[Mycroft Holmes]

I've got to chime in with a huge Bissel AMEN! here. Rent a rug doctor twice to use in extremis and you have paid for a Bissel you now have right here to clean up the mess as it happens; not months later when it is fully set into the carpet. And the Bissel attachments for furniture and drapes do work, so get them too. If you have pets or small children a Bissel is a necessity, not a luxury.

[HiTech RedNeck]

As well as Bissell, Hoover is another reputable brand of home carpet shampooer. The one I use looks like an upright vacuum cleaner and has rotating scrub brushes on the bottom of its head. I’ve even seen a church that kept a Hoover of this same kind to shampoo its well trodden aisle carpets, which were worn but clean. The brand name shampoos work OK but are pricey. Stores like Wal-Mart have their own generic shampoos that also work OK. Simple Green also works. Any cleaner that is not overly sudsy and does not leave a lot of residue will work. It’s a good idea to ventilate well with Simple Green as the vapors can be irritating to the eyes and respiratory tract. Household ammonia is powerful too as a spotter or in the machine, but definitely needs lots of ventilation.