Do you really *need* a Carpet Extractor?

[KaiYenS]

For you pros out there, how often do you bust out your carpet extractor to clean the carpets? Do you think by using a shop vac + spray & scrub are enough to clean your clients` carpets?



I find it surprising how I read online people use their extractors 3 or 4 times a year only :confused:...so I want to know if it`s even worth to get it?



Thank you.

[brwill2005]

For you pros out there, how often do you bust out your carpet extractor to clean the carpets? Do you think by using a shop vac + spray & scrub are enough to clean your clients` carpets?



I find it surprising how I read online people use their extractors 3 or 4 times a year only :confused:...so I want to know if it`s even worth to get it?



Thank you.

I use my extractor every time I do a full detail or full interior detail. A shop vac and scrubbing with a brush is not a substitute for an extractor if you are a pro. For the hobbyist, an extractor may be overkill, as you could always pay someone to extract your carpets once a year or so. In the end it is a personal decision.

[David Fermani]

A shop vac and scrubbing with a brush is not a substitute for an extractor if you are a pro.



An extractor isn`t a sustitute for a shampoo and scrubing either. If you know what you`re doing manually, carpets come out just a good, if not better in alot of cases. There`s alot more to cleaning carpets than just extraction. Most of the processes that make the outcome better is actually done by hand.

[deathlok]

If I must pay once a year maybe I should buy the extractor.

[brwill2005]

An extractor isn`t a sustitute for a shampoo and scrubing either. If you know what you`re doing manually, carpets come out just a good, if not better in alot of cases. There`s alot more to cleaning carpets than just extraction. Most of the processes that make the outcome better is actually done by hand.

When was the last time you saw a professional carpet cleaner show up at a home with a bunch of brushes, some carpet cleaner, and towels. A good carpet extractor removes much more soil than manually scrubbing carpets. The soil is permanently removed from the environment and stored in the recovery tank. With manual scrubbing, where is the soil going? I put my carpet extractor up against manual scrubbing any day, and know the results will be better.

[Chris@Optimum]

I pressure wash mats, and manually do carpet and upholstery. LGM to hot water out the soap. I don`t want to do the vehicles you must be doing that require "soil" removal from the interior. I wouldn`t mind having an extractor but don`t really see the need for what I do. Driver`s mats are about the worst thing I do and I can do as much manually scrub and rinsing as an extractor. After all, isn`t an extractor just a shop vac with a built in sprayer? As far as home and commercial carpet cleaners, apples to oranges: Extractors are for coverage and time efficiency not necessarily better cleaning. JMO and method, not trying to enter a pissing contest.

[Bert]

When was the last time you saw a professional carpet cleaner show up at a home with a bunch of brushes, some carpet cleaner, and towels.



I would assume professional carpet cleaners do not use brushes, carpet cleaner and such because doing a thousand (or much more) square feet of carpet by hand would take days or weeks and be prohibitively expensive not because such a process would not work. When doing a car, using such manual processes makes more sense.




A good carpet extractor removes much more soil than manually scrubbing carpets. The soil is permanently removed from the environment and stored in the recovery tank. With manual scrubbing, where is the soil going? I put my carpet extractor up against manual scrubbing any day, and know the results will be better.





Up one`s wet/dry vac.

[David Fermani]

When was the last time you saw a professional carpet cleaner show up at a home with a bunch of brushes, some carpet cleaner, and towels.



When`s the last time you saw home carpet inside of a automobile? Apples to oranges comparison.




A good carpet extractor removes much more soil than manually scrubbing carpets.



Maybe when you do it, but not me. I do much more than "scrub" carpets. Especially when *I* do either method.




The soil is permanently removed from the environment and stored in the recovery tank. With manual scrubbing, where is the soil going?



The same place as your extractor = the vacuum tank. If the only thing you`re doing is extracting your carpets, I guarantee their not as clean as they can be!




I put my carpet extractor up against manual scrubbing any day, and know the results will be better.



I`d put my manual cleaning methods against extraction any day too. I`ve done my share of totally trashed "urban assault repo vehicles" & rentals to know the proper way to clean an interior to it max potential. I`ve also gone thru several extractors to know their limitations. Shooting pressurized water into a fabric and sucking it out at the same time isn`t the only way to properly clean a carpet. Just because you don`t have faith in your manual cleaning abilities doesn`t mean it can`t be done. Try wiping down your extracted fabric with a white towel after you clean them & you`ll immediately know there`s room for improvement.

[KaiYenS]

Thank you all for your feedbacks. Looks like carpet extractor saves time...that`s the main advantage. I`m sure both manual and machine cleanings have rooms for improvement.



David, how do you manually clean the carpet? Do you have a step by step write-up somewhere?



Thanks.

[Driven Auto Detail]

Every person has their own preferred method.



Personally, I prefer to have an extractor. I used a Durrmaid last year (till it broke) and I`ve done a few interiors lately w/o having it. I must say, I can`t wait to have an extractor again. I did get a steamer at the first of the year so that has helped offset not having an extractor, but I look forward to having a steamer AND extractor for interior jobs. In fact, today I did the interior of a mini-van. An extractor would have come in sooo handy as there was a lot of dirt deep in the carpet.

[brwill2005]

Thank you all for your feedbacks. Looks like carpet extractor saves time...that`s the main advantage. I`m sure both manual and machine cleanings have rooms for improvement.



David, how do you manually clean the carpet? Do you have a step by step write-up somewhere?



Thanks. I am not going to sit here and argue with people that do not understand the obvious advantages of an extractor. KaiYenS, you hit the nail on the head. As a professional it is all about efficiency. I can clean carpets and upholstery twice as fast with my extractor and get superior results over manual cleaning. Unlike David, I do not have the luxury of spending 12 plus hours doing a detail. Note: There are times with extremely soiled carpets that I would do some hand scrubbing after my pre-spot, but not often.

[jamrin]

It also depends what part of the country you may be in. If you are in San Diego your carpets are not as soiled as carpets on the east coast or higher elevations where there is snow, salt, and road sand, I am not saying west coast cars do not get dirty but most cars on the east coast require an extraction, but I also charge $200 min for a detail so every carpet recieves an extraction.

[Driven Auto Detail]

That`s a good point. Here in Indiana, we get all kinds of weather so carpets get pretty dirty!

[todd@bsaw]

I will play the middle ground and agree with both Brad and David. Both have their place in a professional detailers arsenal.



I have worked with just manual labor, a pressure washer, an extractor, a steamer, and currently all of the above daily. Use what you have to the best of your ability to get pro results. If you add another tool, it`s just another option you have and you will learn which situations call for what.



Here`s a breakdown of a few of my personal techniques:

Scrub

For light soiled carpets and upholstery I will mist the carpet with an APC 10:1 solution. Then, scrub with a carpet brush, wipe with a clean MF, and vacuum clean. Dry.



Scrub, Extract

For most carpets, this is my go-to combo. Mist the carpet with an APC 10:1 solution. Scrub with my Cyclo and hit the angles with a carpet brush. Extract with clean water, wipe with a clean MF, and vacuum clean. Dry.



Scrub, Pressure Wash, Extract

This is my adaption from David`s use of a pressure washer for heavily soiled interiors (I think the thread was a minivan?). I use this for heavily soiled floor mats or disaster interiors. Pre-spray the carpet/upholstery with the pressure washer (no soap). On floor mats, spray until water comes off clean. Mist with an APC 4:1 solution then scrub with the cyclo. Extract with clean water until it comes off clean. Dry.



Scrub, Steam

This has replaced my method for most vehicles under 3 years old or moderately soiled. Mist with an APC 10:1 solution, scrub with the cyclo and carpet brush, and steam with the 3" brush to scrub hard spots or stains. Finish with a clean MF on a 4" steam brush and vacuum clean. Dry. For very light soiling I will just use the MF and 4" brush with a mist of APC.



All these methods work, in my experience. Some take longer, some are more effective in certain situations, but you can use what you have to get the same end result. However, I would never just use my extractor without scrubbing first.

[David Fermani]

KaiYenS I`m in the final stages of posting some documentation on a minivan complete detail I recently did. I`ll have several pictures of the complete process.



Brad - I`m not trying to argue what`s right & wrong, I`m simply trying to debate/discuss each method (as the original poster requested). I know extractors can and do come in very handy for alot of jobs for both pros & enthusiasts. I`m not belittling their abilities one bit. I`m basically defending doing carpets manually and how the end result is equivalent or better in many applications *if done properly*. There`s just more than 1 way to skin a cat for alot of detail processes. I operated a very efficient shop where we did 25-35 details day in & day out. I can honestly say that if I were extracting all of them, I wouldn`t be able to produce that quantity of completed vehicles. So, it that sense & application, extraction would be more time consuming. Back then, I didn`t have the time, nor the staff either to spend anywhere near 12 hours on a single vehicle, better yet on just an interior. Nowadays, I take my time, I don`t need to answer to nagging clients and take as much time to achieve the necessary results. And, I`m still doing interiors by hand.