CARPET CLEANING EQUIPMENT, ACCESSORIES & CLEANERS

First question. Why should I purchase a portable instead of a truck mount carpet cleaner. It's a money thing. If your just starting out and you have the money for a heavy duty van, advertising, expenses and the truck mount then go with a truck mount. A person that cleans properly using the proper procedures and uses good quality chemicals can do just as good of a job with a portable than a person with a truck mount.

With so many carpet cleaning extractors out their which one do you choose ? I can point you in the right direction and give you my opinions but this is a decision you will have to make depending on a few questions you must ask yourself. What type of area will you be cleaning, inner city, suburban, new or older homes, mobile auto detailing or stationary detailing, commercial cleaning, hospitality, food service or you may want to do what ever you can get ?

The reason this question is very important is that most more powerful units need to be plugged into 2 outlets that are 20 amps and must be on separate breakers. Why ? Because most heated units pull over 2000 watts just with the heater. Then you have the dual vacuums (2 each vacuum motors) and the pump. All of this power is split between 2 cords. If your doing inner city older homes you will have a problem finding 20 amp outlets. Most commercial and hospitality should be OK. Newer homes usually have 20 amp outlets in the bathrooms and kitchen. You can also use the machines that have heat without the heater on to cut the amperage draw considerably. Our company's' belief is that a person using the standard 25' hose set, that most carpet cleaners use, would do a good job with a 100 psi, dual 2 stage with heat unit. Read about cleaning carpet and read section on carpet restoration.

If you think you can handle the extra amperage go with the 3 stage vacuum units with heat and 100 psi pump. The three stage vacs give you as much vacuum as a truck mount running long hoses. Some contractors have told me they have made splitters that plug into the 220 volt outlet used for dryers. These are easily made for under $50.00 and could handle a powerful unit. I recommend having an electrician put it together for you. Some contractors have told me they have a generator in their van to run one or both of their cords.

Another question would be how will I be using the machine ? Is this for a homeowner for him or herself, for a part timer looking to make extra money, for a back up machine, for a janitorial company using it on occasion or for the full time carpet cleaner. The below is my suggestions and is only a suggestion. I do recommend when ever possible to use a heated machine.

Home owners - 6, 11 or a 12 gallon with heat like the Mercury, Ninja or Galaxy 100 psi or the 6 gallon Sensei. I also like the 4 gl spotter extractor.

Mobil Detailer - A single corded machine unless your running a generator. Either a 6, 11 or 12 gallon.

Detail shop - 100 psi, dual 3 stage or 2 stage with heat . Either 6, 11 or12 gallon. if you running wish to run a long hose upgrade to a more powerful pump and you can clean as far as 100' away from the unit.

Janitorial Company - Most janitorial companies that purchase a 11 or 12 gal extractor with a standard 100 psi pump and dual 2 stage vacuums which can be used almost anywhere. If you can get a unit with heat then do so. You can also use a self contained for large areas.

Carpet cleaners (commercial) - Go with 100 or 200 psi, dual 2 or 3 stage vacs with heat. If your going to run more than 30' of hose upgrade to a larger pump.

Carpet cleaners (residential) - Depending on electric, I like the Stinger 12 gallon #01-200, Mercury 2-100H, EDIC 2000SX-HRH or Ninja N221HMO all of which are very versatile.

About Carpet Cleaning

ABOUT CARPET CLEANING

EXTRACTION: AN CARPET EXTRACTOR USES A DETERGENT SOLUTION OR A RINSING AGENT THAT IS FORCED INTO THE CARPET BY A PUMP THEN THE SOLUTION IS SUCKED OUT OF THE CARPET WITH HIGH POWER VACUUM MOTORS. PUMPS RANGE IN POWER FROM A STANDARD 100 PSI TO OVER 500 PSI. VACUUM MOTORS RANGE FROM 135 CFM TO OVER 200 CFM. HEATERS CAN BE ADDED TO THE MACHINES EITHER INTERNALLY OR EXTERNALLY. HEATED WATER TENDS TO BREAK UP GREASY DIRT FASTER. GOOD CHEMICALS, SEE CARPET CLEANING CHEMICALS FOR INFORMATION, WILL DO THE WORK FOR YOU. EXTRACTION LEAVES THE CARPET WETTER THAN OTHER SYSTEMS IF DONE IMPROPERLY. NORMALLY A CARPET SHOULD DRY WITHIN 3 TO 4 HOURS. EXTRACTION CLEANS DEEPER THAN ALL OTHER METHODS.

SELF CONTAINED CARPET EXTRACTION MACHINE: SAME PRINCIPLE AS A EXTRACTOR BUT HAS A BUILT IN BRUSH THAT SCRUBS THE CARPET BETWEEN PUTTING THE SOLUTION DOWN AND VACUUMING IT UP. THIS SYSTEM IS GREAT FOR LARGE COMMERCIAL AREAS. SELF CONTAINED EXTRACTORS TEN TO LEAVE THE CARPETS WETTER.

EXTRACTION RESTORATION: THE PROPER WAY OF DEEP CLEANING A CARPET. THIS IS A TWO STEP PROGRAM DESIGNED TO DEEP CLEAN THE CARPET. 1) PRE-SPRAY CARPET WITH A GOOD PRE-SPRAY OR USE A NON-RESIDUE SHAMPOO IN A SHAMPOO TANK. AGITATE CARPET WITH A ROTARY BUFFER WITH A CARPET BRUSH. THIS LOOSENS UP THE DIRT THAT IS ON THE TOP AND DEEP IN THE CARPET. LET THE CHEMICAL SIT FOR A FEW MINUTES TO ACTUALLY BREAK UP THE DIRT AFTER YOU SCRUB. 2) EXTRACT THE CARPET WITH A GOOD EXTRACTION CLEANER (LIKE THE CHEMSPEC 90) OR USE A RINSING AGENT (LIKE TEXTILE RINSE FROM CHEMSPEC OR RINSE OUT FROM CELLO). THE RINSING AID WILL FLUSH OUT ALL CHEMICALS AND DIRT FROM STEP 1 AND FROM PREVIOUS CLEANINGS.

HINTS: APPLYING A AIR MOVER OR BLOWER TO A CARPET AFTER EXTRACTION WILL SPEED DRYING. USE OF A RINSING AID TENDS TO DRY FASTER THAN A DETERGENT. USE OF A RINSING AID IN YOUR EXTRACTOR TENDS TO KEEP THOSE CARPETS THAT TEND TO BROWN FROM NOT-BROWNING BECAUSE OF ITS ACIDIC PROPERTIES.

BONNET CLEANING: BONNETS ARE MADE OF SYNTHETIC, NATURAL OR A COMBINATION OF BOTH MATERIALS. BONNETS ARE ROUND PADS THAT GO UNDER STANDARD SPEED FLOOR BUFFER. THE BONNETS USE FRICTION TO PULL DIRT FROM THE TOP OF THE CARPET FIBERS. THIS IS A GOOD SYSTEM WHEN CLEANING A CARPET FREQUENTLY, WHEN THE CARPET NEEDS TO BE DRY SHORTLY AFTER CLEANING OR WHEN A BROWNING PROBLEM OCCURS. HOWEVER, THIS IS NOT A DEEP CLEANING METHOD. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE CARPET BE SPRAYED WITH THE DETERGENT THEN BUFFED WITH A DRY BONNET, WHEN THE BONNET GETS DIRTY FLIP IT OVER OR USE ANOTHER ONE.

ROTARY BRUSH OR DRY FOAM: USES A FOAMING SHAMPOO THAT MAY DRY TO A LIGHT POWDER OR CRYSTAL. THE SHAMPOO IS APPLIED WITH A BRUSH AND A STANDARD SPEED FLOOR MACHINE, THE BRUSH GENERATES FOAM AS IT SPINS OR A SPECIALIZED MACHINE THAT GENERATES FOAM BEFORE GETTING AGITATED WITH A BRUSH. THIS SYSTEM IS LIKELY TO LEAVE THE CARPET WITH A STICKY RESIDUE IF NOT USED PROPERLY.

ENCAPSULATION: THIS SYSTEM IS SIMILAR TO ROTARY BRUSH OR DRY FOAM CLEANING. WITH NEW TECHNOLOGY THIS TYPE OF CLEANING TENDS TO LEAVE LESS RESIDUE THAN ITS PREDECESSORS.

NOTE: ALWAYS VACUUM CARPET THOROUGHLY BEFORE CLEANING, IT WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND SAVE YOUR EXTRACTOR

H O M E

About us: Basic Maintenance Supply Inc is a full line distributor of carpet cleaning equipment, carpet cleaning machines, floor buffer equipment and supplies for the professional carpet cleaner, janitorial service, auto detailer, home cleaning professional, business owner, food service operator, hospitality manager and home owner. We pride ourselves on asking the right questions to assure you receive the proper unit to fill your needs. We have sold carpet cleaning equipment and floor care equipment and supplies throughout the world. We carry a full line of carpet cleaning machines, carpet cleaning equipment and floor buffing and care equipment. We are physically located in Philadelphia Pennsylvania and have been business since 1987. We are proud members of the Eastern Pennsylvania Better Business Bureau.