redhookfern
redhookfern Reader
8/20/13 1:52 p.m.

Has anyone here ever rented one of those carpet cleaner/systems that they rent at Lowes and the like? The carpeting in the new e28 seems salvageable, as a lot of stains come out even just using Simple Green. I was thinking of renting one of these if I could pull most of the interior one weekend. Thoughts?

JohnRW1621
JohnRW1621 PowerDork
8/20/13 2:29 p.m.

I have not used those rentals but I could not live without my Bissell Little Green Machine. It does a good job on interiors and is a "must have" along with pets. For years, these were my standard gift giving item for weddings.
I have the simplest version and they can often be found priced around $59/$69.

Recently did a major interior clean on a newly acquired vehicle with near 150k miles on it. In addition to the Bissell, I was recommended to use Tuff Stuff Foam Cleaner which can be found in the automotive dept of major retailers including WalMart and Meijer. I added a stiff brush like you might use for scrubbing a bathtub.
Fantastic results!

SlickDizzy
SlickDizzy UberDork
8/20/13 2:39 p.m.

U-Haul stores offer one of two types for rental: the Rug Doctor (works like crap, IMO) and the Thermax (very good, ideal for cleaning auto carpet & upholstery). I'd see if you can find a Thermax unit for rent near you. Avoid Rug Doctor no matter who is renting it, I was not impressed at all with my experience.

And BTW you don't even have to pull the whole interior, just remove the seats and park it in the hot sun with the windows or your sunroof barely cracked for the rest of the day after.

cdowd
cdowd Reader
8/20/13 2:49 p.m.

I also have a bissell little green machine and have been very impressed with it. It heats the solution which seems to help get out dirt and grime. For the money it is hard to beat.

DoctorBlade
DoctorBlade UltraDork
8/20/13 2:57 p.m.

I've gotten one from Home Depot, which worked really well cleaning some grimy carpet in the house. I did pretreat with hot water and foaming shampoo as well. Came out good.

alex
alex UberDork
8/20/13 3:41 p.m.

I've had really good luck spot cleaning stains (3 dogs) with OxiClean. It works better than anything else I've used. And if you buy the powder and mix it up right in there in the sink, it's pretty cheap. Easy application, too: get a towel damp with plain water, dump a fairly liberal amount of Oxi on the spot, scrub like hell, let it dry. Granted this is on cheap "contractor grade" household carpet, so YMMV.

Related to rental carpet cleaners, I've thought about combining elements from both approaches by treating larger areas with the Oxi, scrubbing with a stiff brush, then Shop-Vac-ing it up. In fact, I'll be trying out this method soon, as we're hosting a wedding shower in a couple weeks.

fornetti14
fornetti14 HalfDork
8/22/13 6:50 a.m.

I have a Bissell (home unit w/smaller attachments for my cars) and the key to a good cleaning is getting the water super hot. The cleaning solution also has it own built in heater if that tells you anything.
Mine has the attachments to do my cars and I think it works really well.

If you are anywhere near Grand Rapids, MI, Bissell has an outlet store where you can pick up a really nice one for $50-$60. For that price it isn't worth renting.

FSP_ZX2
FSP_ZX2 Dork
8/22/13 7:31 a.m.

I have had good luck using hot water with a little laundry detergent in it; wash the carpet like you would the outside of the car, then stiff brush the stubborn spots. Shop vac out the water and repeat until it comes out clear...usually 3-4 times.

patgizz
patgizz UberDork
11/2/13 8:43 a.m.

pull carpet

hose with tuff stuff and wad it up into the trunk or a truck

take to car wash, hang on mat hangers if you can find one that still has them, blast all the years of crap out of it.

SlickDizzy
SlickDizzy UberDork
11/2/13 11:36 a.m.

Holy zombie thread!

JoeyM
JoeyM Mod Squad
11/2/13 12:48 p.m.

It was a canoe. I deleted their account this a.m.

nepa03focus
nepa03focus Reader
11/2/13 4:02 p.m.

Just wanted to add to anyone that wants to rent one from lowes, there used to be coupon online for like 10$ off

motomonster
motomonster New Reader
4/25/16 11:03 a.m.

I have a bissell little green machine too and have been very impressed with it. It heats the solution which seems to help get out dirt and grime. For the money it is hard to beat.

amg_rx7
amg_rx7 SuperDork
4/25/16 11:20 a.m.

I've used those red rental machines that seem to be everywhere - supermarket, home depot, lowes etc. They work pretty well on the car interior with the handheld attachment for sofas / upholstery.

Check the equipment before you leave the store though. The wheels are often filthy and in need of cleaning before being brought into the house. Sometimes the attachments are full of construction debris or animal fur too. YMMV...

bearmtnmartin
bearmtnmartin Dork
1/5/17 10:00 a.m.

Of all the threads come back to life twice, I would not have guessed carpet cleaners.

JohnBells
JohnBells New Reader
9/26/19 4:18 a.m.

I have not been using rental {canoes} for a long time. My wife and I thought, and decided that buying a good {old town} would be more profitable than constantly renting canoe products. [edited for time, and to fit on your screen]

LikeNew
LikeNew New Spammer
3/20/20 10:24 a.m.

I work for a professional [canoe cleaning] company, I finally get to help out in return for some of the info I've received from here. lol.  The cleaners you rent at the store provide the same type of cleaning that a professional in a van does, just less powerful. Def recommend a canoe, but if you've got to do it yourself, the store rentals will definitely help. Hope this helps!!

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