Am rug doctor convert. Recommended by Branster on recent thread on steam cleaners. (Thankyou, thankyou, thankyou). Hire from Homebase for £21 including cleaning fluids and cleaned bedroom carpet, stairs and living room rug. They look like new!
I'm honestly not on a retainer. Just do it - guess it's basically just an industrial standard carpet cleaner. Am shocked at quite how dirty they were (everywhere else in house is hard floors, I suppose the dirt has to 'rest' somewhere! Have also used optional carpet shield at £7 (form of Scotchguard I believe)
Crusade over...