[Rubyfree]

Quick, before OT day ends!

Rental house with older, typical low-grade, low-pile carpet. This thing is just LOADED with sandy dirt. We've steam cleaned at least three times and it just.won't.come.out. My vaccum is pretty darned good but it just can't fight this stuff- on the lowest pile setting, it just kicks up dust clouds & leaves tracks, and on a slightly higher setting it can pull some of what's been kicked up but not enough to really make a dent in the grossness. What am I missing? There must be something I can do to collect this crap!

[spaceagevalkyrie]

I seem to remember my dad using a shopvac after he accidentally dumped the lizard cage sand stuff on the floor instead of the garbage can. Same problem, regular vacuum wouldn't get it all, but I think the shopvac did?

[Rubyfree]

I seem to remember my dad using a shopvac after he accidentally dumped the lizard cage sand stuff on the floor instead of the garbage can. Same problem, regular vacuum wouldn't get it all, but I think the shopvac did?

DOH! Why didn't I think of that?!? Thanks, sav!

[spaceagevalkyrie]

All praise the shopvac!

[Curb Appeal]

Yes to the shopvac or any vacuum with a smaller attachment. I have a deep pile shag rug in my living room that is a bear to keep clean. My Dyson does a good job, but once a month I will put on the 4 inch upholstery attachment and vacuum the entire 8x10 rug with it. It's amazing the crud you can pick up when you concentrate the suction into a smaller area.

[ReSomething]

I've got a noisy 12 amp Dirt Devil that can suck like a maniac but the shopvacs are usually capable of sucking a parrot through the bars of the cage, if you can't just chuck the carpet then I vote shopvac too.

[Lori]

I would try the shopvac.
The only way to get it really clean is to change the carpet and the pad underneath. When I started renovating this old house, I took out the carpet that was maybe 6 years old or so. You could tell the high traffic areas by the dirt that had gone through both layers onto the old hardwood beneath it.
If you have a lot of problems, see if it can be replaced or cover it with some sort of area rug like they sell in Home Depot for dorms. Those are pretty cheap.

[Rubyfree]

We rented this place for a steal because it was kind of a sh** hole and we cut a deal for renovating. We've done a lot of work. Carpet was on the list initially but as with all renovations, things went over budget & time and it's just not going to happen right now. If we sign on for another year, it may, but for now, shop vac it is. Thanks for the forehead smack, all! Reallllly can't believe I didn't think of it