I Need Carpet Help!!!

Like the other respondent, I really recommend Folex. It is just the best. It is also sold at Home Depot. I cannot recommend it enough. It really does a great job of getting dog and husband dirt out of the carpet.

Hi J.,

My favorite spot remover is called "Folex." I've only been able to find it at Raley's grocery store (which I think also owns Nob Hill and maybe Vons, depending on where you live). It's a spray, rub with your fingers, blot and and it's gone concept. I've tried others, but always seem to go back to this one.

As for home carpet cleaning systems, I have a 10 year old Bissell. If I were to get a new one today, I would get a Bissell with a water heater on the unit. As the water cools, it doesn't clean quite so well. I back up my Bissell with an Oreck vaccuum cleaner. They're really pricey, but the best vaccuum cleaner I've found. (I used to work in the hospitality industry and the cleaning service had Oreck vacuums. I figured they'd know the best! <g>)

Last but not least, I've found a great professional carpet cleaner guy. He comes in twice a year (September and April) to do my carpets deeply (which the Bissell tries to do, but just isn't strong enough).

I have two sons (11 and 15), two dogs (both 10+ years), two cats (both 6 years old) and a husband (we'll skip his age <wink>). I vaccuum once a week, for sure, Bissell once a quarter (more if needed) and professionally clean twice a year. The only thing that makes them look "almost new" is the professional cleaning, but the other two help and, if nothing else, make me feel better.

The bottom line...animals and kids are tough on carpets. Do your best to keep them looking nice, but don't sweat it. When the kids and the dogs have moved on, then you'll have the best looking carpets around. I sometimes wonder if it's a cosmic trade off: great looking carpets or the joy and agony of pets and children.

Good luck!

We are on our second carpet cleaner (in 15 years); burned the first one out -- Two teens, friends, 4 cats, 2 dogs. Yup, the carpet cleaner is one of the best investments we ever made! For the quick clean-up, I like Woolite OxyDeep, or SpotShot.

We have the Bissell Pro Heat (the red one) and it works awesome! I do still have my carpets done yearly but the Bissell is great in the meantime, keeps the carpets fresh, and I have 2 little kids and 3 indoor dogs. I would definately say it is worth the money!

Hi J.,

We have a Hoover steam cleaner and love it. I've heard that they were bought out and support is an issue with this brand. As for stain treatment and carpet cleaner, we use Basic-H from Shaklee. It's natural, safe, non-toxic, super concentrated, and earth friendly. We use it first because of it's safety (made from corn and coconut surfactants), but second...it works awesome!! We get everything out of our carpets and it doesn't leave a sticky residue to attract more dirt and there is no strong smell. We use this in our steam cleaner and as a spot remover with a cloth. Another product we use on our carpets is the Basic-G germicide. It's so great for getting out odors and killing germs. We live out in the country around alot of dirt and these are the best products we've ever used. Shaklee is the #1 natural nutrition company in the U.S. and has been around for 53yrs so you can trust them. Check out these products and more at www.greennutrition.info and you can register to win $200 of free products at www.freegreenproducts.info. Good luck!

I would definitely recommend buying a carpet cleaner. We bought one about 6 months ago and I love it! I can pull it out if there is a spill instead of scrubbing on my hands and knees. It only takes a couple minutes vs the 30 it would take before! We live in an apartment and when we moved in I used the carpet cleaner before we even finished moving in. I was amazed at how much dirt the "professionals" had left behind them! It was disgusting to think my kids would be laying on the ground playing in someone else's dirt. Yuck!
The only thing I regret is not spending the extra $50 to get the vac with the uphoulstry cleaning attachment. That would have been wonderful when my son got sick a couple months ago all over the recliner.

Kids N Pets for spot cleaning & we have a no "outside" shoes, no eating or drinking anything but water on the the carpet rule..sometimes hard to enforce, but our carpet is just now starting to really look like we need to replace it--it's 14 years old.

For family movie night, we put down a plastic table cloth & snack out on the floor. Even all their friends & the neighborhood kids know to take of their shoes. We use a professional steam cleaner 2x a year & vacuum at least once a week, I'm too lazy to mess with a home cleaner.

J.-I use 7th Generation carpet cleaner and it works well with no harmful chemicals. I also recently got our carpets cleaned for the first time in 5 years (we only have carpet in the bedrooms) by a company called Zerorez and was very happy with the outcome. They don't use any soap chemicals and their products are plant derived. I had searched and searched until I finally found a company like this through another mom on Mamasource! You really only need to clean your carpets every 1 1/2-2 years unless you have carpet on your main floor and it gets high traffic.

The main problem with the home steam cleaners is they don't usually suck as much water out as the professionals which can do a number on your carpet and padding and actually decrease the life of your carpet. My opnion-not worth it plus the time it is going to take you to clean. With two full time working parents the time you do have with your 3 year old is precious. I work full time too-and have two girls, two dogs and two cats, and of course a loving hubby :)

Hope my opinion has helped!

Angie