It amazes me how anyone would want to buy a regular Vacuum cleaner and a regular rug cleaner. Why not just buy a Wet/Dry Shop Vac? It saves both room and money. A Shop Vac cost less then both a Vacuum and a Rug Cleaner, but it can handle both wet and dry surfaces so you only have to find space for one item rather then two. It is pretty easy to clean and you can buy all kinds of attachments for it. They have some that are small enough to carry on your back or shoulder and ones that are almost as big as you. They do not require the purchase of vacuum bags and the filter can be cleaned and reused. You can use a shop vac to do normal everyday cleaning or for clean up after a disaster like a flood. You can also use the shop vac to unstop sinks and toilets if you add water, put the water flow in reverse and place the nozzle down in the area of the plug (does not work on deep clogs). So before you decide to buy a new vacuum or rug cleaner, save yourself some money and space and consider a shop vac instead.
There is a lot of good to that idea. I have never just used a shop vac exxlusively, but i did have a Rainbow vacuum, which is similar to how the shop vac would work. The main difference (besides the price) would be the size and power of the Rainbow. Since it has a powerhead; it is much better to use on carpets, although the plain head of the shop vac will also work. Pretty much the same with using it as a carpet cleaner, it works ; but does not have the suction power of a Rainbow. The Rainbow can also be used as an air purifier if you turn it on and simply disconnect the hoses. Running it in the bedroom for about an hour before you go to bed will filter all of the bedroom air through the water in the vacuum, and you will have much better smelling air, anda lot of the germs will also be gone. If you happen to have a cold, then just add a little Vick's Vaporizer to the water in the Rainbow, and you will have an easier time breathing while you recover.
