I'm looking at buying an upright carpet cleaner - still deciding between Vax and Bissell - but I'm curious about the cleaning liquids they use:

Several reports mention how much cleaning fluid these machines use and how expensive it is and I was wondering about alternatives.  The company that make OdourFresh offer a carpet cleaner they say is suitable for use in the above machines but I wondered if anyone has more information they could add.  Has anyone used the Mistral one?  Lemon or lavender?  Have you ever used any alternatives?  What would you recommend?

Finally have any of you ever had problems with dog allergies after using any of the these carpet cleaning solutions?  I have a dog with allergies to grass and pollens and I wouldn't want to add to his 'load' by asking him to cope with harsh chemicals too.

Many thanks

I have just lent our Blissel to a friend and they are using the rug doctor stuff.

I think they sell their own brands to make money as dont think any of them have any magical powers that other detergents dont have !

I would say go for a Blissel over a Vax as I have found ours so much better than the two Vax's we have had previously :-)

When we had carpets we tried using the stuff that was recommended (VAX carpet cleaner) then when we found that was useless, we tried a few different ones but they never seemed to make much of a difference :(

However we found we had VERY clean carpets after using diluted Bio Washing liquid   And they stayed clean far longer too :-D

Of course it's been a while since we had carpets - about 5 years, and things may have changed since then ;)

> However we found we had VERY clean carpets after using diluted Bio Washing liquid

I use Persil liquid too, works a treat and smell lovely.

I don't have a carpet cleaner but use the mistral liquid in my washing machine when washing the dogs bedding and it has never caused them any itching or any discomfort.  I pour quite a bit in each time as I love pear drop or bubble gum smelling bedding.  Not quite the same as the carpet cleaning stuff but similar idea

I've also moved on from Vax to Bissell and have found them far superior.  But I buy reconditioned direct from the manufacturer and have found their customer service excellent as well as made good savings.
http://www.bisselldirect.co.uk/reconditioned

Parents have a vax upright and last week I bought one of the general cleaning fluids as I couldn't get a carpet cleaner anywhere and didn't have the time to order online.  It worked a treat and the house smelt lovely, will check later what it's called but it's one of the old all round cleaning fluids.

I have a vax and have used stardrops before now, just a little and works fab and smells good too!! Vax cleaner is good but on last legs but have had ut over 10 years so can't complain and it's been battered. Done floors sofas beds and it survived. Time it retired!!

THat's what I used with our Vax too and the room smelt lovely but not overpowering.

Thanks for the advice.  When you use something like Persil or other washing liquid what dilution ratio do you use?

I'd never heard of Stardrops but having Googled it I must say I'm now quite intrigued...

Thanks again

I think I just splosh in 2/3rds water 1/3 liquid detergent. You do have to empty/refill the container more often because it seems to thicken and may bung up.

Years ago I dated a bloke who worked forproctor and gamble and he said that cleaners were virtually all the same ingredients they just changed smells!! Cheeky blighters!! He said stardrops were concentrated so value for money.

We split up and I now have a cupboard full of flash!! Me? Bitter? Never!! Only kidding I met my lovely husband instead but still keep stardrops in, and the ex is a very good car mechanic these days, and yep he fixes my car for me!!    

Westcoast, do you get any guarantee with a reconditioned machine ? I have been thinking about getting a cleaner myself, but can't afford an expensive one at present. A reconditioned one sounds like a great option, but knowing my luck it would break down in no time.

I have had one of the first vaxs for about 25 years and only ever use persil or similar liquid in it absoutly fine. I have recently bought a bisell pro which I am very pleased with and so far am still using the stuff supplied with it. the only reason I bought a new on was because the original vax is such a pain to put together and use in comparsion to the uprights and I wanted something i could grab and use quickly. Will be using liquid washing liquid when I run out.
I usually find stardrops in the pound shops or similar cheaper supermarkets

Dorcas, yes you get 12 months guarantee with the Bissell recon machines. 
When mine arrived I didn't believe that it wasn't new!  I bought the Proheat one and it was in regular use for about 8 years.  When I moved here I had Karndean put downstairs and so now only have carpet upstairs and now have no dogs and so I passed it on to a friend and bought the small green machine.  I bought a Proheat for my daughter and hers and my original one are about 8+ years old and still going strong.
I also bought a recon vacuum from them to keep upstairs and that's been brilliant too. :)

Bissell is good for carpet cleaning!

I've had a look at the reconditioned ones, how much cheaper are they compared to brand new? £80 isn't cheap in my books and wondered how much cheaper they really are?

Bissell have just changed their models, but the Proheat (heats the water to the correct temperature) is £299 at Argos and a recon one direct from Bissell (everything I've bought from Bissell as recon has looked and behaved as brand new!) is £90.

I've found Bissell shampooers better than any other that I've used, and I used a few with puppies and cream carpets over the yeasr! :)

That's brilliant thanks, will invest after that. You recommend the Proheat, do some not heat up then or? Maybe I should just read the info pages on each model ;-)

Sorry DAB for hijacking your thread. I've borrowed rug Dr's and used yet products, wasn't impressed.
Also borrowed a vax and used HG carpet cleaner, that worked well. Might just use bio liquid in future though after reports above

I've had a Proheat (and bought another one for my daughter) and they work very well.  Because I now have hard floors downstairs and only carpets (and only me!) upstairs, I have the smaller one that doesn't heat the water, and I would say that freshens up and certainly produces dirty water, but doesn't clean like the big machine.  My old recon Proheat must be 12 year old by now and is still working well for my friend with 4 dogs, 2 cats, rabbits, chickens and ducks who will often wander into her home! :)

The specialist cleaning liquids have a foam inhibitor in them and so don't get thick and sticky, but apart from that....... :)

look on ideal worlds website they quite often sell Bissel discounted. I used Vax shampoo from B&M's recently eith mine and brought the carpet up lovely and smelled nice.

Carpet Cleaner bissel pro heat seems to be the most popular choice.