Adding Porty to VLM setup

[Kron1]

We have primarily been a commercial carpet cleaning company. When I needed HWE my nephew brought in his truckmount.

Now that we will be doing more residential carpet I want to add a portable extractor.

The Steamin Demon looks like a lightweight easy to operate machine. My concerns are with it needing a contentious water supply and faucet connections. Would this tool be a good purchase today since most newer homes do not have the older style faucet threading?

Should I stick with a conventional Porty?

My process will be:

1. CRB without trays
2. Prevac
3. Prespray and agitate with Cimex or ECO 17 or CRB
4. Extract
5. Groom

Any suggestions would be appreciated.


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[encapman]

Here's my suggestion - using the stuff on your list...

1. CRB (with or without trays)
2. Prevac
3. Prespray and agitate with the CRB
4. Extract
5. Groom with the CRB

And if you use Encap-Punch, you could actually rinse less of the carpet. You could extract the heavier traffic sections. And let Encap-Punch encapsulate the lighter soil in the cleaner sections of the carpet. Speeds things up! Your customer will also enjoy the added soil resistance that comes from using an encap pre-spray that won't attract soil, like a traditional detergent can.

[richgallina]

I use CRB for primary cleaning both residential and commercial. I would buy a regular portable. You could always use the bathroom sing for that HWE machine but I thing they are too much hassle with all the tubes and vacuum hoses. A regular portable would make more sense to me.

[encapman]

I agree with Rich. A normal porty (like the TruckPort) are a simpler way to fro than the Steamin Demon. The SD is great for applications were water hooks ups are consistent, and high-flow rinsing is required. But for day-in day-out the TruckPort would be a better way to go IMHO.

[Kron1]

I really appreciate the input gentlemen. The TruckPort does look like a great addition to my VLM setup.


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[Barry-QDCC]

Okay this is just my opinion from my experience so take what you want and throw the rest away - or throw it all away. Whatever floats your boat. I'll try not to get too wordy so I hope this makes sense.

I was a Chem-Dry franchise for 15+ years. At the end of my time with them as a franchise owner, they had gone to moving away from the original system of using spray tanks with CO2, to using portables and were starting to transitioning to TM. I hadn't bought a TM but we were using the portables on all 3 vans. (Some other time I'll write about my experience using the CD Rx-20 versus padding.)

I got out of CD and carpet cleaning for about 1.5 years and then decided to get back into CC as a one man band. And I "thought" I needed to use a portable in my new company, so I went out a bought one to use from the very start.

Long story short (and I'm leaving out some of the details here for brevity) I actually have gone back to the very basics - I use the old pepsi cans and CO2. I use a dual speed 175. Depending on the need I agitate the solution in with a FiberPlus pad or a 10"CRB or a Microbeast pad.

The only time now that I pull out my portable is for doing Tile&Grout cleaning (you do need for that!) or Urine extraction with a waterclaw or on most upholstery cleaning -although I'm starting to NOT use the portable for Upholstery cleaning more and more.

So while I am glad I have the portable for the above paragraphed reasons, I certainly do NOT use it for regular carpet cleaning. Not even for commercial jobs. Yes if I come across a situation like a spilled milk shake then I admit that needs to be extracted before cleaning but I'm soon buying a portable extractor for those situations instead of the portable - however as I type this I am realizing that I really never have run into that situation really.

Bottom line: for me I believe I clean faster - drier - and just as good as someone who would be using a portable. I think my 26 - FIVE star reviews on YELP back me up on that claim!

[lee@deepclean.us.com]

Barry makes some great points. He has the experience to back up what he says. My back round has been VLM in commercial accounts. I am currently adding an Electric Truck Mount to the arsenal for residential work. It is basically a high performance portable that will stay in my small van. My focus now is using light equipment like a 10 inch CRB and titanium wand that will allow my body to go as long as possible. I have had great success using an Orbot as my main money maker but I do not wish to carry a 100lb machine up and down residential stairs. Lots of fun tools out there. Do your research and choose what is best for you!

[Barry-QDCC]

My focus now is using light equipment like a 10 inch CRB and titanium wand that will allow my body to go as long as possible.  I have had great success using an Orbot as my main money maker but I do not wish to carry a 100lb machine up and down residential stairs.  

This is my one weak link in my process - Carrying the 175 up stairs. I know you can pull it up by the wheels but I'm the type to grab it and just hump it up. I did the research and bought the lightest dual 175 I could get. I think it's suppose to be 85lbs. Realistically I only probably will work maybe 15 more years. HA! That's a lifetime away! But I can sorta see the light at the end of the tunnel!

[lee@deepclean.us.com]

Hey Barry I bought a 12 inch 175 and then put bigger wheels on it. It is still a PIA and too heavy for me for everyday residential. I can just image myself going over the top of the machine as I go down the stairs with the 175 right behind me! Lord willing I get to work another 15 years too! We are all in this together!

[Barry-QDCC]

Yeah when I was looking into buy a new buffer I briefly thought about buying a 13" 175 because I figured they'd weigh a lot less. Not so. Barely saving any weight and loosing all that cleaning coverage, so I stayed with the 17".