Extractor or no..

[Bierman]

I'm new to the biz and I'm trying to save my nickels. Do I need a carpet extractor for heavy soiled carpets? And if I do need one can I get away with using little green bissell for the deep stuck on dirt.

[dcjredline]

Need, no. But it will make things easier/faster. Maybe till you save up you either don't take those jobs or set expectations low and over deliver as best you can. You can get alot done with some elbow grease

[Bierman]

Is a bissell a waste of $ then?

[Dereksdtail]

Is a bissell a waste of $ then?

Hey man I use a bissell and with the right steps you can get awesome results, you will need an extractor in some cases. The best advice I've gotten is pretreat,agitate and extract with water and I use Zep extractor shampoo, never get seats or carpet too wet!

[MarkD51]

Many might suggest Bissel, and of course their little Green Machine, or whatever it's called would be one option due to its small very portable size. Tossing in your own hot water from the tap will be basically the same equivalent at the Wand as any fancy "Pro Heat" touts.

If you take care of the machine, even a cheapo, you might luckily get a couple year's use, and 4-5 dozen cars worth. Or maybe even more. At that point, the machine will have probably paid for itself. Toss it and move on, unless you can fix it on the cheap with Glue, or Duct Tape, etc.

Another advantage to an Extractor is of course for your own benefit. For your rides, and as well for your house.

Spill a glass of wine, or the Dog Yakked, or did a number 2, you can quickly spot clean, and sanitize those areas.

Anything can break, even the TOTL Mytees, or any other very expensive commercial brand. And when they do, and you're not under warrantee, you might be in for a shock. Of course the more you spend, usually you then start seeing more and more metal parts, which are less likely to break.

They all possess the same principles of operation, essentially a Wet Vac, with a Solution Tank, a Recovery Tank, a Pump to spray the Solutions, and a means of going to and forth, hoses, valves, wands, etc.

Renting of course isnt very cost efficient, unless a Ferarri owner is will to pay to $300+ just to do the carpets cause his girlfriend Yakked on the floor.

Many times with commercial machines, the manufacturer will likely charge you and arm and a leg for a critical part, let's say the Vacuum Motor. Often something like an Ametek-Lamb Rotary job, where you'll get socked for $400-$450 for the part through them, and can buy the exact same part at somewhere like WW Grainger, etc, and pay 1/2 that price.

The motor quits, pop it and find the part number on it, that simple. Same probably true with the Pump. There's no company out there making in house parts, all is spec'd out with 3rd party parts that are not that hard to acquire.

[MarkD51]

I myself have disliked Bissel as a company totally, due to the fact there's no parts replacement options with their stupid company.

You'll have better luck maybe on ebay as I once found with one of their garbage Pro Heat Machines. The Pump went belly up.

Not actually the Pump, but the cogged plastic drive gear on it. Nope, these junk machines are not strong, and a junk worthless company can't even sell you a 59 cent part.

Hoover on the other hand will sell you replacements parts.

The default answer from Bissel with your concerns and issues, "Oh, we have a Repair Center just a measly 100 miles from you, ship, or take it there". That's a worthless totally unfriendly customer service option IMO. By the time they get through with you with costs, you might as well commit Hari Kari.

[oboroballa03]

I have a little green pro heat and i think it works amazingly well for the price and i have had it for about 2 years now. Havent had any problems with it the only thing thats a real headache is the recovery and solution tank are small so u r filling up and emptying often it seems like. I dont have a full time business detailing but if i did i think i would save and go for something more commercial like a mytee or whatever brand u desire. Before having the bissel i used meguiars apc (now i use folex) a scrub brush and a water hose on the mist setting with my big shop vac and i got good results just a lot more work and time involved. I got mine for $80 online so it was a good price figured i would try it but do whatever you feel is necessary to make your business profitable because at the end of the day thats what business is about good luck to you.

[GSKR]

Need, no. But it will make things easier/faster. Maybe till you save up you either don't take those jobs or set expectations low and over deliver as best you can. You can get alot done with some elbow greaseagree.i have a extractor and maybe use it twice a year,other than that I use it more on tile for my house.Nice to have just in case but not really a got to have item.

[WAXOFF]

I have a small Hoover but recently see where Rug Doctor has a new small machine. when my Hoover goes down I'm getting the Rug Doctor one.

[Maestro Sam]

If you're doing heavily soiled carpets, an extractor is definitely a must. You will be spending much less time and have cleaner carpets with an extractor than without. I use to work at a detail shop where we use wet towels with elbow grease. We had many complaints that the carpets got dirty and smelled musty.