Cleaning Carpet

[helton333]

I will chime in with the others - NOTHING gets dirt out if you physically are not pulling it out of the boat - so rent a steam cleaner with a wand attachment - I had cleaned my last year with the typical spray foam stuff - then vacumming with a shop vac. The steam cleaner I used this year, it looked like coffee coming up - color is back, carpet is much softer, stands up better. Rented mine from a grocery store like Publix

[mzimme]

Sounds like I need to spray totally awesome all over the carpet and then use a rug doctor on it. Seems like a good combo...

[sand2snow22]

No need to dilute totally awesome. Use full strength on vinyl and carpet.

[BriEOD]

Pressure washer + 1 cup of Tide

[VP46]

What if I go with a Water/fabric softner mix, scrub it in to the carpet, and then SHOP VAC it out?

My carpet looks like this currently:

[bstanislaw]

Im planning on doing mine also, but im thinking a steam cleaner will do the job. Works good on carpet in the house.

[helton333]

steam cleaner - trust me - FAR better than the best shop vac

[MattsCraft]

Hmmm... Seems to me you all are making this more difficult than it needs to be. Now granted, my carpet has never seen shoes or any major spills outside a beer or two here and their...

Twice in four years I pulled out and onto the driveway, spray it down with the garden hose, sprinkle in whatever laundry detergent the wife has on hand and scrub lightly with a short bristle brush on a pole and rinse. Done in a about 20 mins, hang on the deck to dry, looks brand new!

I do pull it out and use the house vacuum a few times a season also.

[uplander]

another boating forum I am on guys use the "Little Green Machine" by Bissel. It is basically a steam cleaner but small and portable. I almost picked one up at Walmar for $90 but I might do it after reading this thread. The wand is very small and could go everywhere.

There is also a product called Capture which is dry powder that you scrub into carpet and then vacuum. We have used at house for stains but not sure about the boat. But I think it might be worth a try. The stuff works great on stains.

[russlars]

I have the Little Green Machine and love it. Gets into all of the tight spots and does a good job of pulling the dirt out of the carpet.

[Pickwick]

What type of brush? Hard or soft. Will a hard bristle damage/wear the carpet?

[waterlogged882]

..........

[markmcfarland]

Pressure washer

[Burbon66]

Definitely the pressure washer. I used a carpet cleaning solution that you would typically use in a bissell type carpet cleaner, mixed it up in a bucket and poured it on the carpet. Massaged it in and let it soak for 10 mins. Then started in one corner a pressure washed every inch. Could not believe the dirt that come out. Then to finish it off, used the green machine to get out any extra water.

[mikeg205]

Totally awesome cleaner then a regular hose... works very well...