Rug Doctor Disaster

Posted by: maggie40 (---.dialup.clear.net.nz)
Date: February 2, 2009 07:35AM

Has anyone else had a disaster using the rug doctor machine???
last Wednesday we picked it up by 8am for 24 hours to give time to use and return - masssive task to take most things out and leave all clear to do the big shampoo!! Did all the right things re solution/dilutions /deodoriser etc and after finished, I thought there were a lot of patches that looked dirtier than before! it has taken 4 days to dry completely and there are huge and extensive splotches of grimy carpet!!! rang the Rug Dr people and they said that usually doesn't happen [ well of course they would say that!] and after a little haggling they have agreed we can take it again free for the time we need to redo it! They offered 2 hours but that would be barely enough time to go and get it, sort it out and take it back from where we live. Thy were pretty helpful about it.
I am concerned that it just won;t come clean. It is so annoying as it was a massive task to get the stuff out to do the carpet and now we have to do it again - on a lesser scale. The hall and bedrooms seem fine but the b/rooms are a different pattern and colour they don;t show the dirt although I have been getting up, to damp feet!. The lady at RD said it must have been dirt from cleaning before that has come to the surface but I said "On carpets that were in corners that just don't have traffic!!!???" And - I thought that was what 'Dr Rug' was supposed to help? Anyone else had these experiences?? I have used it twice before on fawn shag pile carpet when we first came here and it was fine. maybe it is just a malfunctioning machine. What rghts under the consumer guarantee do we have.? I will have to provide more shampooing solution which I think they should help pay for!!!!!! Help!!



Edited 1 times. Last edit at 02/02/09 07:38AM by maggie40.

Re: Rug Doctor Disaster
Posted by: Lorna (60.234.157.---)
Date: February 2, 2009 03:09PM

I've never used Rug Doctor but from all the comments from various Property Managers on the TradeMe real estate forum, they hate their tenants using the system on rental properties. I've just moved into a rental and the carpets were 'cleaned' before I moved in. I don't know who did them or what was used, but the carpet is quite light coloured (silly choice for a rental) and there are dark patches all over the place and some stains. I tried removing some of the smaller stains, by hand using a 'green' product, and the cloth I used, as recommended by the 'green' product manufacturer, certainly lifted lots of grime.

Re: Rug Doctor Disaster
Posted by: nette (---.dialup.clear.net.nz)
Date: February 2, 2009 11:51PM

OK, well we have been down that track. We also hired it for the day. The 1st few runs it worked ok and then it stopped withdrawing the dirty water and just put it all back into the carpet. We had hired it from New World and the manager there was absolutely fantastic. At first we were given a new machine and cleaner for as long as we needed it. This did not work. The manager fought on our behalf and eventually the Rug Dr people agreed to pay for a proffesional cleaner to come and put matters right. This happened and we were delighted with the result. I will never ever use Rug Doctor again and will also advise anyone thinking of using them, not to. Hope this helps.

Re: Rug Doctor Disaster
Posted by: maggie40 (---.dialup.clear.net.nz)
Date: February 5, 2009 08:14AM

We went over the whole carpet again last night using the upholstery tool and then with the machine. I just could not BELIEVE the amount of filthy water that came out of the carpet and a lot of the stains were on areas that have no traffic at all like under the armchair etc. COnsidering the carpet was cleaned a week before - it was awful!! It also took 4 days to dry and once dry - looked so bad. It is a lot better now, and dried so much quicker this time, but i can still pickout areas that don;t look too great. I phoned Rug doctor back and got a young girl so didn;t like to say too much to her - so may wait until the main woman is back. I think we may need to get a profesional steam cleaner in which is a nuisance and more expense. Might have to get my 'Irish' up a bit more - maybe get hubby to phone - he is a gentle soul but will stick to his guns when needed to! I think they could at least have given us some more solution!!!

Re: Rug Doctor Disaster
Posted by: Zeetra (---.jetstream.xtra.co.nz)
Date: February 7, 2009 05:15AM

I have never used one but for the price of getting in a professional might be better as if anything goes wrong, as you have ubnfortunatley have happen, then you will be covered to get the professional back to do the job properly.

Re: Rug Doctor Disaster
Posted by: wmoore (---.adsl24.co.uk)
Date: February 7, 2009 08:18AM

One of the problems I think is that people don't clean them correctly before returning them.
The last RD we had I spent a good half hour cleaning everything.
And personally I don't think it did a great job of cleaning anyway.

Re: Rug Doctor Disaster
Posted by: maggie40 (---.dialup.clear.net.nz)
Date: February 10, 2009 06:15AM

I wonder if that is why it seemed to spew out dirty water into the carpet?? It looked OK but It certainly didn't vacuum up the water as it should have. I got in touch with the store we hired it from and the manager was very nice and helpful and he is taking it on himself to sort it with RD firm and will get back to me. I know one thing - I won't be hiring it again!

Re: Rug Doctor Disaster
Posted by: A Morris (---.dsl.dyn.ihug.co.nz)
Date: June 6, 2009 06:39AM

Being a property manager I have seen many disasters caused by RD machines. We DO NOT allow our tenants to use these machines as in inexperienced hand (everyone) they can WRECK carpet. The RD puts far too much water into the carpet often causing the carpet to shrink. Carpet often gets stretched and wrinkly about a week after it dries. I have also had a 6mth old carpet with a drink stain being worn all the way through because the tenant was afraid the we may not give her bond back if the stain remained. Needless to say I would rather the carpet be stained in a small area than wrecked altogether.
Anyone thinking about wrecking your carpets go right ahead. I recommend hiring a professional. Usually only a small amount extra but well worth the cost. Note: when I say professional I don’t mean the $20 per room guy I mean the big firms like Jaes or WOW.

Re: Rug Doctor Disaster
Posted by: txblue (---.tx.res.rr.com)
Date: September 24, 2009 07:25PM

Have rented Rug Doctor many times thru the years - never had any issues -rugs always look great. Thinking of buying one now that I have 5 rentals to keep up with. Lots of sweat equity that hiring doesn't require, but hiring someone dips into my profits!