What equipment do you prefer for upholstery cleaning? Truck mount? Portable? A machine specifically for upholstery such as the U.S. Products Ultimate? By hand or perhaps some other method?


Why do you like the method you use? What are the advantages and disadvantages?

Which tools do you prefer?

Let your opinion be heard!

Doing a little research for an upcoming Cleanfax article. Thank you, Rick for letting me post this here even though it is not encapsulation related.


Scott Warrington

Hi Scott,

I have a direct drive hydramaster truckmount
with the drimaster upholstery tool. It is a great tool that has a constant flow.. There is never any overwetting. I set my temp at 180 degree's prespray brush and extract. I have done many couches,chair's and loveseats and have never had any problems. most of the time the upholstery is almost completely dry before I leave, because of the constant flow there is no trigger, just a knob to adjust the flow. The only downside is I use alot of water because the water flow is always on. What a great job it does.

Ralph

I love cleaning furniture. I consider myself a specialist.

Favorite way- Truck Mount with the PMF dry technology tool. Second favorite- Truck Mount with the Drimaster.

Very close third- bonnet cleaning or encapping with my US Products furniture roto.

Last on the list is a portable- and I have done a lot of furniture with a portable before I got a Truck Mount.

Gary

I like RELEASIT with a horse hair brush. Fast and it dries faster.

Bob,

Can you explain how this works. Do you just spray it on, brush it in.. ??

Ralph

I am with Bob. Except a lot of times we use a drill and the brush attachment we bought from Rick for the drill. Just spray on the Releasit and scrub it in and it is quick and easy.

Works great on any synthetic upholstery.

Kevin Pearson

Prevac as needed, spray RELEASIT on fabric, brush it and go home.

Bob, That is unbelievable. So cleaning furniture (timewise) is cut in half. I got to try this.

Ralph

Bob is right (most of the time) I use either Releasit or Dynachem and a Makita 9227C with 7" 100% cotton bonnets from Plus Mfg., so I guess I am "pad-capping" but it is extremely fast.

We have done mostly synthetics in a commercial setting. Up to 300 chairs, stools and couchs in one clinic.

Have used Releasit with great success. We also use a couple other encap products. Pump up sprayer, 16 x 22 microfiber towels,(don't leave lint), a couple of low rpm polishers with 8" bonnets and a spotter.

Adopted this method after reading Mr. Heacocks's posts and looking at his website. Tweaked it a bit to accomodate our lazy bones.

We cleaned a bunch of high back exeutive type chairs in a clinic with encap detergent and towels. Got rave reviews. So simple I almost felt I was taking advantage of them. Almost, not quite.

Davo

For the last 6 or 7 years I've been using my CFR Altra 400 portable with the CFR upholstery tool. I have never done furniture job that did not get rave results. Especially if I have a large commercial job. I have cleaned as many as 50-60 chairs and never had to reload the extractor. However, I plan on encapping the next one to see how it goes.

If you are not sure whether it can be done or not, here's some pics of it being done on several materials-

http://www.heacocks.com/University/EncapFurn.htm

and

http://www.heacocks.com/University/EncapSofa2.htm

So... give it a try.

Gary

Gary,

Thanks for the pics.. They are great. To think I am down on the floor cleaning cushions with my truckmount and drimaster..1 sofa 1 hour. What a waste of time... Thanks again

Ralph

Gary- do you vacuum before you clean upholstery?

Yes, I always vac first- when cleaning with the Truck Mount, I use a Rug Rat turbine vac for upholstery, because I am convinced the turbine vacs will get more than an electric vac, same for carpets.

When bonneting or encapping furniture, I use a hand held Dirt Devil. Nice light weight, cost about $45.00 new.

Some furniture- such as the plaid chair shown in the pics and the sofa next to it had an absolute TON of dog hair, and the encapping rotary motion pulled a lot even after a thorough dry vacuuming.

Gary

Darn Gary, I thought I was fast in doing a sofa in 30 minutes, but your time was 15 minutes and 45 minutes for a sectional sofa. Outstanding! I really do love this system of cleaning furniture.