Tornado or Steamer

[CustomQuinton]

Tornados work great, they are faster and more convinient and make cracks and hard to get to places like vents and change holders and what not much easier to clean. But I have also found that if the car is truly dirty they are a hassle, yeah it breaks up dirt and stains in the carpet and you can brush them in to where there not very visible, but if you go over that area with a carpet extractor you will be amazed at what the tornado leaves behind. The tornado is a wonderful tool, but as far as fabrics go they aren't really that great, but I guess it just depends on the quality of the detail your going for, I like to use my tornado along with the extractor and a good fabric brush for carpets and seats. But as far as trim and vynl interior it is a very useful tool

[MendhamCarSpa]

I have a question to all you great detailers...

Steamer vs. Carpet Extractor

What are the pluses of each and if I only get one, for professional detailing, which one should I get and why?

Also how well do steamers remove stains? Where does the excess water go? Isn't the dirt simply just moved around with a steamer and totally gone when you use an extractor?

[215Detailing]

I use a steamer for years on of the best tool I have I use a Dupray steamer. I use it for everything worth the money.

Do you use on exterior surfaces as well, Any Photos/Videos?

[richy]

I am tempted to get this but I would need a larger compressor, which I could use anyway with my hvlp sprayer.
What would be better to get: tornador black or the vapamore steamer?
The steamer is $100 more but might have more uses around the car and house.

I don't have a Tornator but can tell you that I've had both my Gaia steamer for about 4 years as well as a McCulloch one for inside the house. NOTHING WORKS BETTER ON GROUT!!!
The other big consideration the people seem to be missing is that with the steamer you were not using any chemicals at all, only water. That way if your clients or people in your house at any allergies at all to any cleaning products the steamer is a much much better way to go much safer. Nothing can withstand the heat of steam: no virus, no germ.


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[Dr_Pain]

If I can chime in for a second, you can't truly put all of the mentioned products in the same category (although there is a few cross over functions).

Extractors are very good at what they do (inject cleaning solution and extract the moisture) but it all depends on the lift draw of the machine as to how deep into the pile it will get. You will need to agitate with the extractor. Then you have to look at cold water vs. hot water etc.... (it does get a bit complicated)

I can say from personal experience that the Tornador is better than a "Bissel little green machine" at getting deep into the pile of the carpet, but the moisture you drive in there stays even after using the air to drive the solution and dirt out. BUT if you follow it up with a good ShopVac or even the Bissel (no solution) then you are in business!

The Tornador does allow you to mist the area with your solution which can be use to clean, apply dressing, deodorize etc.... but it does not have the power of the steamer to kill temperature sensitive bacteria, mold, spores etc...

Now on the other hand, the steamer does not create any type of cyclonic action to agitate or expel the "stuff" from deep in the carpet pile, from the nooks and cranny, or from vents.

To take one famous statement from Mike, the Tornador should be viewed as an additional tool in your arsenal. It cannot replace a good extractor; it cannot replace a good steamer; and it cannot replace a good interior brush....... but together, all those work flawlessly to save time and energy, which then translates into money (for the people in business).

There is nothing more effective in my tool chest to apply a quick APC solution to the door jams and gasketing, which I can then let sit for a bit, then followed by a gently brushing and come back with the solution then the air.... finished with a micro wipe down. Deep down and dirty jams which use to take me 30-40 minutes to detail now can be done in a matter of 5 minutes.

I also like to clean leather with it. It is a little more tricky with the vented leathers (AC seats) but it works like a champ. I can apply the solution and chase it out or apply the solution and use a good horse hair brush then chase it out. Same with door panels and headliners. Applying dressing to the dash and door panels is a breeze. Just need to make sure you have one that is diluted with some water. It is a better, more even application than the "rub on" process. I guess you can do the same with the tire dressing but I am currently using a gel.... not Tornador friendly.

What I use the Tornador for keeps expanding as I am experimenting with it. Again, it does not REPLACE but rather COMPLEMENTS and facilitate your work.

P.S. Before I forget, the Tornador is the champ for spot treatment and cleaning where an extractor or steamer can't really reach

[Mike Burke]

I have been messing around with mine a little. I even went and bought a new compressor.....10cfm @ 90psi 60 gal. 3hp Puma.....
At this point I'm not Real impressed with the tornado black.

I did a couple door jambs and rocker panels......it didn't realy get the door jams all that clean....the grease is tough stuff.....seams I can get things cleaner if I use a cleaner and brush.

I am going to try a different cleaner and do some more experimenting.
I have been seeing Megs apc+



Sent from my HTC Hero S using AG Online

[Hoytman]

Nice walleye in that avatar. Can't wait for the spring bite at Erie.

Now back to our regularly scheduled programming.

[rmagnus]

What I use the Tornador for keeps expanding as I am experimenting with it. Again, it does not REPLACE but rather COMPLEMENTS and facilitate your work.

P.S. Before I forget, the Tornador is the champ for spot treatment and cleaning where an extractor or steamer can't really reach

Well boys and girls I finally pulled the trigger on the Tornador Black for the Presidents Day Sale. Been on the fence a long time mostly because I keep forgetting about this took. I'll be interested in learning new uses for it.

Dr_Pain "well said".

[john b]

I have been messing around with mine a little. I even went and bought a new compressor.....10cfm @ 90psi 60 gal. 3hp Puma.....
At this point I'm not Real impressed with the tornado black.

I did a couple door jambs and rocker panels......it didn't realy get the door jams all that clean....the grease is tough stuff.....seams I can get things cleaner if I use a cleaner and brush.

I am going to try a different cleaner and do some more experimenting.
I have been seeing Megs apc+



Sent from my HTC Hero S using AG Online

is that puma 220 volt?

[Dr_Pain]

I have been messing around with mine a little. I even went and bought a new compressor.....10cfm @ 90psi 60 gal. 3hp Puma.....
At this point I'm not Real impressed with the tornado black.

I did a couple door jambs and rocker panels......it didn't realy get the door jams all that clean....the grease is tough stuff.....seams I can get things cleaner if I use a cleaner and brush.

I am going to try a different cleaner and do some more experimenting.
I have been seeing Megs apc+



Sent from my HTC Hero S using AG Online

Hey Mike, I will say that nothing I have tried so far as impressed me as "the absolute best thing since sliced bread" for the extremely neglected or extremely dirty, including the Tornador.

Even the best carpet extractors require pre-treatment and agitation, regardless of the H2O lift, heat etc.. Same with steamers, I have seen some pretty impressive stench that even the best steamer couldn't cut (required an Ozononator and other products)...... and I have seen mats that could not be saved with Tornador, steamer and extractor after pre-treatment and manual agitation.