleaner out of your carpet.

We went with the old Stanely Steemer. It worked just fine. The carpet was much cleaner afterwards.

Chem-Dry professional carpet cleaning is the best. They use a carbonated method that is wonderful and it dries only in 1-2 HOURS instead of days like the steamers do. Also their basic cleaning takes out most spots and stains. But their products (specially spot remover) can take out any kind of spot. I know I have use them. Believe me they do wonders. You can go to their web site and find your local provider. THEY REALLY WORK, THEY ARE AMAZING!!!!!!!!

I agree, Chem-Dry carpet cleaning is the best for reasons already stated. Chem dry does not rot the backing of carpet like wet type cleaning does.

Let me chime in too. I also agree that Chem Dry is the best! The carpet and carpet pad in my first place, a condo, went downhill fast after hiring carpet cleaners using the traditional steam method. Granted, the carpet and pad weren't the best but the regular steam method just accelerated the wearing down process. It is a very wet method and took days to dry. My previous neighbors tended to hire Sears to do their carpet cleaning. Their carpet always took days to dry, just like mine.

Chem Dry is expensive, however, I feel it's worth it. The method employs a semi-dry method using a special carpet-friendly detergent or enzymes.

I usually call more than one Chem Dry franchisee because they're available in my area to get more than one estimate. I noticed that some of the fees vary.

I see a lot of people like Chem-Dry, but we did not like them. Yes, your carpet looks great after they leave, but then later,sometimes a week or longer the stains will re-appear. They do not clean way down on the fibers,therefore, not thoroughly cleaning the carpet. We like the steam cleaning from a company called Blackmon Mooring.

We are moving and I need a professional carpet cleaner that can work wonders on stains in our rental house. I plan to get the carpet cleaner right after the movers finish taking everything out. And the walk through with the private landlord will be directly after the carpet cleaner finishes.

A few years ago, in another city I used a company that had the machine outside and I believe the method was power scrubbing. He did an amazing job on the carpet and it looked better than when we moved in.

A local person here says he does this method and is charging .22 cents a square foot which is much more than I had previously paid. Is this now the going rate for this type of cleaning? He is also charging me to vacuum the house before he vacuums. I don't recall the previous carpet cleaner doing any vacuuming. Is vacuuming called for with power scrubbing?

I read above that Chem-Dry is a good type of cleaning. What do they charge per square foot?

I need to set this up ASAP and don't know which service to go with.

Any advice you can give me to help me make a decision is greatly appreciated.

Do all companies use detergents when cleaning? Does anyone know of a company that cleans naturally? Perhaps with just steam? I don't use chemical cleaners and so I don't want my carpets cleaned with them. I usually just do it myself but a professional does a much better job.
To clean spots in between carpet cleanings I use peroxide. It's not "soapy" like regular spot cleaner, which just attract dirt. I have beige carpets so I don't know if it would discolor darker carpets.

Here is a link to Chem Dry. We have used them and we were very happy .. ebear..they do natural cleaning..
here is a link:
Ree

Here is a link that might be useful: Chem Dry

graywings

Here I am again! LOL They are not all the same. Some of these people do not maintain the equipment. Truck mounts heat their own water and have a much higher PSI vacuum extraction than we are able to get from any of the home machines. I have them and use them in between the once a year cleaning by a pro and have the sprayed with a Teflon soil retardant. I always have the cleaner do the dual process and shampoo first and then extract with Tannin stain remover. This carpet is white and if they don't extract it enough and move the nozzle slowly enough they are not removing the water. That is when I have the Brown-Out or Wicking as it is called in the trade. Tannin stain remover is nothing more that a low acid rinse which removes the soap residue and prevents the brown out. If it sill browns out due to the fact that the carpet has been way too soaked they just come with a sprayer and spray the Tannin stuff and rake it with a Grandi Groomer. It turns back to white.

I have never had Chem-Dry do my carpets but they cleaned a dry clean only sofa for me last year. I paid $200 for nothing and after they left I want to my local janitorial supply and just bought the solvnet and did it myself. For years I had this old guy clean all of the dry clean only furniture once a year. He would spend 2 hours on the sofa alone. He would take a spray bottle and spray the solvent on white towles and go at it. They were filthy! I did this once a year. When I had Chem-Dry there was no differance. I wasted my $$. Dura-Shield is another non performer. Let's hear back from the carpet cleaner as to what he has to say.