Steam Cleaner or Carpet Cleaner? Recommendations? I know, NOT a juicy topic!

[FMLpassthegin]

Boring topic I know - but I really want to be able to clean my rugs and stair carpets and get a decent result and I figured someone in the world of the uber houseproud mumsnet brigade will be able to help! My floors get filthy no matter how hard we try between kids and a spaniel traipsing in and out of the house/garden. (I don't want to start a 'shoes on, or shoes off' debate - we are a sporty family - rugby/football/hiking etc, and I work outside. The dog, my kids and I are in and out of the house/garden and even if we take our shoes off or try and wipe the spaniels paws, the floors still get dirty / mud covered. If its not from paws the rugs and carpets get affected by spilt food/drinks, make up by the kids/teens etc. We def don't meet the Mumsnet standards I see on here of cleanliness. We are just too busy and messy. I don't want to pay a professional carpet cleaning company as I'd like to be able to do this regularly myself as I can't afford to keep bringing in a carpet cleaning company. Paying for a cleaner is enough! I bought a Vax Dual Power Advance carpet cleaner a couple of years ago and it was useless, I just ended up with really wet carpets and rugs and some of the dirty water collected in the machine but it seemed to constantly leak the dirty water back onto the rugs. I threw it out in the end as it really was rubbish - and annoying as it wasn't cheap! What do you recommend? A different carpet cleaner to the one I have - is there one that anyone uses that does a good job and doesn't leak filth and properly cleans the carpets? I didn't like the feeling that the cleaning solution was just scrubbing the dirt into the carpet?

What about buying a steam cleaner? Does this work any better? How does this remove the actual dirt from the carpets? I'm very tempted by a steam cleaner in general as they look great for cleaning bathroom tiles and grout and kitchen ovens /windows, mattresses etc but how would it clean the rugs and carpet? Would it be any better than a vacuum carpet cleaner ? Would you apply some kind of product to the rugs first, then steam then and then hoover the moisture away? I'm trying to understand WHERE the dirt would go? How it would come out and away from the carpets/rugs if it doesn't suck anything up and how you would get the dirt out? I have a shaggy rug in the living room (not wool, some kind of plastic I think?) and then some kind of wool/polyman made fibre carpeting up the stairs and in the bedrooms.

Does anyone have any recommendations ? I am tempted by a steamer like this https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0FS175ZJ4/ref=ox_sc_act_title_10?smid=A1SVFLGRET0WDZ&psc=1 for the rest of the house - but not sure if it will help solve my carpet cleaning issue.

So anyone that thinks they have found a really good carpet cleaner or steam cleaner please recommend your carpet cleaners and steamers here?

I am also interested in a clothes steamer (this sort of thing:https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0D3M5S75S/ref=ox_sc_act_title_9?smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&th=1) as I HATE ironing and the faff of dragging out the ironing board ( I live in a small house, so it cannot be left out and honestly I hate wrestling with the iron and the ironing board !) but am thinking an upright pro steamer type thing would be easier and maybe quicker and can sit in the corner of my spare room, anyone got one they like or would recommmend? I have a travel one and its ok for travel but not much good for big/multiple items. So, gang of mumsnet clean freaks, please help me out with any advice on good options! Thanks!

Honestly - I would get rid of the carpet and tile or vinyl the downstairs floors. Something easily mopped will make your life a whole lot healthier. I know you asked for cleaning tips but with the amount of people/animals and your lifestyle you would be better off without them. Carpets are disgusting however hard you try and clean them - here's what Google says about it:

Carpets can be a major reservoir of filth, capable of holding significant amounts of dirt, bacteria, allergens, and debris that are often not visible on the surface. Studies and expert opinions highlight several shocking statistics:
Quantity of Filth in Carpets
Weight in Dirt: An average carpet can hold roughly four times its own weight in dirt over its lifespan. Some sources indicate carpets can accumulate up to 40 pounds of dirt in a single year.
Invisible Accumulation: One square foot of carpet can contain up to one pound of dirt before the filth is even visible to the naked eye.
Bacterial Load: Carpets can be a germ hotspot, with some research suggesting they can be ten times dirtier than a toilet seat and contain as many as 200,000 bacteria per square inch. Bedroom carpets were found to be particularly dirty compared to living room or office carpets.
Types of Filth Found
The porous fibers of carpets trap a wide array of contaminants, including:
Organic Matter: Dead skin cells (people shed thousands daily), hair, pet dander, and body fluids.
Microorganisms and Pests: Bacteria (like Staphylococcus and E. coli), mold, fungi, dust mites, dust mite faeces (a major allergen), and flea eggs.
External Debris: Soil, sand, food crumbs, pollen, insect remains, and chemical pollutants tracked in from outside.

Health Implications
This accumulated filth can pose health risks, particularly for those with allergies, asthma, or compromised immune systems. The particles in the carpet can affect indoor air quality, with indoor dust levels potentially being twice as high as outdoor levels.
To mitigate these issues, experts recommend:
Regular vacuuming at least twice a week.
Professional deep cleaning at least once a year to remove ground-in dirt that regular vacuuming cannot reach.
Implementing a "no shoes indoors" policy to significantly reduce the amount of dirt and contaminants tracked into the home.

I do have a Vax carpet cleaner and it leaves my carpets really dry. Was your faulty or were you not using it correctly?

It is great for full room cleans, however their spot cleaner is ideal for small areas, quick to use and works brilliantly on carpet and upholstery.

A steam cleaner is for solid floors not carpet. These work really well with a flat tiled floor or similar, they aren't so effective if you have uneven/rough/natural tiles. We have an H20 which I am happy to recommend, you can also use it handheld on tiles in the shower and so on.

I also use a lot of Ruggable rugs - these are washable and it makes a huge difference!

I have four dogs. I currently have some carpet downstairs but it’s going soon and I’m having wood floor throughout. There is just no cleaning the carpet after a while no matter what you use! I have a floor steamer for wood floors (it does rugs too but freshens up rather than cleans I feel). I have a Vax carpet cleaner for the carpets - it removes an amazing amount of muck, but it’s never enough, lol. I also have a hand held steamer for clothes, it’s fab, not used an iron in years!

Thanks - I have wood floors downstairs but we have to have rugs down or it is too cold. The stairs have carpet - when we pulled the carpet up the stairs were not in good enough condition to strip back to wood and I didn’t have the budget for an alternative

I have real wood floors downstairs and a large rug in each lounge.
dp & ds don’t think ! Will just walk across rug with shoes on it be outside leave shuu oh es on and walk around and go upstairs (carpet)

I bought steam cleaner for floors but if it was left too long or too hit it marked the flooring
so went back to mop & bucket
Alway bought a spot cleaner that ruined my rug left yellow marks (detergent it think)

I’ve just bought shark expert EK300 upright carpet cleaner
i did 2 rugs yesterday in 30 mins (that was working out how to use also)
just use it like a vac , then press another button to dry it out more
I am impressed with results
it also has lots of extra add on for stairs etc