I'm curious if bonnet cleaning works well, I'm not talking about an all out substitute for steam cleaning but as a maintenance cleaning for residential carpeting. What type of cleaning products would you use with this type of system. I really like the compact nature of the orbot but I've never used an orbital nor have I done bonnet cleaning by itself, so I question the effectiveness.

It depends on the condition of the carpet. I use a 300 RPM rotary and a product called Encap Solution from Xerion Solutions. I have never had any problems with carpet bloom and Xerion works great and is very cost effective. I have never tried Rick's products except for Punch, and that worked well. I did just try a new Bonnet Pad called a Pro Sorb Pad and it worked real well however you can only use one side. Don't waste your money on buying an OP machine, I have looked very hard at this and did a lot of research,they are not going to be that much better than a Rotary machine.

You know I was just thinking last night that I probably would just be better buying a new, nice looking 175 or something. Way cheaper and would most likely give me the same results. Even if it didn't I could just go over really rough areas a second time.

The main focus of my post I guess is to find out what type of products would be best for low moisture bonnet cleaning of residential carpeting. Is the product you suggest is good for that or do you or anyone else here have recommendations for a res product?

Is there a difference in concept between encapsulation and bonnet cleaning?

Encapsulation is using a type of chemical that WELL encapsulates the remaining dirt to be vacuumed after dry.

Yes you can encaps using a bonnet system. We own several rotary machines one a 320 speed, and OP machines as well. From first hand experience. Op will do a better job, how much better is up for debate. What is better by far is the wear and tear on my body using the OP machine, less of a mess on floors adjoining the carpeting, most of the time less chemical usage also. There is more upkeep on the OP machine though, If I am in a hurry I grab my 320 speed, scrub pads and micro fiber bonnets. I believe this is due to me running it for 16 years

With the system we use, we spray the encapsulation product onto the carpet using a pressure sprayer. By doing it this way there is no mess at all. I am now using a Bonnet pad called a Pro Sorb that really does a great job at pulling the dirt out of residential carpet with a plush pile. I have never used a OP machine so I cannot tell if it is easier on the body. I am almost 50 and could probably run a rotary machine into my seventies if my health holds. The OP does agitate the fibers more ( I use a Oreck Orbitor for stairs) but I do not think that it is worth the extra $ 2500.

An OP machine isn't $2500 more than a new rotary. New OP (17") can be had under $2000. Looks like a new 17" 175 is around $700.

The OP is easier to run, easier on the body, and my 15" OP will clean at least as fast as 17" 175. Cost $800 used, the increased production has more than paid for itself. My wheels on the ground 20" is like running a lawn mower and is extremely fast. I keep 175's for stripping VCT and will occasionally use one if I have a 4 man crew and need/want another machine running on a large job.

I just priced a new Hos Orbot with the weight kit and a few extras and the price was $3700. I spoke with CCS and the new Trinity is $4000. I have never priced the smaller ones and would not want a 15 inch machine however, some people do. You can buy a dual speed Mercury with a weight kit for around $1200. If you are looking for used equipment, you can get on Craigslist and find a very nice dual speed for around $300. I picked up an Advance 21 inch dual speed for $300. If you are just buying a Hos Orbot with nothing else, you will spend $ 2800. Again, I did not think that it was worth the extra money. As for a rotary machine being hard on the body, I have never had an issue with that. Steam cleaning is hard on the body.

Carpet Cleaning day in and day out is hard on the body!!!!
Op is a much better cleaning machine vs. a rotary.

Right now I don't have the money for a orbot or similar machine. Will a 175 get me doing decent bonnet work, that's the bottom line for me. I can always buy a orbot down the road.

A 175 will get your foot in the door making money. I used my 175 to pay for my first OP (15"). I used that OP to buy my 20" OP.

More than one successful business has been started and ran with 175's.

Yes Many many years ago we maintained millions of sq ft every year with bonnet machines, to day seldom ever use bonnet units, we are Cimex and OP all the way of course along with HWE

Donnie boy, we are hwe and just getting into cimex. got one and one on the way. tell me about op. machines.
thanks

frankie

OP will give you almost the same results as the Cimex, however, we use it alot in buildings where our property managemnt like to see buckets of dirty pads vs. with the Cimex where there is no visible soil removal. Both excellant maintenance tools.

When you do go OP make sure it has a holding tank and spray system so can double your production rate over rotary machine. In commercial carpet maintenance it is all about production rates.

There are more OP machines than the Orbot and Trinity. Most are a lot cheaper.

If you had bad wrists the difference between a 175 and OP would become immediately obvious on your body. I'm a physical wreck. A wheels on the ground (WOG) OP allows me many more working hours per week.

Steve, yes a 175 will do an excellent job however, I would suggest a 300 RPM for two reasons.
1) Much faster and time is money in this business as you know.
2) Agitation

I may down the road invest in a OP machine however, I have never been called back and asked to redo a job. Try the Pro Sorb pad, I think you will be impressed. What I love about this fourm is that everyone is here to help each other, unlike other ones that do nothing but bash Encap cleaning. I do it the hard way but get great results. Rotovac 360I first then go back over it with my 300 RPM, trust me, I get paid very well doing it this way.

I think a lot of the encap bashers are afraid of competition in there area and bash encap as a way of keeping competitors down while they make $$$ encapping. That and trying to justify the $40,000 van they are trying to keep up.

If you referring to me, I only bash cleaners that try to do things with Encap that is was never meant for. We have all cleaning methods available and the bulk of our commercial work is done with the Encap method. All our residentail is with our truckmounted HWE. We often do a double process with a pre-scrub using our Cimex followed by HWE. We also have Op, Bonnet, Portable Extractors, and Powder systems available

Never considered you an encap basher. Some on the other forums make all types of claims about encap being basically swirling dirt around to make an even appearance.

I completely got out of the residential HWE. I was stubborn, argued that encap didn't work, especially on residential, that there were some jobs that it couldn't do, etc., that ONLY HWE could deep clean. After test after test after test, I finally admitted that I was wrong, and was just repeating the same ignorant arguments that I read on forums, mostly propaganda from the ridiculously profitable HWE equipment manufacturers, when the real reason was that I hated to think I invested a bunch of money in HWE equipment that wasn't necessary.

I now use an Orbot and DS2 on just about every job and I have never been a better carpet cleaner. I tell my customers now that I used to get their carpets a lot cleaner, now I get them clean.


The only job I've found so far that my Orbot couldn't outperform my HWE equipment is flood damage.