The first step to clean carpet is to vacuum the carpeted area well. You want to run the vacuum a few times to make sure that you get any loose dust and not just the large debris on top. After you are sure you have vacuumed completely, then you need to mix the carpet shampoo solution. Any brand of carpet shampoo will do, but you can also make your own. A mixture of vinegar and water with a small amount of dish soap makes a nice carpet shampoo. Make sure to read the directions on any carpet shampoo container carefully. Generally you want to use about half or maybe even less of the amount recommended. You want to avoid foaming. Add the appropriate amount of water and if necessary you can add antifoaming agent. Some carpet shampoo machines have a separate compartment for this, but others just have you add it to the shampoo solution.

Once the carpet shampoo is mixed, you will fill the reservoir in the carpet shampoo machine and get to work. Run the carpet shampooer slowly over an area of the carpet. Good technique is to pull the carpet cleaner back in long rows. Look at the solution being sucked into the machine to makes sure it is not too foamy. If it is, then you can stop and dilute the solution some. When water stops flowing into the machine then it is time to empty the waste water and refill the cleaning solution.

It is good practice to run over the entire carpet twice and then run over it a third time with only cold water in the reservoir. You want to make sure that the last time you go over each section of carpet there is absolutely no soap going into the waste compartment. Soap left behind in your carpets is one of the worse mistakes you can make and is extremely bad for your carpets.

There are several advantages to these small portable carpet cleaning devices. That is why I think that a portable handheld piece of equipment is the best carpet shampoo machine you could purchase. The first advantage is that this home carpet shampoo machine is small and easy to store. You can easily fit one of these carpet scrubbers under the sink or in a small inconspicuous corner of your hall closet. It is easily put out of sight but still easily accessible in case you need to clean up a spill quickly. Another advantage is that the carpet cleaner is easy to use. Upright machines are hard to maneuver and difficult to get into small places. The smaller models have small handheld brushes and long hoses that allow you to reach in between furniture and into corners.

One possible disadvantage that I have noticed through using these products is that the canister that holds the soapy water and the discharge is not very secure. I have noticed that the canister sometimes falls out or comes loose which causes leaks. In addition, the hoses have come loose during use causing a big mess. I am sure if you buy a reputable Bissell carpet shampoo machine or a Hoover carpet shampoo machine you will not run into these problems.

It is important to remember that these compact carpet shampooers are good for small spills or spontaneous cleanings, but not for overall carpet cleaning. Yu still want to use a regular upright carpet shampooer when it comes time to clean your entire carpet. These large carpet shampooing are usually meant to take care of the daily dirt and grime and not targeted stain removal. The compact carpet cleaning machines are more appropriate for those.