How to Fix a Carpet Cleaner

If your home has carpet, you've encountered stains and dirty spots at some point. A carpet cleaner is great for getting stubborn and unsightly grime out of your flooring. If your carpet cleaner is broken, here are some tips for repairing it yourself.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Carpet or steam cleaner
• Owner's manual
• Screwdrivers
• Replacement parts as needed

1. Determine whether you still have the owner's manual for your carpet cleaner. This should provide a basic diagram of where the parts are located and how to disassemble and reassemble the unit. If you don't have the manual, try the manufacturer's website.

2. Find out where the problem is located. If it's a clog, just open up the main chamber and remove what's causing it. Carefully remove the chamber with a screwdriver to look for the clog.

3. Look for any hoses that are loose if the carpet cleaner will not suck up water or spray cleaning solution. If you find a loose hose, re-attach it securely. A replacement part might need to be ordered.

4. Replace the belt if it's worn or cracked. This is a common cause for broken carpet cleaners.

5. Decide if you need to call the manufacturer and find out about the warranty, or contact your local repair shop so they can fix the carpet cleaner.

Tips & Warnings

• If you find out the cause of your broken carpet cleaner, determine whether it's something you can fix yourself. If so, make the necessary repairs. If not, it's best to call a service center or use your warranty.
• While it's much more cost effective to repair the carpet cleaner yourself, sometimes you can do more harm than good. Be sure you can actually do the repair or else you may accidentally end up breaking it further.