Is Rug Doctor safe for auto upholstery and carpet?

[Blade]

I can rent these Rug Doctor (Rug Doctor Carpet Cleaners - Buy or Rent a Rug Doctor) carpet hot-water extractors from a local grocery store for around $25 a day. I've used it on my home carpet for years, but never thought to use it on cars until detailing became a hobby. Are these machines safe on auto seat upholstery and carpet?

[rwisejr]

I would definitely say so.

[killrwheels@autogeek]

you could clearly use one, but wash it out well as those machines are usually quite dirty and lack even basic maintenance.

[Blade]

Thanks for the replies. As always, killr's detailing smarts shines through. I just got back from renting one of these Rug Doctors for our home carpet. I checked underneath the upholstery kit appliances and some of the hoses. They were all dirty with lint, hair, etc. I will surely rinse it out before I use it on my car's carpet (or even the house for that matter!). I probably would not use it on my fabric seats just yet.

[RTexasF]

Do they have a wand or some way to clean auto carpets? I've never seen one with any accessories, they were for house carpeting only.

[Blade]

Originally Posted by RTexasF

Do they have a wand or some way to clean auto carpets? I've never seen one with any accessories, they were for house carpeting only.

Yes, it comes with an optional upholstery kit. It's an extra $3, if you want it. The hose is pretty long so it works well for auto carpets.

I actually just finished shampooing my Audi's mats. The car's only 8 months old, but holy crappola... I could not believe how much dirt were in those mats. I vacuum them every couple weeks, but the Rug Doctor extracted a ton of dirt still. At first I thought the mat's black dye was coming off because the water coming out was so dark, but nope, it was pure dirt. I also did the carpets underneath.

The Audi's seats are leather, so next up will be the family van's mats and carpet, but I won't touch the fabric seats on those yet.

[Nick-Benz]

Well after reading this thread I busted out the rugdoctor and uphosltry attachment and went at it on the bimmer. The rugdoctor is great for the car. The upholstry attachment is very long and you can get into tight spots. The suction is very strong as well.

Just some quick notes to anyone using the rugdoctor or any other hot water extractor for the first time.
A.Always use high quality carpet extraction cleaner. Do not use laundry detergent, dish soap, or anything else. Although many detergents may remove the dirt; they leave a residue and do not lift away from the surface. Therefore the area will get dirtier quicker.
B.Alway use the recommended amount. For same reason as above. You do not want any residue on the area being cleaned. The residue attracts dirt.

Anyway just wanted to share some of my experiences.