Carpet Steamer or shampoo cleaner?

I've decided we really need something to clean the carpets but can't decide between a steamer & a Vax type carpet washer.

Do any of you use either of these and if so, which do you think is better for getting rid of ground in dirt?

And, what makes/models do you think are the best please?

thanks xx

I'm interested in hearing thoughts on this subject as well.
I also recently got a flyer in the door for someone that "dry cleans" carpets etc. Never heard of it before and apparently the carpet can be walked on immediately after cleaning...

I have a vax style upright cleaner. i can't remember the model as it at mums. It is easy to juse and the carpet dries very quickly afterwards. It coped with Fudge's dog hair and removed a pint of milk that had been spilt on a wool carpet. It also has an upholstery option.

I have a cylinder Vax wet and dry but it has not been very successful on the carpet cleaning front. The liquid tends to get trapped in the tube, air bubbles etc. As a vacuum it is quite good though. I also have a steamer which does get rid of the stains on the carpet but where does it go? There is nothing to suck it up afterwards? It must just move it along to another bit of the carpet. We are thinking of hiring one of these carpet cleaners from Homebase as I have had success with them in the past.

mine is not a wet and dry. it pupms water and shampoo through the csarpet then lifts it into a tank. The water is always filthy so it must be removing the dirt.

I have had a vax wet and dry, which was so heavy and didn't do the job that well although the water was always dirty after. Then I tried the steam cleaner but as someone said I can't see where the dirt goes, I know you have to vacuum it after it has dried but didn't that much dirt coming out of it. Now I have an upright Vax Rapide and it is brilliant. Much better than the other two in my opinion.

I've got a big heavy Vax carpet cleaner, but quite honestly, it was very heavy to use, and although the carpets looked great for a day or so, it never seemed to do the job properly for me and my carpets weren't that old, only a couple of years. I suppose it was a middle of the road one costing £180 ish.

However, I am now the proud owner of a proper steam cleaner with all the attachments, which just glides through all the household cleaning of tiles, hob, oven etc. does a brill job on the vinyl kitchen floor too, and it does say it does a brilliant job on carpets, brings them back to life, and when I get round to it, when they're older and dirtier that's what it will be doing! I'm sure it will do a 10 times better job that the upright Vax carpet cleaner I bought too!

I've only got carpet on the stairs and landing, so I've wondered if I'd be better investing in a steam cleaner.
But do they leave the carpets very wet - since the moisture isn't sucked up? Do they take long to dry?

I have a Bissell oxypro carpet shampooer, it is excellant at cleaning the carpet but I certainly wouldn't say it left it dry enough to walk on, it's definately very damp.
Steam cleaners come in two versions, one you have to use cloths to put on the head to absorb the dirt and I have never been convinced by their efficiency or a steam cleaner with vacuum which sucks the dirt and steam up from the carpet, they can be very expensive though usually £350 up.

IMO I think the Vax upright cleaners leave the carpets WETTER than a steam cleaner would! The steam is so very hot it evaporates immediately, whereas with the uprights, you fill them with warm water plus the cleaner, and within minutes all that water has gone! So where's that gone then??? In the carpet making it very wet indeed. I use it on Georgie's vetbed, and although it feels wet immediately after I've used it (the STEAM cleaner), within seconds, it's bone dry, again unlike the upright does, that leaves carpeting wet, and I mean wet! I walk around on bare feet and my carpets took ages to dry properly after using an upright.