Shall I get carpets/upholstery professionally cleaned or buy a vax Carpet cleaner?

[Chocafookinholic]

I've had a quote for stair/landing/lounge carpets and sofas to be cleaned for £150. I've just seen an advertisement for a vax carpet/upholstery cleaner which seem to be a similar price. My carpets are only a few years old and grubby rather than irreparably stained. Which one is the better option?

We don't have carpets now but when we did I once borrowed a friend's Vax and on another occasion had them professionally cleaned - the professional clean was hugely better.
They moved all the furniture and their machine was much more powerful - the carpets were appreciably cleaner and almost bone dry afterwards.
If you can afford it I would get someone to do them, but I do appreciate that if you buy the Vax you can do them as often as you want

How did you find the vax? I've had prof cleaning too and I agree, it is brilliant

When I say I, I actually delegated the vaxing to DH - it was very slow as he had to keep going over the same bits several times.
I did have a brief go with the Vax and I found it quite unwieldly - mind you, I think the one we borrowed was a heavy duty type

I have had both and I would defiantly go for the professional clean. I thought the vax was pretty rubbish.

Ok, I'm convinced! Will ring the professionals. Thanks

Just to add I have a bissel and find it really good for all the food dd throws all the time on the carpet and when she wees on the bathroom carpet for keeping the carpets clean and sorting out marks but it's not so great on stuck on stains but I like the flexibility of having it whenever I want it. I think the one I have cost about £280. I've never paid for a professional to do carpet cleaning but have paid to hire an industrial carpet cleaner machine which I used myself which Idid find was better than the bissell but only made the carpets look fresh and pristine for a few days then some stains came through again. HTH

I have borrowed a vax, it was unweildy as already mentioned, took AAAAAAAAAGES, and left the carpet fairly wet. I've also paid professionals to do it. Definitely worth the money.

You can hire professional standard machines from most tool hire outlets, and do it yourself cheaply.

The machines are quite heavy, though. You need to pick a day when you can leave all the windows open so the residual moisture evaporates.

I've used these twice a year on my carports and rugs, and they look good. I think the regularity is the thing.