Tried a power stretcher on a narrow hallway and it backfired hard

Last month I had this tiny 3 foot wide hallway in an old house in Pittsburgh. I figured I'd save time and use my power stretcher instead of the knee kicker like I normally do. But the hallway was just too narrow and the stretcher kept hitting the walls on both sides. Ended up tearing the carpet along the edge and had to rip out the whole piece and start over with a fresh roll. Learned that sometimes the old tools are better for tight spaces no matter how fast you think you're gonna be. Has anyone else run into a situation where the fancy gear just didn't fit the job?

3 comments

3 Comments

taylor.amy8d ago

My dad had this old rug doctor he swore by for everything, until he tried cleaning a shag carpet in a tiny bathroom with it and the thing basically ate the fringe, clogged up instantly, and sprayed dirty water all over him. He just went back to using a bucket and a sponge after that. Sometimes the old ways just work better when the space is cramped.

chen.casey8d ago

Did he ever figure out if it was the shag carpet specifically or just the fact that the bathroom was too small to maneuver that machine? I've seen people swear by those things on regular carpets, but your dad's story makes it sound like a nightmare for anything with a long pile or any tight corners. Was the rug actually worth saving after all that, or did he just toss it and call it a loss? Seems like a lot of effort for a bathroom rug that probably cost less than the headache.

wright.lisa8d ago

Yeah I think you got it backwards actually, the shag carpet is the one that eats the machine not the other way around. My uncle had the same problem with his machine getting tangled up in the long fibers.