Watch This Before You Buy Or Rent A Rug Doctor!

[@archer5479]

I bought an X3 and your idea of not using shampoo in the machine and only using it to rinse is brilliant! I do pretreat heavy traffic areas so I will try pretreating the whole carpet next time and just use warm water in the machine. Thanks for sharing your wisdom and experience.

[@joyryan2574]

Your amazing!!! I didn’t understand how much I was doing wrong when I bought this thing!!! I am anxious to watch more of your videos.

[@JoeWheeler]

Thank you Joy! The instructions aren't so much wrong as they are aimed at making repeat customers for the soaps they sell. The way I show is an improvement on that and the setup tips are just from analyzing why so many end up with wet carpets when the machine won't do that when used more carefully. I hope the videos help you get better results and have more fun cleaning!

[@scenegirlilonka]

nice… will use your vid next time i need to fall asleep. very calming!

[@JoeWheeler]

I get that all the time LOL...

[@NOM145]

I just bought one for $30. I think I got a good deal. Needs a water pump but i think itll be totally worth it. Thanks for the tips!

[@JoeWheeler]

Just look on Rug Doctor.com for a new pump and search google for that part number and find a new or used one. There are some videos on YT that show how to install them and they aren't too hard to replace.

[@vacuumcleanerwithagun]

I put tape on the side of mine to tell me where it sprays and scrubs the carpet so I can get the door ways with out dumping water on the other flooring

[@sarahmoss5480]

watched your video after i used with a cleaning solution - what vinegar solution 9mentioned) would you use to help rid the carpet of the cleaner next time i use the rug doctor? any specific directions or instructions for that application?

[@JoeWheeler]

Just add a cup or two of vinegar to the water and run it through the pump like normal and it will rinse (acid wash) the carpet as you clean. You can use it at the same time you clean if you spray the diluted carpet shampoo on the carpets first with a sprayer so you rinse as you go in one step. Vinegar won't hurt the pump like soaps can and it works like cleaning out a coffee maker where the vinegar removes any buildup from hard water and minerals or even old soap residue in your machine so it helps prolong pump life as well as rinses carpets.

[@421Reacts]

I've been watching you guys for a couple years now and I've learned a lot. I've changed the way I vacuum my carpets, and the way I clean them. I get much better results now. Thanks guys! And more Rug Doctor/Grandi Groom videos please!

[@juandiaz9804]

How long does it take for the carpet to dry after it's cleaned?

[@JoeWheeler]

It depends on how dry the air is, how much ventilation there is, and how much water you put down when cleaning. Ideally under four hours, and in our climate two hours is achievable.

[@sloopycat1954]

Hi Joe & everyone else. Can anyone please help find the wiring diagram for a rugdoctor mighty pro X3, model MP-C3, the blue rugdoctor with the 2 rocker switches in the main body, plus the reset/circuit in the main body, just the red spray button in the handle, I cannot find a diagram anywhere, please help anyone if you can. Great video thankyou.

[@JoeWheeler]

I have never seen one available online but you could make one if you were willing to do a teardown and document it as you go. Also, there may have been changes during the life of the X-3 so components would vary and even circuit changes. Your best bet is to contact Rd themselves or check with some shops that do repairs on them and maybe you can source one...good luck!

[@sloopycat1954]

@Joewheeler sorry i did not explain my situation correctly, I already have a Rugdoctor X3 model MP-C3, with the 2 rocker switches and the reset button fitted in the main body of the machine, not in the handle.If you have not seen a Rugdoctor X3 with the 2 rocker switches and reset button in the main body in USA my guess is mine could possibly be for the European market where I am. My rugdoctor does not work and that's why I needed a wiring diagram for it to do checks etc. I contacted rugdoctor UK 🇬🇧 not sure if they will give me the wiring diagram which will make my task a lot easier. Thankyou for replying back and for a Great video.

[@cjbfire95]

I wanted to see the raking process!

[@kg5vacuums205]

Thanks for the tips👍🏻 these tips will help me out next time I use it.

[@ibaisaic]

I'm hankering for a Rug Doctor now and think it will be my next carpet washer purchase. Does the hose reach right to the top of a standard staircase.

[@ibaisaic]

I'm a bit concerned about how curly your mains cable has gone though.

[@JoeWheeler]

It may on some stairs. It's 12ft (3.65 meters) so depending on the pitch, stair width, and height of the risers, it could reach 13 steps. Placing the RD at the top and working down for half the stairs will work, but it takes more effort on your part. A 15ft hose would have been nice of Rug Doctor to offer, but who knows what they're thinking when they design these things...

[@JoeWheeler]

Its more of a cable than a cord, so it can take a set when wrapped around the provided cord wraps. Ours was taken off and put back on hundreds of times and eventually developed the curling you see today. I've got some older Mighty Pro models still in their boxes that have the cords wrapped around the cord hooks and they don't seem to be affected by being stored that way, so perhaps our X-3 has done this because it has seen heavier than normal use. Nowadays we don't use the provided cord hooks, but use a foot of double sided velcro to wrap the cord as an extension cord would be and attach it loosely by the strap to the handle, so at least the potential damage to the cord is lessened. I may do the same for the boxed units as well as I'm not sure that years of storage with the cord tightly wound around cord hooks is good for any cord or cable. Tight bends are generally not good for long term, and loosely, and randomly storing cable while avoiding any tight kinks probably is better so you don't have problems down the road. I also don't leave belts on vacuums installed for similar reasons.

[@TheDuckofDoom.]

This twisting is much less common around ships, it is indicative of users that don't properly coil or uncoil lines. Especially if the unit has the quick release wrapping hooks, basically you get the same action as an old fashioned spinning wheel.

[@TheDuckofDoom.]

Beware, my local rental shop just replaced its fleet with some new model of "rug doctor pro", I will never rent there again its absolute garbage, flimsy, corners cut on basic design(ie the cord storage hook sticks out and scrapes the wall), scrubbing brush was replaced by a cheap rotating brush, suction is poor, and the new hose attachment was apparently never actually tested by rug doctor because it can't fit on a typical stair, or chair, or car floor. The old style seen in the video is a much better machine.(at least the red version, which was what they rented around here)

[@eydimyers1654]

What about using an enzyme cleaner in the soap mixture. Good video, thank you.

[@JoeWheeler]

I wouldn't use it in the machine but as an after-treatment because the enzymes take time to cultivate and they will "eat" the urine etc once they are allowed to progress and the biological effect begins. This is one of those products that many people apply and then extract before it can do much for them and so they end up having to use way more product than they should have to. Clean the carpets and then apply an enzyme and leave it to work on and digest the substances you are targetting. I always advocate using sprayers to apply your chemestry, not your machine because running products through the pump can be hard on the seals and the polished surfaces (piston etc). Vinegar can be added to the machine to help remove hard water buildup, and products others may have used in the tank and can be applied to most carpets with the machine as an "acid rinse" to help neutraize any residue from your cleaning and a cup or two of vinegar to a tank of water is more than enough and you only need to do this occasionally...depending on how hard your local water is. I hope this helps! (check the application directions on your enzyme product for best ways to utilize it to its maximum potential...some cheaper products may recommend rinsing after a few minutes but generally you want to leave it in depending on what else the product has in it).

[@girlygirl4life296]

Hey do u think slime that is caked on will come out the carpet using one of these and nail polish. Somehow my kids got slime under the bed and it was left there for some time and dried into the carpet. What is the best machine and solution to use?

[@JoeWheeler]

I found this article www.wikihow.com/Get-Dried-Slime-Out-of-Carpet that can help (though I haven't tried any of them). I only ever had one customer with this problem, and I didn't try to remove it, because they didn't want to pay extra for spot treatments, so I left it. They said they had use vinegar in the past so they could take care of it themselves. Good luck!

[@jonathanviterise1681]

Scissors lol

[@angiemcgill7862]

Is this type of rug doctor heavy for one person to lift to transport it from one house to another house?

[@JoeWheeler]

It may be heavy for some people but I wouldn't say it is TOO heavy. It is well-built and substantial for sure and designed to hold up to the rental market so they made it robust with heavy components. All in all I'd say you'll know you're carrying it but it is manageable for one person.

[@angiemcgill7862]

@@JoeWheeler ok thank you Joe. I'm considering get one for my home when I get my home

[@Lonbites]

I’m planning to rent one of these rug doctor from Walmart tomorrow. The spray that you have that you said to spray and let it sit. How many parts to water do you put in that sprayer?

[@JoeWheeler]

We used Fabuloso and 4-8 oz per gallon of water is enough. Just spray it on and wait a few minutes to start cleaning.

[@Lonbites]

@@JoeWheeler how come you didn’t use the rug doctor cleaner ones that they advertise on their machines like the pet odor and carpet cleaner ones? If you don’t mind me asking

[@JoeWheeler]

Too expensive and it leaves a residue that can cause resoiling...which is exactly what those formulas are designed to do! They re aimed at the rental market because IF your carpets get clean but resoil you'll keep renting the machine so they make more money! It's pure capitalism to create a need and then to fill that need for a profit...the soaps do that nicely. If you want lasting results use other products that don't cause resoiling because the machines WILL clean carpet but the chemicals ensure repeat customers.

[@postmodernrecycler]

@@JoeWheeler I believe you used Simple Green in this particular upload, correct? Is there a reason to use Fabuloso vs Simple Green, or either is fine?

[@JoeWheeler]

Fabuloso is a neutral ph cleaner while Simple Green has a pH of 8.5 so we use lower pH when we can so that is the main difference for us. However, Simple Green is rated as "Wool-Safe" and Fabuloso doesn't mention that so when we clean wool we use Simple Green...but we rarely clean wool so... Either is fine for most all situations and neither has ever caused resoiling or other issues but we use Betco Green Earth now because it has peroxide and a carpet-safe solvent in it. The price on that however has climbed so once we run out of it we'll probably go back to using Fabuloso as a basis of a blend from that point on. There are so many options for prespray it is ridiculous to try and find the absolute BEST one for ALL occasions, and there is so much hype around the issue that really I would just figure out how to make my own and leave the whole subject alone from that point on. You can spend a fortune on these things and get no benefit at all out of it. Keep it as simple as you can unless you want to go down the rabbit-hole in which case, have fun because it will be a real trip!

[@cedricsmith589]

I got Rug Doctor Flex Clean Joe

[@Honey0158]

Is it ok to use bleach and pine sol mix for urine stained carpet?

[@JoeWheeler]

No. Don't use bleach at all and the Pine-Sol will leave a residue. Instead try some peroxide (OTC will work a little but better is to go to a Sally's Beauty Supply and buy "20 Volume Clear Developer" which is used for hair dying, but works great on organic stains on carpets). Apply the peroxide and leave it to break down the urine and it will evaporate so you can leave it. It may require a few treatments but that is the best. If you have an odor problem then you need to get some CL02 (Chlorine Dioxide) which is a Hospital Grade sanitizer but also (in liquid form) will destroy the urine odor. You find that on Amazon under the brand name "Vital Oxide" (but it is very hard to find right now because it kills Corona Virus too, so it's sold out). Use it according to label directions and don't overdo it!

[@phordguy]

I always wished they would have a rope with a t-handle that would pull the machine back from the bottom. Ever used heated distilled water in the rinse? I hear it makes the carpet super soft.

[@oiyabastard7275]

phordguy. just put vinegar in

[@Dotoku14]

Omg it's Joey Wheeler

[@parkeramsberry2500]

Walking all over the wet carpet with shoes gives me the Willies

[@JoeWheeler]

Most of the carpets in apartments these days have pet feces and urine in them. Some have broken glass from drug pipes or needles from IV drug users. There may be nails, screws, metal shavings, or anything else you can imagine embedded deep in the carpet where you can't see it. If you don't wear proper foot protection you are vulnerable to anything that is there...and like I said, you can't just tell by looking. Also, these are cheap grade carpets designed for rentals or starter homes, not high quality carpets made for discerning customers. They can take the abuse and wear and tear of renters and their children and pets, so with all of that in mind shoes aren't really an issue. Not wearing shoes is an issue though because you can get all sorts of infections and health complications from what you contact in places that are often drug dens at worst, and giant pet bathrooms at the least...so in your own home, or the homes of friends or relatives not wearing shoes may be the polite, decent thing to do, but this is like walking down a back alley in a bad section of town, you should protect yourself at all times...

[@JackAHooper]

Have you ever ran the rug doctor agitator over the pre spray with no liquid first? Then extracted with water. Have no idea what I'm talking about here but it seems to make sense. Also, is it better to use really hot water or does that do damage?

[@JoeWheeler]

The Rug Doctor brush can only be used in combination with the spray button being pressed, applying water at the same time, and with the vac motor running (which can be defeated by removing the white recovery bucket to break the vacuum to the front nozzle). If you try to run the brush without water in the machine to prevent spraying, you risk burning out the pump which runs dry. You'd have to rewire the machine to allow you to have a setting to run the brush alone with nothing else being activated, but that isn't practical for most people to do. But in theory if you could just run the brush to agitate the prespray onto stained areas it would help, but you can't so it is up to you to find a different way to do this. A carpet rake, or any sort of brush could allow you to do this process by hand. Also the "dwell time" of about ten minutes helps prespray to have time to break up soils and stains. So you can use other methods to get the result without using the Rug Doctor brush. You can use hot water as it comes from the tap, but not water heated up with a stove or other method as it is too hot and will damage the machine. Using hot water helps on some stains, but as in laundering clothes, some stains react to hot water by becoming permanently set in, so cold water is proper for those instances. On wool carpets, or anything delicate you can use cold water in the Rug Doctor as needed. The hot water helps but if you didn't have hot water it will still clean, you may need to up the chemicals in the prespray to make up the difference. Hope that helps!

[@JackAHooper]

@@JoeWheeler thank you for the great info and extremely timely response. My fiance and i have a house full of relatives (2 brother in laws, 4 yr old niece, my mother and great grandmother in law, plus dog and cat). We have a new house and our carpet is pretty thrashed in the family room. I have a rug doctor and have been prepping for the past couple days to shampoo (now just pre spray and extract as you illustrated). I have a couple black streaks and traffic areas that are giving me trouble (used powder cleaner (not so great) resolve spot cleaner (ok) and today a mix of 1 cup water .5 tsp dish soap and tbsp of rubbing alcohol with imediate extraction using shop vac (pretty successful)) the last step worked really well. But it still there. Any suggestion on really stubborn black traffic stains? Thanks again for the great info.

[@JoeWheeler]

Try straight ammonia (full strength) in a hand spray bottle. Use adequate ventilation and avoid breathing it as you spray. If it is going to work you should see the stains lightening within a couple of minutes. You may need to apply this treatment more than once to get the final result. Use caution with Resolve because areas where it has been used can "bleach" out and it also will have a lot of residue which will lead to rapid resoiling. Most stains can be removed but if they've been treated with certain products, and you try to clean them they may have been made permanent already by a product that has "set" the stain. Alcohol can be used to help neutralize whatever may be in a carpet that has been unsuccessfully cleaned but the smell, like ammonia, can be a little much, so be careful with it. After all this cleaning, and the cleaning you're about to do, the carpets may be left with residue from the soaps etc which are a high ph and will be stiff and very prone to resoiling. So after a week or so you may wish to go over the carpets with the Rug Doctor using 50% water and 50% vinegar. Vinegar is safe to use in the machine and helps clean out residue from any soap from past cleanings, but also is an acid and helps rinse the carpets of any alkaline residue left from the soaps. Repeated treatment over time will bring the carpet pH down to neutral or below (slightly acidic) and they will be softer and less prone to soiling. It's cheap to use vinegar and the smell goes away as it dries and it's good for carpet and hard floors, so I recommend it for everyone. Avoid the carpet specific formulas for cleaning in the future and use general purpose cleaners. I like Simple Green for badly stained carpets, Fabuloso (which is a neutral ph of 7.0) for carpets that aren't too heavily soiled, and vinegar for periodic cleaning as it helps keep the pH below 7 which keeps carpet stains down (you still have to vacuum regularly to remove loose soils etc). Bad spots can be treated with ammonia, and organic stains like pet messes and coffee and food spills can be treated with hydrogen peroxide. Hope this helps you out!

[@JackAHooper]

@@JoeWheeler thank you for all your advice. I will post my results and let you know how it went. Again, I really appreciate your time.

[@JoeWheeler]

Good luck! Just take it easy and try not to overwet the carpets cleaning them (use some fans or the AC or open the windows...the faster they dry the better!!!).

[@pcolabeach50]

Good video. I don't know what language the carpet cleaner was speaking - English? 😄

[@JoeWheeler]

It's a close dialect to English spoken in Texas primarily (but with fewer grunts then a true Texas-born accent). It's basically a form of Gibberish that incorporates some English forms (with incorrect grammar done because it's Texas and we don't follow rules here). If you go north to Oklahoma it gets even more bizarre...

[@pcolabeach50]

@@JoeWheeler 😄

[@NghiaNguyen-qq7yx]

I’m in so much trouble!!! I recently used a rugdoctor and my carpet is still damp... it’s been 24 hours and it’s now smelling

[@JoeWheeler]

IF you used a machine that is in proper working order, and you set it up as I describe in this video, you shouldn't have carpets that won't dry within 5-6 hours at the most. There are some other factors that can affect this. If you clean your carpets on a rainy day, then the air can be so saturated with moisture that it can't absorb any more (or very little) so that can cause longer dry times. If you are in a place with little or no ventilation then you may have significantly longer dry times...add some fans and open windows if a/c isn't available to help in this scenario. This is a common problem with Truck Mounted cleaning systems, where the carpets get soaked and take days to dry. I see this all of the time, and it isn't the machine at fault IF the machine is working properly and is set up properly, but is caused by other factors...some of which you can control (ventilation and airflow to speed the drying process) and some you can't (prevailing weather conditions for example). All you can do is try to get the carpets dry now as best you can. If you have the carpet pad (underlayment) soaked then somehow you applied way too much water and will probably end up with browning stains to go along with the smell. The only fix is to reclean when the carpets have fully dried and try using a cup or to of vinegar in the machine with the water and don't use soap next time. This can help but it may take a couple of sessions to fix. Be sure and use fans and turn the a/c down to help dry the carpets and don't make more than a couple of passes...and be sure to set the selector switch on the machine to carpet not to tools. Good luck!

[@aprilmcghee8732]

Just starting a little side business with the X3 and am interested in rates for those little extras like gum and wax removal.

[@JoeWheeler]

For gum and wax (and red stains) you need an iron and ammonia and white terry towels. Next step up would be a wallpaper steamer (less chance of damaging carpet). Above that is a steam cleaner which also cleans carpets too, hard floors, and upholstery. I've got videos showing each of these in use, but you have to search for them. I would charge at least $20 for any situation where you have to get out the iron, going up to even doubling the carpet job price if they have lots of individual items that have to have specialty treatments. It's a fine line between making extra money, and being priced to where they decide it's not worth it. If there are too many things needing done, price it high and don't be afraid they won't go for it, because you'd probably be better off if they don't. Remember that some of these things don't come out, so don't oversell the final results, because it can be iffy at best on some carpets.

[@leonardbailey5519]

Do you hold the red button the whole time you cleaning

[@JoeWheeler]

Only when you wish to spray water and brush the carpet. The red button activates the pump and brushes, so you are only using the vacuum to remove moisture when not pushing the button. Most of the time when you are pulling the machine backward, you should press the button, and release it when you are in the last foot of your backward pass.

[@leonardbailey5519]

Joe Wheeler Thank you

[@cedricwebb5576]

Great tips

[@dwincey2836]

@joewheeler will zep work as a solutionn?

[@JoeWheeler]

We used their Carpet Extractor Shampoo before and it was fine. It has a good smell and a carpet protector in the one we used so that could be a selling point too. It isn't mind-blowing but it is safe to use and works well enough and is affordable. You can boost it with peroxide if needed. The High-Traffic stain remover is high pH and can leave a residue but you can go back with vinegar and water to bring the pH down before leaving. Zeps offerings for carpet cleaning are worth trying for sure and they are easy to get ahold of so that also is a plus!

[@KodyBaker00]

I've used tons of these rental machines. I'll agitate with a 175rpm floor machine with a nylon carpet brush then extract with an all fiber rinse in the tank.

[@JoeWheeler]

Great way to increase the effectiveness of the pre-spray, with some agitation to fully coat the fibers and help break down the chemical bond of stain material to carpet. We use an Oreck Orbiter with either a carpet brush, or carpet bonnet to do this from time to time as well. Thanks for suggesting this Kody!

[@KodyBaker00]

Joe Wheeler oh I use a Mercury 17" floor machine with a nylon carpet Brush to work my prespray then extract. I generally use my Cobra 1,200 Pro tho

[@Bodycomp101]

Use guys said to use simple green as a cleaning solution?

[@JoeWheeler]

Yes, use the standard Simple Green or they make a special mix for carpet cleaning, but I've not tried it. One to two cups per gallon of water, pre-sprayed on the carpet, and allowed to sit for a few minutes. Go over it with the carpet extractor, using only water in the clean water tank on your machine. This will clean most any stain except for some colored stains which need heat transfer (using a wallpaper steamer or clothes iron and ammonia...we have videos showing this on our channel) or some paint, oil, and grease stains. For those you can use a product called Greased Lightning by applying a small amount to the stain, scrubbing with a soft brush till sudsy, and then extracting with a machine. Always use pre-sprays, not detergent in the machine as it won't rinse enough residue from the carpet if it isn't plain water, and the carpets can re-soil quickly.

[@2tallB]

@@JoeWheeler Glad to read that, I use both products, especially Greased Lightening

[@2tallB]

Btw, how big of an area to you wet with the cleaning solution before using the Rug Doctor?

[@JoeWheeler]

@@2tallB You can prespray several rooms ahead if you choose because the Rug Doctor will apply water and reactivate it if it dried up before you got to it.

[@2tallB]

@@JoeWheeler ok, thanks!

[@stuartracing1]

So no need to buy their special cleaning fluids...Great because I use Simple Green alot already///

[@KodyBaker00]

Releaseit HyDrox