Cimex versus challenger

[lynne]

Hello everyone! I'm new in the carpet cleaning world. I love it so far! I have another daytime job and fit in my carpet cleaning whenever I can.

I purchased a Challenger machine and some terrycloth pads plus some encap solutions from a competitor.

After cleaning my own house and a couple of homes of friends, I decided to donate my services to clean the filthy carpet in our church... donating my labor, and the church paying for the supplies. It is going okay but has been very labor intensive. I have already put in 40 plus hours and am only about 1/2 way done. I think it is a commercial glue down....there doesn't seem to be much padding at all, and it is a tight - weaved dark brown, low pile carpet.

I switched my tactics and purchased some fiber plus scrubbers plus some microbeast pads. I am also using Punch and DS2 in the concentrations outlined in a recent post (filthy commercial carpet.)

We'll see how this week goes!




My question: I would like to know from the carpet cleaners out there who have used both the Cimex and thd Challenger...

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Ányway....for those of you have used both machines, which one do you prefer and why?

Learning so much from this forum. Thanks!

[Tom Ingram]

How big is this church? Do you have a pic of the Challenger? What type of sprayer are you using to put down your solution?

[lynne]

About 2000 square feet. I use a regular hand pump sprayer from Ace hardware. I will post a pic of the challenger this afternoon. Any feedback is welcome...thanks!

[patrickm]

Have you looked at cimex page? The fact that you can put down your product and clean without all of the stop and go should make your decision very easy. 2 different machines/type of cleaning. I will however not comment on time donation to a church. While churches are non profit but still a business.

[jtmellon]

Have owned both. Cimex kills the back if you don't lift it and move it the correct way. Challenger is great for residential use or small jobs. Cimex is for commercial use or very wide open spaces. I now only use a 17" floor machine to do both resi and comm.

[Tom Ingram]

2000 sq ft and it's taken 40 hours so far? I guess i'm missed something.

[Blue Ridge Floor Care]

2000 sq ft and it's taken 40 hours so far? I guess i'm missed something.

Had to either be 4 hours or 20,000 sq ft, or something is terribly wrong.

[Derek]

Cimex for CGD, Challenger for resi.

that's crazzzzyyyy long for 2k sq.ft.


jtmellon, how does the Cimex kill the back???? in 10 years it has been super easy on my back. the Challenger however could strain your back on some carpet.

[Lounge Lizards]

Have owned both. Cimex kills the back if you don't lift it and move it the correct way. Challenger is great for residential use or small jobs. Cimex is for commercial use or very wide open spaces. I now only use a 17" floor machine to do both resi and comm.

Being a somewhat fit young buck, I've had no problems with my Big Yella's in the last decade or so.

Dunno what all the fuss is about.

Work smarter, not harder.

[NJP]

LOL wait until you get my age. I'm 62 and my back can't take too much lifting all day anymore.

[Lounge Lizards]

Be quiet Rick.

[lynne]

Ok. You guys were right. The church is much bigger than 2000 sf.

Also.....I switched the thin terrycloth pads for the Microbeast plus scrubbed it first with Fiberplus max.

Also! Used Punch 12 oz per gallon as prespray then DS 2 2 oz per gallon, as Rick recommended in one of the posts. Wow....this combination just cut through the traffic dirt that I had been struggling to get rid of. What a difference it made! Thanks everyone.

[lee@deepclean.us.com]

Rick is the Jedi Master of encap!

[Derek]

ahhh now i see where the back pain comes from...you guys don't have a ramp yet. why risk back injury which might end your CC'ing career and bring your life to a screeching halt?

[encapman]

A ramp is a minor investment to make a PROFESSIONAL setup. An aluminum ramp looks professional, and it'll save your back. And if you have employees, you will be compliant with safety guidelines of OSHA. Yanking a machine in and out of a truck by hand really isn't wise or safe.

Here are 2 EXCELLENT ramps that we sell:
We have a shorter ramp for up to half ton cargo vans... http://www.excellent-supply.com/Link-Alu..._p_14.html

And here is a longer ramp for 3/4 ton, and 1 ton vans... http://www.excellent-supply.com/Link-Ram...p_325.html

Of course, if you need other configurations just call us - we have access to a wide array of sizes, but these two ramps cover most of the bases. Link makes the best ramps money can buy!