Part Time Detailer - Steam Cleaner or Extractor?

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001jigsaw

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Hey everyone,

I've been giving myself a headache trying to decide which way to go here. A little background: I'm a part time detailer in the North East. I work out of my two car garage, which is not heated, therefore I take jobs from April to around November. I have another job, which I also control the schedule of, so I can work as much of either as I desire. I've been "professionally" detailing for 3 years now, and I average about 15 cars during the Spring to Fall months, hoping to increase that number.

Okay, so while I may not be doing this full-time, I've had a few car interiors that have beaten the crap out of me. Almost all of them I've gotten the interiors to where myself and the customer were happy with the results. However, last year I had to turn away a Pathfinder that I just COULD NOT remove the filth in the carpet from. I was hitting it with every product I had in conjunction with my Bissell LGM with hot water that I poured into it. I don't want to have these problems anymore. I've always hated doing nasty interiors, and I want to step that game up.

I currently have the Bissell LGM as mentioned, as well as an old Bissell household extractor that I found brand new in a box in my grandmother's house (lol) and I've been using that. It's more powerful than my LGM, but it also is not heated. I last used it on a Camry that had oil/grease stains everywhere, and it took a LOT to be satisfied with the results.

What do you guys think my next move should be? Would a good steamer and the Bissell extractor handle most things that get thrown at me? Ideally, I'd love to have a Mytee or Aztec extractor as well as a VX5000 - but I just can't drop that money just yet. I COULD buy *one* of them, but I'd have to bust my buns this year to make sure I get that money back. I would feel much better about spending a few hundred dollars, but then quality comes into question, of course.

I've never used a higher end extractor (Aztec, Mytee) and I've never used a steam cleaner for detailing, so I don't have personal experience to refer to.

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TLDR; Part time detailer that needs to step up his interior game.

Current interior equipment:

Bissell LGM (not heated)
Bissell Carpet Extractor (15 year old brand new unit found in a basement, stronger than LGM, not heated)
I pour hot water into them when I use them.

Currently looking at:

McCulloch 1275 Heavy Duty Steam Cleaner $140


Vapor Clean II Steam Cleaner $379
Vapor Clean II - Lowest Priced Italian Steam cleaner | My Vapor Clean

Mytee S-300H Tempo Heated Carpet Extractor, carpet cleaning machine ~$600 on sale

VX5000 - $799

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I think I could get by with the current extractors and a good steam cleaner. What do you guys think? I apologize if it got a bit convoluted.

Thank you very much!
 
Last edited by a moderator:
What kind of cleaning product do you use with the extractor?

When it comes to clean different grease and dirt you need the right chemicals to desolve it. An extractor if it's the carpets you want to get effective with. And a steamer is more versitale to clean different surfaces with. The biggest benefit from upgrade from your extractor to a new one would be an heated one and a chemical tank that don't go through the heater. So you could use effective chemicals in the chemical tank and rinse vacuum it up. Don't know how effective steamer is on carpets in comparison.
 
SWETM said:
What kind of cleaning product do you use with the extractor?

When it comes to clean different grease and dirt you need the right chemicals to desolve it. An extractor if it's the carpets you want to get effective with. And a steamer is more versitale to clean different surfaces with. The biggest benefit from upgrade from your extractor to a new one would be an heated one and a chemical tank that don't go through the heater. So you could use effective chemicals in the chemical tank and rinse vacuum it up. Don't know how effective steamer is on carpets in comparison.
Click to expand...

I typically use Megs APC or Chemical Guys Fabric Clean. I'm going to pick up some folex this time around
 
Owning both a Mytee and a commercial steamer, if I had to choose just one tool , it would be a steamer. Just the amount of uses for a steamer, I believe is more helpful overall. It can still clean carpets really well with the right technique and pre treat system. I would however, make sure what you buy is quality because it makes a huge difference in steamers. Good luck.

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk
 
SWETM said:
What kind of cleaning product do you use with the extractor?

When it comes to clean different grease and dirt you need the right chemicals to desolve it. An extractor if it's the carpets you want to get effective with. And a steamer is more versitale to clean different surfaces with. The biggest benefit from upgrade from your extractor to a new one would be an heated one and a chemical tank that don't go through the heater. So you could use effective chemicals in the chemical tank and rinse vacuum it up. Don't know how effective steamer is on carpets in comparison.
Click to expand...

I’m going to second, third, fourth and infinity this post.

It sounds like the upgraded extractor is what would benefit you more. That said, throwing APC and Fabric Clean at it is part of your problem. Some vehicles do need an extractor, but with a little better chemistry, the LGM can do just fine.

Find a local carpet cleaning supply store. Get yourself a traffic lane cleaner. Also get a few different spot cleaners for various types of stains; I’m confident which ever brands they carry will all have stain guides to reference. An oxidizer, power solvent, paint/ink/oil/grease, an acidic fiber rinse, maybe one or two more. This will make your carpet cleaning so much easier. You don’t have to get it all at once. Start with the traffic lane cleaner and a fiber rinse, then build up from there as jobs come in the door. Both of those cleaners should be well under $80 for a gallon of each and will likely last you for years with your current work load.
 
Audios S6 said:
Find a local carpet cleaning supply store. Get yourself a traffic lane cleaner. Also get a few different spot cleaners for various types of stains; I’m confident which ever brands they carry will all have stain guides to reference. An oxidizer, power solvent, paint/ink/oil/grease, an acidic fiber rinse, maybe one or two more. This will make your carpet cleaning so much easier. You don’t have to get it all at once. Start with the traffic lane cleaner and a fiber rinse, then build up from there as jobs come in the door. Both of those cleaners should be well under $80 for a gallon of each and will likely last you for years with your current work load.
Click to expand...

You may just want to start with this. You would be surprised how much difference a good cleaner can make.

General APCs have their limits and if they are fairly alkaline they can set some stains.

I buy a highly concentrated citrus solvent product from a local supply store that I use for a most of my carpet cleaning. Only problem is that you have to buy it in 5 gallon quantities.

That one product has changed my view of carpet cleaning.
 
As said above have a look into different types of carpet cleaners. Learn how different kind of dirt looks like and what kind of cleaner that helps to desolve just that kind of dirt. For an example to clean a upholstry textile seat that are most dirt from humans bodys like sweat and skin residue an APC like d101 will work great. But if it's a mechanic that owns the car and you have grease from oils and what not. An APC would struggle and d108 would be more effective and more effective would be Optimum Power Clean to desolve that oil grease. When it comes to carpets follow the recommendation above and go right to where they sells different carpets cleaners. You can se what chemicals the different cleaners are made of for the different kind of dirt. The detailing products has this kind of cleaners too like meguiars has way more than d101 and d108 to desolve different kind of dirt. Then get a cleaner made for extractor for general use and it's like an APC with low foaming ability. And then a setup of chemicals for different kind of dirt. Then you can wait to upgrade to a heated extractor down the road.
 
Thank you everyone for your replies!

Audios S6 said:
I’m going to second, third, fourth and infinity this post.

It sounds like the upgraded extractor is what would benefit you more. That said, throwing APC and Fabric Clean at it is part of your problem. Some vehicles do need an extractor, but with a little better chemistry, the LGM can do just fine.

Find a local carpet cleaning supply store. Get yourself a traffic lane cleaner. Also get a few different spot cleaners for various types of stains; I’m confident which ever brands they carry will all have stain guides to reference. An oxidizer, power solvent, paint/ink/oil/grease, an acidic fiber rinse, maybe one or two more. This will make your carpet cleaning so much easier. You don’t have to get it all at once. Start with the traffic lane cleaner and a fiber rinse, then build up from there as jobs come in the door. Both of those cleaners should be well under $80 for a gallon of each and will likely last you for years with your current work load.
Click to expand...

Mantilgh said:
You may just want to start with this. You would be surprised how much difference a good cleaner can make.

General APCs have their limits and if they are fairly alkaline they can set some stains.

I buy a highly concentrated citrus solvent product from a local supply store that I use for a most of my carpet cleaning. Only problem is that you have to buy it in 5 gallon quantities.

That one product has changed my view of carpet cleaning.
Click to expand...

SWETM said:
As said above have a look into different types of carpet cleaners. Learn how different kind of dirt looks like and what kind of cleaner that helps to desolve just that kind of dirt. For an example to clean a upholstry textile seat that are most dirt from humans bodys like sweat and skin residue an APC like d101 will work great. But if it's a mechanic that owns the car and you have grease from oils and what not. An APC would struggle and d108 would be more effective and more effective would be Optimum Power Clean to desolve that oil grease. When it comes to carpets follow the recommendation above and go right to where they sells different carpets cleaners. You can se what chemicals the different cleaners are made of for the different kind of dirt. The detailing products has this kind of cleaners too like meguiars has way more than d101 and d108 to desolve different kind of dirt. Then get a cleaner made for extractor for general use and it's like an APC with low foaming ability. And then a setup of chemicals for different kind of dirt. Then you can wait to upgrade to a heated extractor down the road.
Click to expand...

Do you guys know of any online suppliers that I can check out? I'm sure I can find something local, but some of the companies that make these products have to have their stuff online too.

I think i'm just going to order a McCulloch 1275 for $140 bucks, get some new cleaners, and stick with what I already have like you guys suggested. That steam cleaner should be a big help over not currently having one at all. I think it should be good for my work volume.
 
OK - a simple money question.

How much to really clean a bad carpet vs. just replacing the carpets?

I can get a full carpet kit for my Mini for $90. And your charging how much?

Tell them that for $125 you can get the Mini carpets looking brand new - and they will be!!

Next option is to really clean them. Explain that the stains are just that, and that "rubber" floor mats are the best choice to make things look better and give better future easy care maintenance. (which they should have done the first day they got it).
 
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