Generally when carpets are new I would think there is not a lot of need for cleaning if you vacuum regularly and clean splills immediatley. Older carpet (10 years or more...?) + Pets + kids might make a yearly cleaning necesary. We found a reputable rug cleaner who we used on occasion. The only smell was a slight perfume like presence that disapated about a day later. I have allergies and was never affected by the carpet cleaning.

Now once the carpets are real old and you do not want to pay the guys with the big equipment, you might want to rent or buy a cleaner. We use a Bissel steam cleaner in our 3 season room where we have pets. It works well on the berber in there. The solution also has a perfume like smell that quickly dissapates. We also use this sucker, with its attachment to clean the floor mats and uphoulstry in the cars.

Always test an inconspicous spot when using any kind of capet cleaner and solution for the first time though!

I just reread your post...we have 2 bunnies that used to have free rain in the 3 season room. In addition to chewing the carpet, they would leave there pellets behind and though they appeared to use the litter box, no doubt urine was on the carpet too. You might LOVE a Bissel type steam cleaner for this area. Believe me, if the rabbits natural odors do not bother you then I would guess the carpet cleaning solution will not either. These Bissel cleaners can usually be had on-lne or at you local Big Lots / Ollies type store remanufactured for $99. Add another $15 - $25 for the rug cleaner and defoaming solution.

I hate the smell of vynegar by the way. I think the carpet cleaner smells way better. No doubt there are some 'green' or 'natural' cleaners available now as well.

Thanks, andreleplume. I don't know how old the carpet is, as it was here when we bought the house. The rabbits don't have free run of the room due to the cords from the computer, lamps, etc. Their indoor play space is the kitchen and dining room which have easy to clean floors and no cords. Still, their cages are smelly sometimes and I do feel that it adds to the smells the carpet is absorbing.

I don't love the smell of vinegar, but I don't like that fake perfume smell. Maybe I should clean the carpet right before we leave for vacation.

Instead of cleaning it with a machine, we have have good results with Capture.
It is a powder that is brushed in and then vacuumed.
They also have a product for cleaning pet stains and odors.
I purchased mine at a big box store.

HTH

We just bought the Bissel 2X heated steam cleaner at Costco. I will admit that I bought it there because of the return policy-I'm very skeptical about these carpet cleaners. There is no way this thing is going back. I am shocked at how good my 15 year old carpet looks. It has taken out the pet stains, and I love grabbing it when my elderly dog has a senior moment and just "goes" without asking to be let out.

It was $200, it came with all of the accessories, came with cleaning products. I used to rent the Rug Doctor from the store, but this does better in my opinion because it is heating the water as it is cleaning. It also really gets a lot of the water back out and helps it dry faster. I also love having my own cleaner because if I have an area that is especially troubled, I can do it again in about a week without the issue of renting the machine again.

Although this does not solve your carpet cleaning question, have you considered natural volcanic odor crystal bags near the rabbit cages to help reduce the odor? It is possible your carpet does not even need to be cleaned.

Odor Crystals from Drs. Foster & Smith

I use these in my home (usually just hang them by a clothes hanger on a door knob) to help with the dog smell from my German Shepherd (and even more so when I'm dog sitting in addition to my own). My parents use them as well. You just hang them up in the room and every so often hang them outside in the sun to recharge. Easy, healthy, and environmentally friendly.

We have the Bissel ProHeat (I think) and I love it. We have carpet in the basement that is very light, and the high traffic areas look very dingy quickly. I clean mine every few months. It does a great job. The cleaner that comes with it does not have a harsh smell, although I have used vinegar and water too.

I have a Bissel shampooer and I think it was $100 or less when I purchased it a few years ago. I can say it's one of the best things I have ever had. You simply cannot believe how much dirt builds up in your carpets/rugs. I use the Bissel cleaner which can be purchased at Target/Walmart etc. I don't find the odor offensive in any way.

Thank you all! You know, it's funny that I'm acting so picky about the smell of the carpet shampoo--it's not like these foster kittens and the bunny cage smell GOOD.

I was thinking I would rather rent a machine just because I hate having "stuff", but it sounds like buying one might be more cost effective since we aren't going to get rid of the carpet any time soon, and when we do, we'll probably put down more carpet. I've never liked carpet, but it absorbs so much noise I think I'll keep it until my little boy is past the noisy stage. Anyone know when that will be ;-)?

Oops sorry. That link didn't work as intended (didn't show up at all actually).

Odor Crystals from Drs. Foster and Smith

The perfumey smell will disappear pretty quick and you will soon have the rabbit smell back. I think if the carpets are that old and have had animals on them then you really want to to clean them maybe every 6 months or quarterly. In that case I think your best off getting a Bissel type product. By one...you can always return it but I suspect you will be suprised by how well it works.

I'm so glad this subject came up. I have an ancient, filthy carpet that needs cleaning before guests (with cat allergies to boot) arrive next month, and upholstery and car interiors that need cleaning too. Interesting to find out it's cheaper to buy the darned carpet steamer than to have cleaners come out.

When we put our house on the market we hired Stanley Steamer to steam clean the only carpeting we had, which was in the boy's bedrooms. I couldn't believe it. They looked brand new and our realtor asked if we laid new carpet.

The price was reasonable and they run specials quite often.

I have a hoover steam vac carpet cleaner and the pet solution carpet cleaner has a nice scent. I use about 1/3 ofwhat they suggest and you can smell it when you first clean them but once the carpet dries the scent is gone. It is a nice scent though. So it has never bothered me. With pets investing in one is nice to have. By the time you rent one and buy the cleaner and desudser and all of that business you may as well buy one to have (IMO) You never know when you may need it and they are nice to freshen things uo now and again

Here is a link that might be useful: Hoover steam vac 137$ free shipping

I bought a Kirby vacuum about 6 years ago and was mainly sold on it for the shampooer attachment. Well, in 6 years, I've only used the shampooer about 3 times. It does a decent job, and I like that it doesn't soak the carpet. Right now I am debating whether to buy a Hoover or Bissel or have Stanley Steamer come out. It would cost around $200 to have Stanley Steamer, and about the same to buy a steam vac. So which is a better idea? The carpets need to be cleaned REALLY well...it's been a long time since their last cleaning with the Kirby...Can a home steam vac compete with the pros?

I own a Bissel and it's a great little machine, but I'd never say it's as good as what the pros do. There's just no way a home steam cleaner has the suction power that a Stanley unit has.

Also, whether you like using a home cleaning unit for a whole house depends on your physical health. If you have a bad back you'll find using the units and walking back and forth to empty the water holder to be very tiring. I'm not as young as I used to be and I would not be able to clean a floor with my Bissel then spend another hour leaning over to clean furniture!

The Stanley Steemer website gave me a quote of $80 to clean the carpet in the TV room and the tile and grout in the foyer. For that price, I'd rather have them do it once or twice a year than buy a machine, store the machine, and do the work myself.

Being honest with myself, there's no way I'd clean the carpet more often even if I had my own machine.

I've never gotten a quote that cheap from the pros. Maybe they charge more here. By the time you add the stairs, the den, the furniture, & figure in the cars, it adds up. My real complaint about the pro cleaners is that the carpet looks great for a little while, then the residue from the cleaners they use attracts dirt quickly.

beekeeperswife is your steamer easy to use? Can you just do spot cleaning with it? Is there heavy things to lift on it...I have a bad back and try to avoid lifting. Do you have to keep it connected to a faucet?

awm03 -- you are right - I have read that you shouldn't use any type of detergent when you clean your carpet for that exact reason -- it just attracts more dirt. I have a hoover steamvac which I LOVE -- I will never be without one after getting his one. I only use HOT water in it with no detergent. I even use it on my wool persians and everything comes out great. Once, years ago, I used a small amount of detergent in one spot of my bedroom rug. Every time I would steam clean that area after that, you could tell the detergent was still there. Although I see your point about not wanting to do the work yourself, leafy, the great thing about having the cleaner is that many stains will set by the time the cleaning company comes. Last night my son dropped his entire plate of spaghetti with tomato sauce on the rug. Out came the Hoover and it was gone in a matter of minutes.

vampiressrn, It is not hard to use. There are so many attachments too, which I believe are designed for spot cleaning. The container that holds the water is interesting, it's not too big or heavy. The container has a bladder that you fill with hot water, and as the water is pulled back out (which it does a great job doing) it goes into the area that is outside of the bladder. The only negative I read about this machine related to the tank not being big enough. It is so easy to fill and empty it doesn't bother me at all. The cleaner is in a separate tank and it just gets mixed in as you need it, and in the quantity that is required for the level of cleaning you choose--from rinse only up to heavily soiled.

It is never attached to the faucet.

Here is a link on Costco's website of the exact one I have. It was $199 in the store.

Here is a link that might be useful: Bissell ProHeat 2X Turbo Carpet Cleaner with Dry Aire and Microban Technology

I'm happy to say, we have no carpet in this house and don't deal with this issue any more. But carpet cleaning is something that must be done.

Most carpet manufacturers will recommend regular cleaning. I've had a carpet cleaner in the past and I think they are more for using in between professional cleaning. I don't think they come close to what a professional cleaner will do. They are good for spills and quick clean-ups.

I have a small home steam cleaner that would be great for upholstery and car interiors. It's also good for pet beds and lots of other household cleaning. The good thing is if your steamer gets hot enough, it cleans and sanitizes without using chemicals/cleaners.

I wonder if you can ask professional cleaners not to use detergents?

tina

gail618, glad you posted. I just bought the Hoover 5914 model that is so well reviewed, and you confirmed my hopes about using it w/ hot water on wool orientals.

My cars, upholstery,basement playroom, & stairs, the family room carpet are an embarrassment right now, and we're having many guests next month. If I'm not posting much next week, you'll know why :)