Rug Doctor review
by DannyUK
With four kids, my decision to move to a flat with a cream carpet is one I often find myself questioning. Thankfully, Rug Doctor is Superman to the Lex Luthor that is the dirt four pairs of feet can trample in. I’ve been in my flat for two and a half years now, and despite doing my best to keep it clean and tidy, it is starting to look a little tired. The carpet, which is the same throughout, has had years of people stampeding across it, and no amount of vacuuming could rescue the dirty look that the carpet had adopted.
That’s when I saw Rug Doctor on Twitter. I’ve often seen them advertised, and our local Tesco has a display featuring them, but rarely had I had the opportunity to use one.
Knowing that they have a reputation for being wonder machines, I thought I’d chance my arm and see if there was any chance of borrowing one to review.
The mere fact that I went out of my way to get something that would see me cleaning should speak volumes alone! Thankfully, the people at Rug Doctor were open to the idea and had soon dispatched a machine so that I could begin my Rug Doctor review.
This is where my first and only problem occurred. The delivery driver left the machine with the shop downstairs, meaning I had to lug the thing up two flights of stairs.
Standing just above waist height, and wide enough to just fit through a doorway without scraping the skin off my knuckles, I was concerned I may put my back out moving the damn thing. My worries weren’t realised, fortunately, as although the machine is fairly big in comparison to a normal vacuum, the box contained various accessories which made it bigger, and the Rug Doctor itself wasn’t overly heavy.
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To prove this, I was able to pick up, carry and manoeuvre the stairs without having to put the box down. I should point out that MrsDannyUK felt that whilst I carried the box was obviously an ideal time to ask me several questions about something completely unrelated. I answered the first two, before gritting my teeth as asking “Can we discuss this in a minute or two, please?” as I lumbered forward, just about able to see where I was putting my feet. I love my girlfriend, but she has her moments!
Once unpacked, the machine had no instruction booklet, instead having some easy-to-follow instructions on the side. I pulled the handle up, unclipped the reservoir and filled the tank with a mix of hot water and the Rug Doctor shampoo.
The shampoo, it should be pointed out, is a dark and dirty colour, which I suspect adds to the “ooooh” factor when emptying out the very dirty contents after cleaning the carpet.
I had already vacuumed the living room in readiness, as the Rug Doctor is designed to wash the carpets rather than pick up remnants of dust and dirt.
Clicking the button to start the machine, I could see the water which had been sucked from the tank into the reservoir via the carpet cleaning head. This was a good sign. As I dragged the machine along, you could see the difference in the carpet. I initially thought that this may just be because of the dampness, but after allowing it to dry, there really was a big difference.
For a couple of stubborn stains (with four kids, the carpet experiences a lot) I simply used the machine a second time. The carpets take a few hours to dry though in all honesty the suction on the machine is enough that the carpets are only ever so slightly damp rather than wringing wet as they could be.
One tank full of water and shampoo was enough to do my living room, which is around 12ft square. On emptying out the water, you really get an idea of how dirty your carpet is. Although I’ve already mentioned that the water starts off looking dirty due to the shampoo, it is quite easy to see the grime that the Rug Doctor has picked up as you empty it in the sink.
A flick of the switch allows you to use the attachments to clean stairs, upholstery and car interiors. The attachments are easy to fix to the machine, and definitely breathe new life into old sofas. (I can’t comment on stairs as, given I live in a flat and have already professed my hatred of cleaning, I was unlikely to volunteer to Rug Doctor the communal staircase!)
Is it worth getting? In my opinion, yes, definitely. Although the cost of purchase is steep (£499.00), once you see the difference in your carpet, you would use the RugDoctor again and again.
The official website indicates that you should look to clean your carpets every 3-12 months, but I know for a fact that I’d be doing mine more often.
Why not check out my RugDoctor portable review?
However, if the purchase price is too high, you can rent a machine from most supermarket stores for just over £30 for 24 hours.
Compared to the cost of professionally cleaning your carpet, which could be well over £200, it reveals a massive saving. There is a postcode search on the website here to tell you your local rental store.
The official Rug Doctor site is here You can choose to buy or rent accordingly.
I was tempted to return the machine complete with a red cape tied around its neck though I fear my enthusiasm for the super machine may have been misconstrued!
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Edit: The video from the Rug Doctor event as been uploaded!
You can see how amazing the machines are here!
My thanks go out to the people at Rug Doctor, who kindly loaned me the machine in exchange for an honest review. No payment was received.
I have always wondered if these were any good as we will need to clean our carpets before we move out and the kids forgot to tell us that they had previously spilled tea behind one of the beds on a cream carpet, I wouldn’t mind but its the only room in the house that has carpet!
Lucy recently posted…Talking Peter Rabbit from Vivid
Wow this seems to be a really useful machine!
This is really poor advice
What is the construction of the carpet (wool, polyprop, nylon)? what is the Ph of the detergent? did it leave the carpet stable after extraction (Ph levels?)?
There is a lot more to cleaning a carpet than just running a rug doctor over it.
Over wetting can cause shrinkage, unstable wrong chemical Ph can cause colour bleed, poor extraction can cause rapid re-soiling.
Carpets only need to be cleaned annually if cleaned properly!
Please if you value your carpets get an NCCA registered professional to clean it!!! (PS your before and after photos made me laugh)
I’m sure an NCAA registered pro would do a great job, but I have to say that my carpets don’t look too bad after doing this myself!
DannyUK recently posted…Review: Brook Mollington Banastre Hotel & Spa, Chester
It’s a great machine! However, you should also wield the knowledge on how to properly clean the carpet. Otherwise it might get damaged!
What a nice machine! It saves time and effort both and the most important is that i don’t need to go for a cleaning service and pay them each time. Just one time cost and it will be a comfort for me. Surely I am gonna try this machine.
Twitter: lindsey855
on June 4, 2015 at 8:47 pm
I am so happy you have done a positive review on the rug doctor, I have been meaning to rent the rug doctor from my local tesco store!
The results you have posted look great!
The only bit that puts me off is the weight of the machine (for me doing the stairs) but i am sure it will be worth the weight!!! LOL!!!!
Thankyou for sharing!
It’s definitely worth getting!
As a cleaner ( Carpet Cleaning Roehampton Ltd.) I absolutely recommend the Rug Doctor! It is very easy to work with and it is an excellent carpet cleaner! Thank you for the review! 🙂
Steam cleaning carpets or rugs is a must! Especially since I have two cats, a dog and a toddler. I move sofas and chairs slightly to put the legs of furniture on wax paper. Thus the carpet and the furniture are protected. I also open the windows to quicken the drying process. I also shake my welcome mats really good and clean them so people don’t track pollen and other allergens inside. But it’s amazing how dirty the flat can get!