Had to choose between a cheap carpet cleaner or renting one... I regret my choice

So last month my living room rug looked like a crime scene after a spaghetti incident and my dog added his own contribution. I stood in the store aisle for a solid 10 minutes debating a $80 Bissell versus renting a Rug Doctor for $35 a day. Ended up buying the cheap one because I thought "future savings" you know? Big mistake. Thing barely sucks up anything, the dirty water tank is the size of a coffee cup, and it just pushes grime around instead of cleaning. After 3 passes the rug was still damp and gross. Rented the Rug Doctor from Publix the next day for $35 and it actually pulled out brown water. Now the cheap one sits in my closet mocking me. Anyone else make the same wrong call on cleaning gear?

2 comments

2 Comments

rowanellis14d agoMost Upvoted

Heard @christopher_sullivan is right about those cheap machines being basically glorified sprinkler systems.

christopher_sullivan15d ago

My buddy swears by just spraying the rug with a garden hose and scrubbing with a stiff brush, says the cheap machines are basically toys compared to that. He did it on a nasty rug his dog ruined and it came out okay, dried faster too. Might be worth a shot before you toss that Bissell.