Using a dry/wet vacuum instead of a carpet washer

[Gabitule]

I’m looking for a carpet washer for my light coloured carpets. I know from experience that unless you pay a lot of money, domestic carpet washers have weak suction so don’t clean properly. Good dry/ wet vacuum cleaners are cheaper and the one I used before had amazing suction power, but admittedly I only used it on solid floors.
Has anyone used a dry/wet vacuum to wash carpets? Did it work ok? I Appreciate that I would have to spray the carpets separately from a spray bottle and perhaps us a broom to work out the water in the carpet fibers, but would the dry/wet vacuum suck the water successfully from a large area?
Also to say that I already have a hoover so I’m only interested in the wet function.

thank you

I haven’t used a wet dry hoover to clean carpet but would be interested to know.

In case it’s of interest, my last flat had very dense, twist pile carpet that was flattened in high traffic areas and I do think that “ooh, you can really see the difference” post-domestic carpet cleaner effect is almost as much to do with the rotating brushes as the washing/water element. Don’t know if any wet dry hoovers have that as an option.

The suction on my Vax isn’t huge, as you’ve said, but I could get the carpet dry enough by going over it several times very slowly. What I really hate is that all the pet the hair sticks in the head and it’s not designed to come apart easily for cleaning. And it’s a pet model! That wouldn’t be an issue with wet dry hoovers.

Obviously the most important feature is the clear waste tank so you can fully appreciate your efforts as it fills up with gross brown water.

You need to look at at Numatic Henry Wash or a Numatic George, as these are wet & dry cleaners with the shampoo spraying facility built into it too. Also it has the attachments needed to shampoo the carpet. The suction is terrific. The difference between a Henry Wash and a George is that George also has all the parts needed to use him as an everyday dry vacuum cleaner too.

However, neither has the agitation of the upright carpet cleaners you speak of, though you could spray and then use a soft broom.

Having used both types, I prefer the wet & dry types (they call them extraction cleaners) over the upright sort with the brushes, because although they brush OK, they don't suck up as well (which of course you know). But nothing compares to that of having someone to come and clean my carpets professionally.