Recommend a steam extractor?

[bennylava]

Hmm.. OPC is expensive!

LINK REMOVED

Optimum Power Clean 128 ounce, All Purpose Cleaner, APC

image.jpeg

Perhaps you dilute it some? If so, what ratio should I use, that will still be effective?

The chemical soap I used at the ford house (in the extractor) was orange, and it smelled powerful. I didn`t like smelling it much.

[bennylava]

Bennylava ---

...

That Meguiars All Purpose Cleaner is still available; its still green, smells good, but foams like bubble-soap-on-crack if mixed to heavily...
Perhaps you experiment on your vehicle or something like that, and get a good process started.. Document the mixture amounts so you dont forget and then mark a 32 oz spray bottle with a line that tells you how much actual soap concentrate goes in there and then the rest is water...

Dan F

Need a little clarify on this part of your post. Are you saying that the green stuff is still as good as the old APC+ stuff that they only sell in drums now? But that it foams too much? If so, maybe an anti-foaming agent could be added, and it would still be just as good?

[ShaneB]

I dilute OPC 1:3 for pretty much everything in the interiors. It does work very well though. I usually use CG fabric clean for cleaning upholstery, and when that won`t work usually the OPC will

[Accumulator]

Note that the anti-foaming agent is put *in the extractor`s collection tank*. All it does is keep the sudsing *inside the machine* to a minimum. It`s not used on whatever you`re cleaning so if the soap sudses a lot you`ll still have to deal with getting that out of the carpet/etc.

[Stokdgs]

Need a little clarify on this part of your post. Are you saying that the green stuff is still as good as the old APC+ stuff that they only sell in drums now? But that it foams too much? If so, maybe an anti-foaming agent could be added, and it would still be just as good?

Bennylava -

I never said the Meguiars All Purpose Cleaner is as good as their APC+...

It IS good, but it has a lot of foaming agents, surfactants, in it and if you are interested in saving time and being more efficient, then you would always want to get products that help in that direction..

I dont use Defoamer in anything except the Recovery Tank of my Extractor - exactly as Accumulator has stated earlier....

Dan F

[bennylava]

Cool thanks. I`ll be going with the OPC. What do you guys think about putting something on the seats and carpets, after you`re completely done cleaning it? Something like Scotch guard. As I`m sure you`ve noticed, once that "new" wears off of cloth seats and carpet, they "attract" stains much more frequently. Probably due to the individual fibers being much more porous now that they`ve had all that dirt rubbing on them and now that they`ve had a few cleanings. So I think it would be cool if there was something that actually worked to help block stains.

[bennylava]

I`d like to go ahead and bump this thread for my last question. Hopefully doing that is allowed here.

[Jpostal]

Cool thanks. I`ll be going with the OPC. What do you guys think about putting something on the seats and carpets, after you`re completely done cleaning it? Something like Scotch guard. As I`m sure you`ve noticed, once that "new" wears off of cloth seats and carpet, they "attract" stains much more frequently. Probably due to the individual fibers being much more porous now that they`ve had all that dirt rubbing on them and now that they`ve had a few cleanings. So I think it would be cool if there was something that actually worked to help block stains.

If the interior is "attracting stains" more quickly after an extraction, you may not be rinsing the cleaners out enough. I`ve noticed some cleaners will leave almost a sticky feel after the upholstery dries and is not rinsed thoroughly enough.

[Stokdgs]

If the interior is "attracting stains" more quickly after an extraction, you may not be rinsing the cleaners out enough. I`ve noticed some cleaners will leave almost a sticky feel after the upholstery dries and is not rinsed thoroughly enough.

^^^^ - This is precisely true -

Only soap, dirty soap mixture, anything, left in the cloth or carpeting will "attract" more dirt quickly...

This is why we tell you, you want a Low Foaming Soap. Use just enough soap to get the area clean. Rinse just enough to get everything all out. Extract a lot to make sure you have everything out, and you will be ok..

This is why we tell you - you need to make that initial vacuum as absolutely good as possible - to remove As Much Dirt as Possible up and out, so that the next step, will be easier, faster, and less water needed because you removed more dirt the first time...
Good Luck !
Dan F

[bennylava]

Well with just about any material, when you have dirt being ground into it by people`s feet, its going to rough up the surface some. As you all know. So they`re basically just sanding the carpet fibers, with the dirt that gets in there. Creating a much better surface on each carpet fiber, for stains.

So I was just wondering if products like scotch guard, actually worked. Or perhaps if there is a better one out there. Or do you guys just clean it, and hand it back to them?

[ShaneB]

I usually just clean and return. I`ve been debating adding some type of fabric protectant as an add on, but they are usually on the more expensive side so I wouldn`t just include it for free

[Stokdgs]

Dont use it..
Dan F

[Accumulator]

IMO the only potential benefit from ScotchGuard/etc. is that such stuff *might* prevent stains from setting as badly as they might without it.

I can`t imagine it actually providing any physical protection against the sort of "dirt grinding into the fibers" damage that happens when dirt gets on (and thus into) the carpet. Like...it won`t prevent the "on = into" to an appreciable degree.