Best Dry Carpet Cleaning powder
Why Not Wet?
I worked for a carpet cleaning firm for a number of years, and the opinion there was NOT to try dry methods to clean your carpets. The analogy was that it is similar to washing your hair. If you sprinkle something on your hair, and brush it out, how clean does your hair actually become? Good steam cleaning not only applies the carpet cleaning chemical, but rinses with hot water and then extracts most of the moisture. This is the way to get your carpets really clean.
Often, you can have a professional clean your carpets for less than do-it-yourself. Find a company that offers an inexpensive service, say $50 for living room and hall. The key is to not buy all the other services the carpet cleaner offers: pre-scrubbing, stain-guard, etc.
Also, the way to keep your carpet nice the longest is frequent vacuuming. If you can vacuum every day or every other day, you will really extend the life and appearance of your carpet.
Darlene
Check sale prices for Dry Carpet Cleaners on Amazon.
Professional Advice
I'm the retired owner of a fire restoration cleaning company and former member of the leading national carpet cleaning trade organization. First, no knowledgeable technician would soak a carpet no matter what cleaning equipment used. Without lab testing there is no way to know if the product is safe or effective: however, it probably is for its intended use. No, they are less effective than hot water extraction (steam) or shampoo methods. Probably safe for pets, but remember some of the product will be left behind which a pet could ingest. For peace of mind hire a reputable carpet cleaning professional.
Reason for sprinkle cleaners: These products are intended for use on commercial carpets (level loop) to maintain high traffic areas between thorough cleanings. They aren't intended for plush carpets (cut pile). The reason is that no matter how powerful your vacuum is you can not extract all of the material. What is left in the carpet will do a great job of cleaning the soles of your shoes thus leaving behind soil in the carpet.
Blanchard W
European Solution
I use a wonderful "dry clean" product on my carpet which I just love (along with my friends who have tried it). It's called "Kobasan Ultra cleaning snow" made in Germany by a company called "Vorwerk" pronounced "forverk". Call 1-800-562-6726 Vorwerk USA Co (in Florida) to order some. It is cheap considering what it costs to rent a cleaner and the solution. It would help if you had the vibrating machine w/sponge (called the Frischer) that works it into the carpet which you can't buy separately but you can use a clean dry rag to rub it in especially for spots. The Frischer is good to clean the whole carpet but if spot cleaning you wouldn't need it. One bag contains 420 g. and will do an average sized room. It is a white moist powdery substance that won't harm pets or children. It will kill fleas and you can even wash your horse with it. The bag must be closed up tight or it will dry out. To use: you sprinkle on carpet stain; rub in; let dry (approximately 1/2 hr.); then vacuum up. Repeat if necessary. It does caution to try it in a spot that no one will see in case it affects the dyes/color in your carpet; but I've never had a problem with that. It smells fresh and clean too. I was told that it is really much better than steam cleaning which rots your carpet padding over a period of time. This product does not. My sister used to sell the Vorwerk vacuum cleaning systems which included the "Frischer", years ago and I still use it.
Donna M. in Tennessee
Uses Host
I've been using the Host Carpet Cleaner for about five or six years and I love it. With this one you rent a Host machine which has brushes that work the cleaner into the fibers of your carpet. The rental costs about $30 for the weekend or $20 overnight and about $45 for a large box of the chemical to clean the floor. It's the damp sawdust type-sounds similar to the AmWay product in the inquiry. There's enough cleaner in the large box to do three small houses (approx. 100 square yards of carpet). I've gone in with two other people and we shared cost of the machine and cleaner. It's really easy to do this over the weekend because once you put the cleaner on, you're through with the cleaner and the machine. Someone else can take it and clean their carpet. In my area, the machines and carpet cleaner are available at janitorial supply stores.
I sprinkle the cleaner over a portion of the floor and then use the machine to work it into the carpet. It's not physically taxing at all to put the carpet cleaner on. The biggest job is vacuuming it up. The directions say to let the cleaner sit on the carpet for three or four hours until it's dry. You can walk on it while it's drying. It's not harmful to pets, but our cat doesn't want to be on it.
I put the cleaner on at night and vacuum it up the next day. I leave it on about 12 hours because I tend to wait until the carpet gets really dirty before I clean it. Recently I purchased a used Host machine and I do the high traffic areas a lot more often, which keeps it looking good all the time. I had thought about going in with several other people to buy a machine before I bought the used one because new ones are very expensive.
The last time I cleaned my carpet, the vacuuming was not nearly as hard as it's been before. I got a small but powerful wet/dry vacuum and got most of it up with that. You need to have a wet/dry vacuum to get the edges really good anyway, but a broom can be used to get the edges if you don't have one. Having to empty the bag of my upright often was a real pain. This time, I went over it really well with the wet/dry vacuum and then only needed to go over it once with the upright. You need to have good vacuums (or borrow them) to clean your carpet this way.
Janice F.
Club Soda
A professional carpet cleaner in our area came to do my carpeting some time ago. I asked what he really recommended as I too did not like wet carpet and his company uses a dry-chem powder method of cleaning. His response was simple: He said the best cleaner for your carpet is club soda! Makes good sense to me. It is fizzy and would likely be very effective in "lifting" any stains that you could catch early and would not leave any odor.
Kevin
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