Hot water extractor vs. brush,hand, and wetdry vac?

[PAR Detailing]

I am possibly interrested in getting a hot water extractor for my detail business. I have never used one and only read reviews. I was wondering if anyone has ever used one and is it really a whole lot better than scrubbing by hand and sucking it up wiht a wetdry vac? Is it alot faster? To sum it up is it worth it? lol
Thanks for the input
Peace
Jon

[rwisejr]

Well the major difference is the hot water as that really breaks down the bonded dirt . I have an Aztec Hotrod and it has paid for it self time and time again. The hotwater is a blessing with those trashed SUV's

[Jim Harvey]

We have been using the DurrMaid super 1600 and are very impressed with its performance. Regardless of what extractor you eventually choose, there are some "Carved in Stone" rules that you must adhere to in order to get the best performance from the machine.

A brief list would be as follows;

1. Never put cleaning chemicals into the supply tank. Cleaning chemicals (read that as soap) should be applied to the carpet or upholstery, lightly agitated with a soft brush (don't scrub) and left to sit for a short amount of time (varies with the condition of the carpet) but is on the order of 45 seconds to a minute. Longer times are fine as long as you don't let the product dry on the carpet.

2. Use a Defoamer. Use a Defoamer. Use a Defoamer. I said that 3 times because you really need to understand that if you don't use a Defoamer, you will burn out your motor. Not maybe, but definitely. On a small unit like the Aztec or the DurrMaid, 2 oz/ in the recovery tank and 3 or 4 capfulls through the vacuum hose will work to eliminate or greatly reduce foaming in the recovery tank. Foam prevents the vacuum motor from working correctly, and will result in a burned out unit and leaking from the motor. Not a good thing. Commercially available defoamers are available at any good hardware store (ACE/TRUE VALUE etc.). It's cheaper to buy defoamer than to buy a new vacuum motor.

3. Use the proper gauge extension cord. these motors draw a fairly large current and need a good extension cord to prevent damage to the motors. up to 25' a 14gage/3 wire extension cord is fine. Over 25' you should invest a couple of dollars more for a 12 gauge/3 wire cord. (Lowes has 50' 12 gauge/3 wire cords for right around $20 - $25)

4. If you have a DurrMaid, empty the debris bag after each extraction. this keeps the bag clean and makes clean out a lot less disgusting. you will be horrified at what these units will pull out of a carpet.<G>

5. Listen to the motor when it is running. If you hear it change pitch, stop and check to see that you don't have foam in the recovery tank. (Pitch change is the first sign that the motor is pulling foam). You can get foam in the recovery tank even with a defoamer if you have too much cleaning solution in the carpet.

6. Use a low foaming cleaning solution. Some carpet cleaning solutions are high foaming and just will kill your machine. Use a cleaner that does not have a high foaming property. Meguiars APC-Plus is a good low foaming cleaner that when properly diluted (up to 64:1 for extractor use) will do a great job of getting out stains. You will see suds being pulled out of the carpet when you use the machine and that is why you use a defoamer to kill the suds when they hit the recovery tank. regular APC foams too much so use the Plus or another brand of cleaner.

7.) Find spotting solutions that work for you. the best way to maximize your extractor is to understand how it works and how to use it. the best way to learn that is to get some carpet remnants, stain them with a variety of things and work on getting the stain out. You must remember that stains rarely get attention until long after they have been made. So don't just pour grapejuice on your test piece and try to get it out. You'll think you're the greatest. Let it sit for a week and then give it the test. You'll see how stains "latch on" to carpet fiber. You will find that most stains that you encounter in an automobile will be removable with an extractor. Some will not be removable under any circumstances. That's another fact that you need to come to grips with and one that you need to explain to your client BEFORE you begin the job. If you inform them that the stain on their carpet may not be able to be removed, and you get it out, you're a hero. If you tell them "no sweat" and fail, your a mook. Don't paint yourself into a corner. Red dyes are the hardest to remove and then Black Magic Marker. Both can be dealt with, but you will need some extreme chemicals to get them out completely.

8). As in rule #7, with some stains that can't be removed, there are some stains that need several applications over a period of time to be removed completely. So dont' give up if you can't get it all out first try. Always blot the stain with a clean microfiber or terry cloth, agitation with a soft brush is always good to get the product into the base of the stain. Hot water does the rest.

9). Once you have the carpet cleaned, it is a good idea to refill the solution tank (drain the dirty water from the recovery tank first) and add a few ounces of white vinegar to the hot water. (this is the ONLY thing you should ever add to your solution tank). respray the carpets with the Vinegar Solution and it will freshen the carpet and help to resist restaining or stain re-appearance).

There are more "rules" but these will get you in the ball park and give you the most bang for your buck.

[BradsDetailing]

Alright, so this is an old thread but I was searching for carpet extractor info. I was confident up until the guy above said not to add an apc. Then just after that he said its fine to use an apc like apc+. Then he said again not too. Scratching my head

[daveinsweethome]

his hints were spot on i use a tornado in conjunction with the extractor. it gets every stain ready to release. i realized i need to clean my bag too. the stuff is gross.