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.

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Why not check out my RugDoctor portable review?

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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.

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