steam cleaner or hot water extractor?

[ride5150]

what about this one here? anyone used it before? its a little cheaper but still has 85" of water lift. drawback is that its not heated, i could add hot water but how am i going to heat water if im mobile...haha

Bravo Carpet Extractor w/o Handle

ideas?

[Midnight Blue]

Hello Ride,

Check out a local Janitorial Supply Company to see if they sell used or refurbished carpet extractors. Most of these companies rent out carpet extractors and rotate them after so many hours of service. Most of these companies also have on site repair facilities where they service these machines.

Remember there are any number of places to buy a commercial carpet extractor including this website. The point is that slightly used machines are a whole lot more affordable than buying brand new.

Midnight Blue

[ride5150]

thanks for the idea midnight, i think this bravo will be okay for my needs. i found that you can buy a "bucket heater" that can heat water for about $30-$40, so i can heat up water and put it in the extractor even when im mobile.

right now, i think im going to buy the bravo 219BH(or 237BH, each site has a different model number, even though the specs are the same. EDIC's website has it as 337BH), the mccullouch 1275 steamer, and a bucket water heater.

total for those 3 things will be under $600, and ill have a quality extractor and steamer. i think this is what ill go with.

i have another question, can you use a carpet extractor to vacuum the interior? i was going to buy a nice wet/dry ridgid vac, but if i can use the bravo extractor to vaccum an interior before carpet cleaning then ill just use that and ownt have to buy a wet/dry vac

[AeroCleanse]

yeah but what if you have a really large heavy stain, like a kid spilled juice all over the floor? if i use the steamer then i have to pretreat, spray cleaner, scrub/steam, extract, spray cleaner, scrub/steam, extract, and keep repeating this over and over again until its gone.

Pft, Pre treat, scrub if needed, wrap a MF towel around the triangle brush, steam. Repeat if needed. Forget the extract part.

I have found GTechniq W2 (apc) mixed right, spray, scrub, wipe with a MF towel gets out the stains, no need for steam. Steam could be used afterwards if you want to be double sure.

I went from this:


to this:


With a wet/dry vac, Folex and steam in about 10min.

[Da Fats]

[QUOTE=ride5150;455338]yeah but what if you have a really large heavy stain, like a kid spilled juice all over the floor? if i use the steamer then i have to pretreat, spray cleaner, scrub/steam, extract, spray cleaner, scrub/steam, extract, and keep repeating this over and over again until its gone.

it just seems like a steamer without a built in extractor would be more benefecial for hard to reach hard surfaces, while a hot water extractor would be better for upholstery and carpets. it constantly applies solution and extracts, i dont have to do it seperately like with a steamer

ill be running a business with this, so i really cant half-ass an interior shampoo...i just wish the extractors that could stand daily-use were cheaper

im kindof set on buying the mccullouch 1275 in addition to a hot water extractor, im just looking for an extractor that will be good enough to use on a daily basis but wont be $700...[/QUOTE

... Just Folex with light agitation... 10 min dwell time and then steam and scrub.... spot treat the tougher things with a slightly stronger solution then steam and scrub... once the are carpets looking like new again touch em up with the shop vac and they are dry in 10 mins...

I have a cheap steamer and a cheap extractor... I'd buy a new steamer that was "professional" grade next before I bother with a new extractor... It just does not see enough action to justify the expense.

[Da Fats]

i have another question, can you use a carpet extractor to vacuum the interior? i was going to buy a nice wet/dry ridgid vac, but if i can use the bravo extractor to vaccum an interior before carpet cleaning then ill just use that and ownt have to buy a wet/dry vac

You will need a 5+HP shop vac with wet/dry filter regaurdless of anything else that you buy... If your mobile I'd hit up Lowes they have a small one thats like 4 gallons and 5hp... its what I use.. its small and only 60 bucks but its got the power you need.

[BorisC]

Talking with the vendors that only do interiors of the used cars at dealers, they all recommend a steam cleaner. I don't know if they also have an extractor on hand, but I watch them use the steam cleaner all day long.

Plus they are great for house cleaning too. Bathroom, kitchen, furniture, etc.

[SeaJay's]

Why not have both in one?! I recently purchased the Vapor Clean Gaia. It's a steamer and extractor in one. See this review I did. Gives you an idea of what it can do.

Vapor Clean Gaia - Finally!

[James K]

How well do those cheaper steamers work? I am considering hitting up Target, Lowes, Wal-Mart, and Home Depot today to look for one. I am cleaning my new car and finally tan in to some floor mats that are simply not coming clean. I have used Folex as directed, Folex and the hot water extraction, and even tried my DP Extractor Pre-Treatment. Nothing. Oh I even tried Folex and a pressure washer. I am still not happy with them. They are MUCH better then they were, but just not good enough.

Any ideas/recommendations on a cheap steamer?

[Flash Gordon]

Get the Aztec extractor. You'll wonder how you ever lived without it