Carpet Cleaning on the Boat

[Bayside Bert54]

I have wall to wall carpet in the salon and stateroom level of my Bertram 54 and I want to have it cleaned. I'm at a slip at Herrington Harbour South. Do I just call Stanley Steamer? Any recommendations?

 

[OBXTucker]

Short answer is yes. I recently had a mobile carpet cleaner come do the large area "rug/carpet" on our aft salon (about 9x16) with good results. I could have rolled it up and taken it.to them, but this was just easier.

 

[GJH]

I have come to doing it myself. I rent the small size Rug Doctor which is widely available at various hardware, vacuum and even grocery stores. My boat is extensively carpeted and it takes me a couple of hours. It's over due, actually, maybe next week. If it is badly dirty or stained, maybe have a pro do it first.

I used to use the spray-powder-vacuum stuff pretty effectively, but the Rug Doctor does an overall better job. Once cleaned, going over it with 3M Scotchgard for carpet really helps lengthen the maintenance cycle. The boat has a form of looped berber style carpet that while nice, really doesn't belong on a heavily used boat. New, tighter, shorter nap carpet is fairly high on The List.

 

[Passages]

Stanley Steamer or any of the local carpet cleaning companies will do an excellent job. They have all the potions to extract oil, spilled food, "carpet browning", pet and even rust stains.

If you want to save a few bucks, the rug doctor is another good option but the kit may not have all the speciality chemicals you'll need.

 

[OBXTucker]

As a sidenote, we just finished recarpeting the entire downstairs and stairs from the pilot house. Looks terrific and really brightened up the areas. Cost: $1,800.

 

[GJH]

Actually, Rug Doctor has all sorts of chemicals for stains. But as I said, if it is really far gone, hire a pro first then use the RD for regular cleaning.

One of the best moves we made was removing the carpet from all the stairs and going with wood. Even with and extra layer of removable covers, it was a PITA they got trashed so quickly. Looks much better too.

 

[magnawake]

I used to own a carpet cleaning Business, I've done boats, houses, jets, RV's, and I can tell you hands down. Get a professional !! Not Stanley though (their techs arent sent to school). Get a Company that the owner does all the work. He will do the best since his reputation is on the line. Ask the marina to help you move (for the day) to a slip that is close to the parking lot, to be close to carpet van. Oh yeah, ONLY Get a company with a Truck mounted machine. Most stains are just coke spills etc, something with sugar and will come right out with hot steam Ususally Hot steam cleaning will take 90% of the soil away, no need for harse chemicals. When you put chemicals on the carpet, you need to flush them back out of the carpet. DO NOt get a rug doctor. They do not remove cleaning solutions or chemicals well. Your carpet might get cleaner some but it will get dirty faster since you left the soap. Plus with a portable machine, you will not have the heat required to clean effectively. Ask to help the guy handle his hoses on and off the boat. This will make his stay short and save you money. Move all furniture before he comes so he wont have to. I just had mine cleaned by a owner/operator in December right after a purchased this boat. I told him I would help him, and it took less than 1 hour. He charged me $60.00 for the whole boat, even the sundeck and fly bridge. Dont pay extra for scotchguard, its not worth the money. Its really designed for wine, mustard stains etc. It will not help for general dirt and coke spills. With berber carpet it wont help at all, since its solution died. Hope this helps.

 

[OBXTucker]

This is a great piece of advice! Experienced, knowledgeable and we're probably all best served to follow this path.

This is exactly what I did when cleaning my aft salon rug.

Thanks for sharing Magnawake!

 

[GJH]

Pete, all I can say is that if for regular cleaning, The RD is just fine, and my wife is very particular. Once again, I will say that if the carpet is seriously soiled, stained or has gone a long long time without cleaning, then sure, a good professional service is preferable. But come on guys, we have members here who maintain their own teak, fiberglass and paint, amongst many other complex systems such as air conditioning, electrical, plumbing, and diesel engines. Routine carpet cleaning is not some special exception.

 

[SKYCHENEY]

George,
I agree that the RD will do okay, but you can't do as good as a professional because you don't have the same equipment.

For $60 or even $100 it sure seems much easier to call the pro than to lug around a big machine from the store to your car to the boat and back. Not to mention the price those hardware stores charge for the soap and defoamer. Yikes!

 

[magnawake]

George,
I know alot of people want to save money. I do too. But, I have been to school for carpet cleaning, also IICRC certified. I wont rent a portable cleaner, RD or any kind. I am not in the business anymore, so I dont have a dog in the fight. I cant tell you how many peoples I houses I have cleaned that people have screwed thier carpet up by using a RD. It is a science....When you use a detergent, maybe 12 on the PH scale, you must leave the carpet at a neutral state, say 7.5. That means rinsing the carpet back out when your done. A professional doesnt need to rinse after he cleans. They have great cleaning solutions that dry out fast and dont leave a residue. No need for a defoamer. You shouldnt need a defoamer. If so your using too much soap. If you leave a residue, it will attract more dirt sooner. Spinning brushes are a big NO-NO when the carpet is wet. The fibers want to untwist on you. I've seen it hundreds of times, the carpet looks 10 yrs old and is only 2 yrs, but the customers cleaned it every other month with a RD. If you dont take my word for it call the carpet manufacture and ask them what they say about it. Yeah, it hurts to spend the extra money, for me expecially, since I used to clean for a living.

 

[Pascal]

George,
I agree that the RD will do okay, but you can't do as good as a professional because you don't have the same equipment.

For $60 or even $100 it sure seems much easier to call the pro than to lug around a big machine from the store to your car to the boat and back. Not to mention the price those hardware stores charge for the soap and defoamer. Yikes!

unfortunately once you say the word "boat", the price is a lot more than $100!

went thru this a couple of years ago... cheapest i could get for professional cleaning was about $450, some outfits were quoting $600+ !!

one of those boat means Bend Over And Take-it

 

[Jackman]

Do you guys suggest using a dehumidifier after cleaning to make sure things are completely dried to prevent mold ect?

 

[Pascal]

i dont'... the Air Con helps pulling the moisture... but up north it may be an issue.

 

[GJH]

Like Pascal I have never found someone who could bring a truck to the boat that was less than $400. I have had it done 2 or 3 times. The little Rug Doctor is easily manipulated and runs about 30 bucks if you are buying all the fluids too.

People screw all sorts of things up by not following directions carefully. But go ahead, get a pro every time. I never imagined that carpet cleaning was the most esoteric, scientifically rigid and impossible task for the layman on a boat. Who knew? You can apply two part paints like Awl Grip and Imron. You can re-core your decks. You can tune the rack on your Detroits. You can rewire your entire electrical panel. But by God, do not DARE to clean your own carpets!

Me, I'd rather spend the money on diesel fuel, given the option..

 

[Bayside Bert54]

Well ... that was easy.

Thanks for all the suggestions ... I did use Stanley Steemer ... 2 guys ... very professional $180 + $30 deodorizer +$30 protectant = $240 + $40 tip so Total $280 It's tough to be too cheap with a couple of guys who are willing to drive the expensive truck out same day ... two guys 2 1/2 hours total time.

All while I'm watching TV in the galley of this kick but boat that they are drooling over.

Nice job ... no doubt it saved me a bunch of money because if I were to start a project of replacing that carpet I would end up wanting to replace the wood flooring in the salon and bathrooms $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Looks great ... smells nice too.

 

[SKYCHENEY]

I guess some of you guys live in the wrong area or don't know who to call. Up here I use a guy who has several trucks to come out and clean some apartments that we own. They do excellent work. I can't believe how someone can completely trash the carpet in an apartment and these guys make it look like new again. All for $60. It is amazing the stains that they can get out.


George,
Spend your money how you wish. I don't blame you for using the RD if you can't find anyone who isn't trying to rip you off. I'd probably do the same thing if I had to pay more than a $100 or so to do the job.

Sure, I can paint or wire or work on an engine, but I don't have, nor could I rent the same equipment that these carpet guys use. As long as you're happy with the results you get, that's fine. But, I think the point here is that the pros will do a better job. Too bad you can't find one around there that is reasonable.

 

[TopHattandTails]

I guess some of you guys live in the wrong area or don't know who to call. Up here I use a guy who has several trucks to come out and clean some apartments that we own.

Sky - didn't know you were "in the business". I'll send a PM another day.

 

[magnawake]

Like Pascal I have never found someone who could bring a truck to the boat that was less than $400. I have had it done 2 or 3 times. The little Rug Doctor is easily manipulated and runs about 30 bucks if you are buying all the fluids too.

People screw all sorts of things up by not following directions carefully. But go ahead, get a pro every time. I never imagined that carpet cleaning was the most esoteric, scientifically rigid and impossible task for the layman on a boat. Who knew? You can apply two part paints like Awl Grip and Imron. You can re-core your decks. You can tune the rack on your Detroits. You can rewire your entire electrical panel. But by God, do not DARE to clean your own carpets!

Me, I'd rather spend the money on diesel fuel, given the option..

Hey George,
It's real simple. Steam and an extraction machine. You cant get it from a RD or any other kind of portable. Think about it.... Why would I possibly want to pay someone to clean my carpet? Because its the smart thing to do (if the price is right). I know what to tell the guy to get the best deal. I paid $60.00. Now I will say if it was over $100.00 I would start thinking of other options. If you use a RD dont follow the directions. Only use 1/4 of the soap, and do a fresh water rinse when finished. Also, turn your hot water heater up all the way and get the most hot water you can use. Just some tricks of the trade. Like I said before, usually just steam will do the trick. Dont use any soap or deformer. That will save you more money. Oh BTW, I'm a real cheap person. Maybe too cheap.

 

[Scotte28516]

Stanley Steamer or any of the local carpet cleaning companies will do an excellent job. They have all the potions to extract oil, spilled food, "carpet browning", pet and even rust stains.

If you want to save a few bucks, the rug doctor is another good option but the kit may not have all the speciality chemicals you'll need.

All of those "specialty chemicals" are a waste of money. One of the absol;ute best things to use for the removal of grease/oil/ink/spilled food/spilled drinks/kool aid/gum/pet stains/rust stains etc. is WD40. It is very safe to use. We have our salon carpet shampooed by a carpet company a couple times per year, and they use WD40 instead of specialty brand name cleaners. It is probably one of the best cleaners there is. The WD40 website lists over 2000+ uses for it.