How to Use a Hoover Carpet Cleaner

When you have a carpet in your home or apartment that needs to be cleaned, you can use a Hoover carpet cleaner to easily wash and rinse it. Properly using a rented or purchased carpet cleaner will avoid damage to your carpet and furniture. To keep your carpet looking like new, it should be cleaned with a carpet cleaner at least once a year.^{[1]XResearch source} Although your carpet cleaner looks very much like a regular Hoover vacuum, it uses water and a carpet cleaning solution to remove dirt and buildup from your carpet. Your newly cleaned carpet will look as good as new after being cleaned.

Things You Should Know

Remove any furniture and vacuum the floor thoroughly before you clean your carpet.
Pour hot water directly into the cleaner's water tank. Depending on the model, pour the cleaner into the water tank or solution compartment.
Squeeze the trigger on your cleaner to release the cleaning solution. Move the machine forward and back to suck up the dirty water.
Go over the entire area with a rinse cycle once you've cleaned the carpet.

Part 1

Part 1 of 4:

Preparing Your Floors for Cleaning

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1
Purchase a carpet cleaning solution that matches your needs. Hoover has different types of carpet cleaning solutions for different uses. Some are recommended for certain cleaner models. You can choose a solution that treats pet stains and odors, one that removes tough food stains, or one for general cleaning.^{[2]XResearch source}
- You may use a different brand of carpet solution, but Hoover suggests using their brand for the most effective cleaning.
- Don't use homemade solutions, like vinegar and baking soda. You're better off using the recommended cleaner instead.^{[3]XExpert SourceAndrew Rohr
  Carpet Cleaning SpecialistExpert Interview. 15 April 2021.}
2
Move all of the furniture out of the area. Make sure you’re able to leave the room without walking on your freshly cleaned floor later. If you can’t move all of your furniture, clear half the room and clean it first. You’ll replace the furniture on that half when it’s dry, then clean the other half.
- If you can’t move a piece of furniture, wrap its legs in plastic wrap. This will keep it dry and prevent wood stain or finish from bleeding into your wet carpet.
- Tie up long drapes in a loose knot so the ends don’t drag on the wet carpet.
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3
Vacuum the area thoroughly before you using your carpet cleaner. Use a regular vacuum, since a Hoover carpet cleaner can’t be used as a dry vacuum cleaner. A regular vacuum will lift hair, dirt, and small pieces of debris from your carpet before the carpet cleaner does its job.^{[4]XExpert SourceAndrew Rohr
Carpet Cleaning SpecialistExpert Interview. 15 April 2021.}
- If you need to pretreat stains with a special solution, do this after vacuuming. Follow the stain treament’s instructions and leave enough time for it to work before you clean your carpets.

Part 2

Part 2 of 4:

Filling the Machine

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1
Set up your carpet cleaner on a tile floor in case of spills. While you fill and dispose of the water in the tank, liquid might spill. Keeping it on a tile or linoleum floor will make spills easier to clean up.
- Don’t set up your cleaner on hardwood floors, which could get damaged by water and detergent spills.
All Hoover carpet cleaners have a clean water tank and dirty water tank. Remove the clean water tank at the top by pressing on the lock on the handle. Unscrew the cap to the water compartment and fill the tank up to the fill line with water.
3
Add cleaning solution to the solution compartment or water tank. Depending on your Hoover brand model, you’ll measure cleaning solution into a cap placed into the water tank, or into a separate solution compartment. Follow your cleaning solution’s instructions for how much solution to use.
- The Hoover Power Scrub Elite, Hoover Power Scrub Deluxe and Hoover Max Extract have separate cleaning solution compartments.^{[5]XResearch source}
- The Hoover SmartWash+, Hoover PowerDash, and Hoover SteamVac all use a measuring cap that pours solution directly into the water tank.
Set the bottom edge of the full water tank onto the carpet cleaner first, then lean it back towards the handle. It should snap into place. Make sure the edge of the water tank is locked in and lined up properly with its base to avoid leaks.

Part 3

Part 3 of 4:

Washing Your Carpet with Cleaning Solution

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Set your carpet cleaner to the “Wash” setting if your cleaner has multiple settings for washing and rinsing. Make sure you’re in an area furthest away from your exit, so you can work towards it without stepping on clean carpet when you leave. Turn the cleaner on.
2
Squeeze the trigger as you push the cleaner forward slowly. This releases cleaning solution and is called a “wet stroke.” Move more slowly than you would while vacuuming, and cover a small 1 foot (0.30 m) area first.
- Don't overwet the area. This will leave the carpet and pad soaked, and take days to dry.^{[6]XExpert SourceAndrew Rohr
  Carpet Cleaning SpecialistExpert Interview. 15 April 2021.}
3
Pull the cleaner back over the same spot while squeezing the trigger. This is the second wet stroke, which allows the cleaner to lift dirt and debris stuck in your carpet.
- If you have a really stubborn stain, do one more wet stroke forward and one more backward.
4
Push it forward and back without pressing the trigger to finish this area. These “dry strokes” will extract the remaining dirt and dirty water from your carpet. Move the cleaner forward over the same area and back again, until you see very little water being sucked into the dirty water tank.
- Always end wet strokes with two dry strokes.
5
Begin a new row by overlapping your cleaner onto the previous row. Overlapping your cleaner by about 1 inch (2.5 cm) will prevent dirty streaks between clean rows of carpet. Repeat this process until the entire area is completed, using two wet strokes and two dry strokes to clean each section.
- Refill your clean water tank with water and cleaning solution as needed.
If you begin to lose suction, or the cleaner begins to make a different sound, the dirty water tank may be full. To detach the dirty water tank, press down on the handle or latch at the top. Empty it and rinse it out once in the sink before replacing it.

Part 4

Part 4 of 4:

Rinsing and Drying Your Carpet

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Some cleaner models have a “Rinse” setting separate from the “Wash.” If your model does, switch it to "Rinse." You don’t need to refill the clean water tank if your cleaner has this setting.
Instead of using the "Rinse" setting, you can also refill the tank with clean warm water for the rinsing step. Detach the tank and empty it in your sink. Rinse it out a few times before filling it with warm water. Replace the tank.
Go over your carpet again using 2 wet and 2 dry strokes. This step removes the cleaning solution from your carpet since you’re only using water, or you’ve switched to the “Rinse” setting on your model.
You can cut down on drying time by using a large fan pointed at the carpet. Make sure your carpet is totally dry before walking on it or replacing furniture. Walking on it or moving furniture around too early may dirty it again.

Expert Q&A

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How can I speed up the drying process?
Andrew Rohr
Carpet Cleaning Specialist
Andrew Rohr is a Carpet Cleaning Specialist and the President of MSS Cleaning out of Denver, Colorado. With over five years of cleaning experience, he specializes in carpet cleaning, stretching, and repairs as well as upholstery cleaning, water damage restoration, and tile and grout cleaning. Andrew holds a BA in Psychology and Business Administration from The University of New Hampshire and an MBA in Corporate Finance from The University of Denver.
Andrew Rohr
Carpet Cleaning Specialist
Expert Answer
If you have a carpet rake, use this to groom the carpet fibers into the same direction. This will speed up drying and provide a finished appearance.
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What do you put in a Hoover carpet cleaner?
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This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
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Hoover makes a carpet cleaning detergent that you can use with their carpet cleaners. Mix a small amount of the detergent with warm water in the tank according to the directions on the detergent packaging. You can also make your own detergent solution by mixing laundry detergent products with water. Do a search online for “make your own carpet cleaner solution” to find a variety of recipes.
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Can you use vinegar in a Hoover carpet cleaner?
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This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
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Staff Answer
Yes, white vinegar makes a great natural deodorizer and cleanser and should be gentle on both your Hoover and your carpet. Mix about 1 cup (236.6 mL) of white vinegar with enough water to fill your tank. The vinegar will also help break down soap scum and dirt inside the Hoover.
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Clean and dry the tanks thoroughly after use. This gets rid of bacteria buildup, as well as cleaning solution that may dry up and clog the insides of the cleaner.^{[7]XResearch source}
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