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Cleaning soiled carpet fibers can be a real challenge since regular
vacuuming does not remove particles which adhere to the fibers. The
traditional way of cleaning the carpet fibers is the carpet shampooer
which creates a foam that is worked into the carpet to clean it. While
this method is still being used, the industry has been promoting the
"steam" (hot water) extractors to a greater extent. There are also a few
companies which sell or rent scrubbing machines which work a moist
compound into the carpets to clean them.
"Steam" (Hot Water) Extractor
A variety of hot water extractors are being marketed ranging from the
large or small canister with hose and nozzle to those that look more
like an upright vacuum cleaner. Their basic operation involves
spraying a warm water and detergent solution into the carpet to wash
the fibers and then extracting the solution and dirt from the carpet.
Some even include rotating or revolving brushes to
agitate the carpeting for better cleaning.
The earlier extractors which were sold consisted of a special wand and
nozzle which was used on a wet/dry utility type of vacuum cleaner. A
long hose was connected to the hot water faucet. Detergent in a small
bottle on the wand was mixed with the water before it was sprayed into
the carpet. A finger controlled valve enabled the user to control how
wet the carpet became. This type of system is still being used by a
few companies.
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Modern Self-Contained Designs |
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More modern extractors are more self-contained in that the water and
detergent solution are placed into a tank in the machine. This frees the
user from that long water supply hose. The main part of an extractor
consists of a clean solution tank, recovery tank, suction motor, cleaning
nozzle, some type of solution spraying system and sometimes a motor or
turbine driven brush. If a hose is used there will also be a motor or
turbine driven pump to force the solution to the end of the hose.
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Upright Type Hot Water Extractors |
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The extractors which look like uprights have the tanks, suction motor,
main nozzle, etc. built into one unit. The whole unit is pushed around
much like using an upright vacuum cleaner. The solution is typically
gravity fed to the spray nozzles right behind the suction nozzle. Most
have brushes mounted in the same area to agitate the carpet for better
cleaning effectiveness. For cleaning upholstered furniture and
carpeted stairs most have a special hose and smaller nozzle with
detachable stationary brushes. A sponge type device can be attached to
some main nozzles for cleaning non-carpeted floors as well.
At least four companies, Hoover,
Electrolux (formerly The Eureka Company)
Royal,
and Bissell manufacture this
type of extractor. Interestingly, Hoover uses turbines which are
driven by the exhaust of the suction motor to drive the rotating
brushes and solution pump while Eureka uses separate motors to drive
each device. It seems that everyone is copying Hoover's innovative
upright design. Isn't it interesting how similar they all look?
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Canister Type Hot Water Extractors |
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The canister type of extractor with separate hose and nozzle has the
tanks and suction motor built into a case which is pulled after the
user. Just the nozzle at the end of the hose and wands is moved back
and forth across the carpet to clean it. Some deluxe units like made
by Bissell have a motor drive revolving brush in their nozzle to aid
in the cleaning process. These nozzles are a lot lighter to move
across the carpet than the upright type extractors. The disadvantage
is that they aren't as convenient to set up and store as the self-
contained upright type. Having to pull them around behind you can be a
nuisance as well. The small portable extractor is a variation of the
canister type in a smaller package. While these may seem handy for
furniture and stairs, their effectiveness is often rather poor.
Hot water extractors work best when used to periodically clean carpets
which are lightly soiled. Performance on a heavily soiled or stained
carpet can be disappointing at best. For more heavy duty cleaning
needs, look to the professional carpet cleaning services in your area.
Their heavy duty commercial equipment is much more powerful and able
to produce more satisfactory results.
Carpet Scrubbers
The traditional carpet shampooer as well as special machines which
work a powder or cleaning compound into the carpet to clean its fibers
all can be classified as carpet scrubbers. The main distinction of
these machines is that they apply a solution or compound to the
carpets, scrubbing them in the cleaning process but they do not remove
the residue from the carpets. After the carpet dries, an vacuum
cleaner with a revolving brush is used to remove the residue and soil.
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Shampoo Type of Carpet Scrubber |
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The shampooer creates a foam from a water and shampoo solution and
applies it to the carpet while working the fibers with revolving or
rotating brushes. Shampooers are better at cutting greasier or heavily
soiled carpets than the typical hot water extractor. While most are
separate machines designed primarily for this use, one company,
Kirby, makes a shampooer which is an
attachment for their upright. It creates a very dry foam (little water
content) which cleans well while yielding a reduced drying time. I
wouldn't recommend buying such a high priced upright just for the
purpose of getting a good shampooer but if you have one, I recommend
that you use it.
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Cleaning Compound Type of Carpet Scrubber |
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The scrubbers that work a dry or slightly moist cleaning compound into
the carpet fibers work well and require very little drying time. They
are often safer for the carpet backing and mat since they do not have
the risk of getting them wet like what can happen when a hot water
extractor and shampooer is improperly used. While most are separate
machines designed specifically for the compound being used, one
company, Lindhaus, has a special nozzle for
their two-motor upright vacuum cleaner which is designed to work with
their cleaning compound. The Host "Dry" Carpet
Cleaning System is a popular rental unit which has been top rated by a
leading consumer magazine.
PageType: Educational
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