Shampoo cleaning enjoyed many years as the method of choice for carpet cleaning. Over the years more carpets have been cleaned by shampooing than by any other method. Starting with natural soaps, and then moving on to synthetic detergents, shampooing has provided a reliable, safe, and effective way to clean millions of square yards of carpeting.  

This method consists of a rotary floor machine equipped with solution tanks and shower feed brushes. After a thorough vacuuming, the carpet is scrubbed while a shampoo solution is fed through the shower feed brush. This system is relatively economical, and excellent agitation and deep cleaning produce good overall cleaning results. However, a high level of skill is involved, as over wetting and pile distortion can easily occur.

In recent years, shampoo cleaning has fallen into disfavor and is being replaced by the extraction or encapsulation as the method of choice for most professional carpet cleaners. That is because, over the years, shampooing has developed a reputation as a method that leaves too much residue in the carpet fiber.

Benefits of shampooing carpet include: 1) Wide variety of competing chemicals that can be targeted to a specific fiber or soil, 2) Long dwell time of chemical on fiber compared to bonnet cleaning and 3) High agitation which can release more soils that other methods.