Carpets and rugs need to be deep cleaned at least once a year using a specialized cleaning machine. Some homeowners prefer renting a carpet cleaner to purchasing their own. Sure, renting a carpet cleaner is a viable option for people whose carpets experience little to no traffic every single day.
But for homeowners with small children, pets and other intensive carpet cleaning needs, purchasing the best deep carpet cleaner is all but mandatory. And this is where the Rug Doctor Pro Deep Carpet Cleaner review comes into the picture. Very few consumer brands can meet the supreme deep cleaning capabilities of the Rug Doctor Deep Carpet Cleaner when it comes to carpet cleaning.
Having been awarded the “GOLD” rating from the Carpet & Rug Institute (CRI), the Rug Doctor is simple to use, tough and reliable. It can be likened to the Ford Trucks of this world – but definitely not very cheap. In our Rug Doctor Deep Carpet Cleaner review, we focus exclusively on this unit by unveiling critical observations that may affect your decision to buy it.
Table of Contents
About The Rug Doctor Deep Carpet Cleaner
The Rug Doctor has earned a rock-solid reputation for building robust and ground-breaking products with top-quality materials, and the Rug Doctor Deep Carpet Cleaner is not an exception. The Rug Doctor 93170 Deep Carpet cleaner is among the most preferred industrial cleaning appliances on the market today. Its focal points are the ease of use, convenience, durability, and uncompromised performance.
This mighty beast weighs 16.5 kg with a full tank (12.5 kg when empty), and features a 1,300W motor that saves time by cleaning and drying in one pass. It also comes with a booster spray jet which dispatches stains to make your carpets sparkling clean again. With up to 75% greater suction compared to other deep carpet cleaners, it removes more embedded dirt than other deep carpet cleaners, without voiding your carpet warranty.
The industrial look and feel of this machine is a clear indication that it means business. Perhaps that is why the Carpet + Rug Institute (CRI) has awarded it the GOLD rating for its top-of-the-range performance in soil and water removal as well as its gentleness on carpeting material. What’s more, it comes fully assembled and ready to use right out of the box.
For Whom Do We Recommend The Rug Doctor Deep Carpet Cleaner 93146?
We highly recommend the Rug Doctor Deep Carpet Cleaner for homeowners who want to treat high-traffic areas and break down old stains on their carpets. Engineered with 75% more suction than other upright deep carpet cleaners, this professional-grade unit delivers the best-in-class suction for faster and smarter performance. It provides lots of great agitation from the dual cross-action spinning scrub brushes, more than enough to deep clean each carpet fiber from every angle on a single pass.
Its grooming brushes prove handy in polishing carpet for plush result. For heavily soiled carpets on high-traffic areas, the unit applies the Super Boost setting to clean tougher stains on more stubborn fibers that call for extra attention. By combining powerful suction, Dual Cross-Action Brushes and Super Boost setting, this deep carpet cleaner can extract more deep stains on one pass than most carpet cleaners.
Rug Doctor Deep Carpet Cleaner Review – Features & Technical Specifications
Award-Winning Cleaning Power
The Rug Doctor corporate mantra is all about technical innovation and commitment to deep carpet cleaning performance. Suction is one of the most important components of any deep carpet cleaner, and this device delivers. This deep carpet cleaning machine supplies up to 75% more powerful suction relative to many other carpet cleaners on the market, facilitating quicker cleaning and drying.
Not many units today can deliver this much amount of suction power. The Rug Doctor Deep Carpet Cleaner is able to remove old caked-on stains and bacteria with just a single backward pass. This superior suction emanates from a 12-inch wide nozzle which also affords an extensive cleaning path for quicker cleaning of a large carpeted surface.
Integrated Dual Cross Action Brushes
Unlike other carpet cleaners that use small spinning brushes, the Rug Doctor Deep Carpet features one large dual cross design sweeping brush with very stiff bristles. The dual cross-action design brush is an exemplary technology that gives this cleaning machine the capability to clean every particular fiber of your carpet fast and effectively. The integrated dual cross-action brush with stiff bristles provides great agitation for grooming all sides of the carpet fibers, leaving your carpets polished, conditioned and plush.
The dual cross-action brush consists of 10 rows of durable bristles that perform 3 functions – agitation, grooming and polishing. These spinning brushes leave carpets clean and polished with fewer passes than an upright carpet cleaner. The single-pass technology allows the brushes to oscillate and rotate to scrub away old dirt and stains from every angle to provide the professional-grade deep clean, soft and plush results.
Super Boost Spray
A lot of carpet cleaners tend to struggle when cleaning heavily soiled carpets especially in areas that see more foot traffic. However, the Rug Doctor Deep Carpet Cleaner uses the Super Boost Spray setting to allow you to customize your cleaning level and treat high-traffic areas with the most stubborn stains. The sprayer jet is positioned at the back of the unit, and it provides extra cleaning power to break down set-in stains in heavily soiled or high-traffic areas that demand extra attention.
By simply pressing the dial on your machine, the sprayer jet dispenses an extra boost of detergent or cleaning solution to loosen up stains that require higher level of cleaning. Thanks to the machine’s advanced design, the super boost spray avoids over application of solution on the carpet, since too much solution can make the carpet sticky and prone to attracting dirt quicker. The Rug Doctor’s super boost spray can remove the toughest blemishes on all carpets easily and effectively without damaging the carpet or annulling the warranty.
Ease of Use & Convenience
The Rug Doctor Deep Carpet Cleaner promises to make deep cleaning carpet as easy and painless as possible. The company has now improved a lot of components and parts to ensure the easiest cleaning experience. One of the great features is the transparent clean and dirty water tanks featuring the simple lift technology. The clean water tank can hold up to 3.8 liters, whilst the dirty water tank can carry about 4.2 liters.
Since these tanks are transparent, it becomes easier to monitor the water level to see when they need to be refilled or emptied with no mess. Having separate water tanks for holding clean water and dirty liquid prevents cross contamination. The tanks come with larger opening lids for hassle-free filling and rinsing, and a convenient arm-locking mechanism that makes it simple to remove both tanks with a quick pull action. Also available is an integrated soap measuring cap that prevents overfilling and encourages precision when it comes to measuring and pouring the solution.
Maneuverability & Storage
Even though the Rug Doctor Deep Carpet Cleaner weighs around 25 pounds, it still feels much easier to maneuver from place to place than other smaller or less powerful units. It comes equipped with extra large carpet-friendly wheels which facilitate smooth and effortless steering over most carpets and area rugs. These wheels enhance the mobility and you can simply push or pull it to any tight space. You can also adjust the handle’s angle depending on your height for added comfort while using it.
Storage is also painless without worrying about space as the unit can fit in even the most limited spaces. This deep carpet cleaner features a collapsible handle that allows it to store away in a smaller space than its competitors. The collapsible handle significantly minimizes the vertical footprint for stress-free storage. In a layman’s language, the handle folds down to ensure compact storage when not in use.
User-Friendliness
The Rug Doctor Deep Carpet Cleaner has prioritized on user-friendliness despite having a bulky weight that makes it look difficult to move at first glance. It offers several features designed to heighten the usability when it comes to deep carpet cleaning. For starters, the unit includes a removable tool caddy that allows you to clean all nooks and crannies on stairs and upholstery. This handy caddy tool can also get into small crevices that may otherwise seem harder to clean, including car interiors and tight corners.
You will also find a flexible 7.7 foot extra-long hose, which is adequate for deep cleaning spots and stains in hard-to-reach places, sofas and a short flight of stairs. You can also attach the upholstery tool and spot cleaning tool to the unit for cleaning furniture, pet beds, and even vehicles (including RVs and boats). The 28 foot long power cable provides a wide cleaning radius to avoid constantly plugging and unplugging the unit from the wall socket.
CRI Rated Gold
The Rug Doctor Deep Carpet Cleaner has earned the gold rating from the CRI for the best in class performance and expeditious drying time. This is the only machine featuring Dual Cross-Action Brushes for deep cleaning carpet fibers from every angle, leaving it groomed, polished and plush. Apart from incorporating powerful cleaning technology, the machine also provides a remarkable drying time of less than 4 hours.
Most carpet cleaners can leave your carpets wet for several hours after deep cleaning. However, this one has an advanced suction technology designed to suck up as much moisture as possible. Having received the CRI seal of approval, this machine excels in the following classes of performance:
- Soil removal – It is capable of removing a lot of dirt
- Water removal – It can suck up as much moisture as possible for faster drying
- Surface retention – It won’t damage carpet fibers
The certified Gold rating indicates that this product does work as claimed. For those who may not be aware, the Carpet & Rug Institute is a trusted institution that tests carpet and area rug cleaning products based on different criteria. Their certification is a seal of approval indicating how the product works in different fields.
Warranty
The Rug Doctor Deep Carpet Cleaner is backed by the Rug Doctor’s 2-year warranty for non-commercial use. For customers who feel that this warranty window is too short, Amazon also offers an optional extended warranty period covering parts and labor. This deep carpet cleaning machine is delivered ready to use, with no assembly needed.
For this reason, you do not need to have a prior assembling knowledge in order to use this device. Also, there is no need to incur additional expenses to hire an expert to put it together for you. And above all, this machine is easy to operate, dump and refill.
What We Liked
- High cleaning power (11 amps)
- Easy cleaning with only one pass
- Fast drying time
- CRI rated GOLD standard
- 12-inch wide nozzle for a wider cleaning path
- Removable tanks for easy emptying and refilling
- Super Boost Spray function for more stubborn stains
- Collapsible handle for easy storage
- Includes a removable tool caddy for tight corners
- No assembling required
Flaws But Not Deal Breakers
- Slightly heavier than most upright deep carpet cleaners
- Does not include a water heater
- More expensive than other deep carpet cleaners
Our Verdict
The Rug Doctor Deep Carpet Cleaner outperforms several upright vacuum cleaners both in user-friendliness and performance. In general, it lives up to the Rug Doctor’s outstanding reputation for superior performance, thanks to its excellent cleaning power and quicker dry-time.
A combination of best in class power and great agitation from dual-cross spinning brushes makes this machine ideal for removing caked-on stains from all types of carpets. It has all it takes to pick up more grime on a single pass, leaving your carpets sparkling clean with a lot of ease. And for carpets that need more extensive care, this carpet cleaner provides the Super Boost option, where a sprayer jet applies more detergent on the carpet to loosen tough stains.
One thing to remember is that this deep carpet cleaning machine can be very heavy, particularly when the tank is full. No need to worry though, because the device is well-engineered with built-in carpet-friendly wheels for improved maneuverability. Honestly, the Rug Doctor Deep Carpet Cleaner excels in deep carpet cleaning and comes fully assembled and ready to use.
