I was wondering which services work best in people's experience. Good old
Stanley Steamer was rated comparable to the do it yourself machine from
Hoover according to Consumer Reports. Then I see in the Yellow Pages
another steam cleaner like Stanley but instead of being just a manual sweep
they use a machine with agitator. Then I also see several Chem Dri
franchises which use CO2 water instead of soap. I've used the Chem Dry
fizzy spot cleaner in a spray can that they sell and I thought it was
useless. Any comments on who cleans carpets the best these days? Thanks.

I clean my own carpets.

I used to rent the large industrial Rug Doctor brand units.

They had a large resevoir, powerful suction and an agitating brush
head.

I guess they were too bulky for most people - so they changed them to
a smaller (in my opinion inferior) unit.

So I bought one of the discontinued models. I share it with my family
and friends.

Based on the colour of the removed water and the way the carpets look,
steam cleaning is the way to go.

I imagine referrences from your trusted friends and neighbors will
help direct you to a reputable contractor - if required.