Boys and Carpet Shampooers Don't Mix

This is something I learned last week but forgot to post. I don't want any of you to suffer the same fate!
A couple of Tuesdays ago, while Steve was out of town and the boys and I were at SnB (actually I was knitting, they went to the game store), the dogs had an accident in the house. When we got home, the boys tried to clean it with the SpotLifter. I tried to tell them it was not up to the job but I'm only a mom so I have absolutely no idea what I'm talking about. They kept at it and told me it came out well. That following weekend, as I was getting ready for the new sofa, and thoroughly vacuuming the house, I found it was not cleaned very well. 'Boys, get the big shampooer and take care of this!'
They got the shampooer and started in on it. Brian could not tell me even what cleaner was in the tank. At one point I found that he was only pivoting the machine from side to side, not running it back and forth to cover the area with the sprayer, brushes, and suction. 'Brian, front to back, like this.' He worked at it and worked at it. Again, I was told it was coming clean. The machine ran and ran.
Brian headed upstairs and the machine still ran. I figured it was Zack's turn with it. Wait a minute, Brian is knocking on Zack's door!?!?! He had just parked it and left it! 'Nope, that does not work either, Brian!'
Somewhere through this, Steve called and I spent some time talking on the phone with him. I only got a glimpse of Brian pouring something (turns out, about a gallon sized tupperware bowl) onto the carpet?!?!
Finally, I go to see what progress is being made and whether the machine could finally be turned off. I push the machine forward and it actually splashed through the water and suds! The carpet looked cleaner beacuse of the white foam bubbles coating it. As the machine tried to soak up the mess, it was foaming out the sides and top of the reservoir. Shades of I Love Lucy or The Brady Bunch and the washing machine. All in my dining room!
Brian still insisted he had only used whatever was in the tank left from last time. I had mixed that tankful with a low sudsing fabric/carpet cleaner.
My turn. I worked and worked at it. Tank after tank of water to dump that had come from my carpet. As I was emptying one of those tanks, I noticed that the new bottle of Dawn Direct Foam was missing. I had just replaced it earlier that day. Did it grow legs and walk away on its own??
'Boys, what happened to the dish soap?'
It was in Brian's room because 'it had gotten mixed in with his shirt' that he had taken up???? (Me thinks he was just trying to hide it.) He retrieved it. With an inch less in it than it had when I put it out! The boys do not wash dishes so... Is my carpet sparkling clean now? Is all the grease gone? I think so!
I rinsed and emptied, rinsed and emptied. Once I finally got down to carpet that did not squish as I walked in it, it actually was cleaner! There might still be a little residue of soap but I'm thinking it's time for an overall professional cleaning anyway...