The reason why this 1.5 horsepower low speed floor machine is approved for use on carpets, is because of the dual capacitors , and the extra heavy duty 1.5 horsepower motor. The dual capacitors store extra energy for start-up when the machine has a lot of drag on it. A perfect example is starting a machine up on carpeting, this requires a lot of power to get the brush, or pad driver, to initially turn. The floor machine spins at a low speed, 175 rpms, for scrubbing of carpets, as well as hard floors. This low speed is great for getting out spots and heavy-duty stains. Use with our carpet scrubbing options listed below for the ultimate in carpet cleaning!