Steam cleaning/shampooing

C

Crispyclean

New member
Joined
Jul 28, 2018
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
Hi there. What’s everyone using for steaming and shampooing vehicles? I spray/scrub by hand and used a $90 bosses to extract, but it fell apart rather quick. I run a part time business and I am looking to invest in something more reliable. I’ve seen extractor units go that go for $500 and look pretty sturdy. Not sure if it’s nevessary to spend $500 though. Also, what steamer are the pros using?
P.s. I’m looking for equipment that’s effective and will last for a good while.
 
Crispyclean said:
Hi there. What’s everyone using for steaming and shampooing vehicles? I spray/scrub by hand and used a $90 bosses to extract, but it fell apart rather quick. I run a part time business and I am looking to invest in something more reliable. I’ve seen extractor units go that go for $500 and look pretty sturdy. Not sure if it’s nevessary to spend $500 though. Also, what steamer are the pros using?
P.s. I’m looking for equipment that’s effective and will last for a good while.
Click to expand...

Most of the equipment professionals are using costs in the 1-2 thousand dollar range. That’s about the floor for ‘effective and will last for a good while’.
 
Yeah, what he said. Good luck getting anything that actually works and will last for a good while without spending top dollar. We use a MyTee extractor with the add on dry extractor wand. That setup cost me $500 used, but it is around $1100 new. I don't own a steamer, but if I did it would likely cost $1500 for one that I could use to run a business.
 
I use my Ridgid Wet/Dry Vac & a upholstery/small area extraction nozzle & 50ft water hose (connects to faucet) like the old Shop Vac Steam Team or Bissell CM carpet cleaning machine. Nozzles & water hose can be found on the bay (most likely used since those items are long discontinued)
 
flooramatic said:
I use my Ridgid Wet/Dry Vac & a upholstery/small area extraction nozzle & 50ft water hose (connects to faucet) like the old Shop Vac Steam Team or Bissell CM carpet cleaning machine. Nozzles & water hose can be found on the bay (most likely used since those items are long discontinued)
Click to expand...

So you made yourself a DYI extractor?

I’ve been thinking of doing something similar with a garden pump sprayer and my shopvac.

I would like to see some pics if possible.
 
Steamers and extractors are great tools to have. But cost a fortune. The steamer setup I have set me back $3,500 and I’m looking to upgrade from that. But they do make life a lot easier.

When I first started out. I bought an adapter that would connect a extractor wand to a water hose. So it was like a poor mans extractor. The wand worked as it would with a extractor. Just wasn’t heated. But it did have decent pressure. Then hook it up to a wet/dry vac. I seen a similar setup on another site for like $500-$600 which is insane. Considering you can build the same thing from scratch for around $100. I guess I should’ve patented this.
 
If you have a shop vac, you can get a Tornador and get the Tornador Shop Vac attachment. I have it, and it's a real PIA for setup because you not only have to run the compressor but a shopvac as well. Hoses everywhere, but it works great...

Mainly it's just easier for me to fire up the Mytee Extractor and that does an amazing job. I also have a steam-cleaner that is collecting dust... Used it once or twice, the extractor is definitely the way to go. But if you were really on a budget, you can always add a blue aqua brush to a HF or PC7424xp. That has worked well for me in the past where I didn't break out the extractor.
 
I wasn’t a big fan of the Tornador Velocity attachment. It’s too bulky and hard to get in tight spots. I do love their Blastor attachment. It’s saved me a ton of time on carpet that wants to hang on to every piece of debris like Velcro.

I actually have a Velocity attachment I don’t use if anyone wants it. I haven’t used it in quite some time and it’s just taking up space.
 
Mantilgh said:
So you made yourself a DYI extractor?

I’ve been thinking of doing something similar with a garden pump sprayer and my shopvac.

I would like to see some pics if possible.
Click to expand...

I still have my shop vac steam team but i cant find the gel carpet cleaning formula anymore; so its only for rinsing with just water
 
I use the Mytee HP-120 but it's pretty big,, I think the S-300h probably would have suited my need at 3 or 4 carpet jobs a week.

I havent had any quality issues in the 6 years we have had it other than a motor but that was caused by a blockhead that kept using to much soap in the carpets and running it through the exhaust.
It was easy to change though,,took me about 20 minutes.
 
Good luck on the hunt. It will be interesting to see what you end up with. Personally, I don't do enough interiors to warrant $1,500-$3,000 for a top-shelf unit. I use my MCculloch 1385 in one hand followed up by a small carpet extractor in the other and it works really well. Key I have found is to pre-treat and where needed, scrub the area first. Just like polishing, monitor your arm speed. Little more work but pretty effective and didn't cost me much.
 
Ridgid vac with shop vac steam team upholstery tool & water supply hose

I just connect water supply hose connector directly onto hot water heater faucet

At least I dont have 2 spend more $ on auto detailing equipment like I did several yrs ago (almost everything from shop vacuums to electric pressure washers last me a long time approx 15+ yrs)

View attachment 65717View attachment 65718View attachment 65719
 
I have a Mytee S-300 that quit spraying water after the 5th, or 6th use. It's the pump, for sure, and it died within 1 year after buying it new.
I also have a steamer, and it sits unused most of the time.
I use smaller store bought portable extractors. I prefer these because they have small head wands. I find that a smaller head wand, to me, is more important than powerful water lift of more expensive units.
 
I'll bet this won't be a viable option for many, but I am considering replacing the Rainbow house vacuum we have with something that is not a canister. Then buying the Aquamate upholstery attachment for the Rainbow, and using this as both my detailing vacuum and an extractor. Although I hate the canister vacuum in the house, a shop vac is a canister, so converting the Rainbow to my detailing vacuum shouldn't drive me nuts.

The Aquamate attachment for carpets works great, so I think the mini upholstery attachment should work well, too.

However, I wouldn't advise people go at an buy a Rainbow to do this. The Rainbow is a GREAT $500.00 vacuum. The problem is, it costs $2,100.00. "Why would he buy a vacuum for $2,100.00?" you might ask? Imagine a son trying to find his way in the world, and getting sucked into the concept of multi level marketing. My wife insisted we buy one to help him out.

But since I already have it... I think in business accounting, it's called a sunk cost.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top