To extract or steam?

krzdimond

krzdimond

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I have been using the LGM for about a year now and it has worked fine for what it is. I am now getting more and more interior jobs and want to cut my time down so I can do more vehicles per day. I have about $800 allocated for new equipment and I am not sure which is better for what we do. Both technologies claim to be the best so I am asking if anyone here has used both and what are the pros/cons of each.

this is what I have extrapolated from the research:

Steamers:

Great on dash/ trim
Good on carpets/ headliner
Not so good on cloth seats

Extractor:

Great on carpets
Good on Seats
Not so good on headliner
Dash? Uh, no.
 
krzdimond said:
I have been using the LGM for about a year now and it has worked fine for what it is. I am now getting more and more interior jobs and want to cut my time down so I can do more vehicles per day. I have about $800 allocated for new equipment and I am not sure which is better for what we do. Both technologies claim to be the best so I am asking if anyone here has used both and what are the pros/cons of each.

this is what I have extrapolated from the research:

Steamers:

Great on dash/ trim
Good on carpets/ headliner
Not so good on cloth seats

Extractor:

Great on carpets
Good on Seats
Not so good on headliner
Dash? Uh, no.
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Why do you say not so good on cloth seats? They work great on cloth seats.

I used to have a hot water extractor didn't like it (Durrmaid), sold it, bought a steamer. The steamer along with the right chemicals does a fantastic job and seats are dry very quickly.

If it were me, I'd buy the steamer first, and then if you find a need, buy an extractor.
 
Streamer, hands down. Go to attention to details website at Detailing Success Home Page - Car Detailing school and check out his video about the steam cleaner he uses. Just spent a week there and I can vouch for it, seats included. As for the rest of the car----wow! Amazing what these things can do. Your interior jobs step to a whole new level that you just can't achieve with an apc and towel/brushes. Every crack or crevice that you want to clean can be cleaned. I don't have one yet but it is on my "must buy" list.

Doug
 
krzdimond said:
From comments on this and other forum boards.

I was thinking steamer too.
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I did some really nasty seats on a Hummer H1. First vacuum, then spray lightly with Folex, agitate the worst areas, wrap a microfiber towel over the steamer head and "scrub" away. Seats were clean in no time and dry in less than 5mins.
 
I am going to go with the vapor steamer. Now the research begins as to which one.....
 
krzdimond said:
I am going to go with the vapor steamer. Now the research begins as to which one.....
Click to expand...

Go to Detailing Success Home Page - Car Detailing school and call Diane and Renny Doyle. Renny has been using steamers for years and in fact was pretty much the first one to start using them for detailing. He has researched or used them all and the machine he uses now has actually been modified as per his suggestions. The hose is apparently the weak point on most steamers and theirs is beefed up to handle years of use. They actually sell the units themselves. Good Luck! (tell them Doug from Sag Harbor sent ya).
 
AeroCleanse said:
Why do you say not so good on cloth seats? They work great on cloth seats.

I used to have a hot water extractor didn't like it (Durrmaid), sold it, bought a steamer. The steamer along with the right chemicals does a fantastic job and seats are dry very quickly.

If it were me, I'd buy the steamer first, and then if you find a need, buy an extractor.
Click to expand...


:iagree: 100% !! Since I bought my steamer, that is about the only thing I use inside clients vehicles. It cuts out interior work time dramatically. Also, you do not have to use many cleaning chemicals at all. I mainly use Megs APC +, woolite, Folex, and something else (Can't remember lol).


My $.02
 
The Vx 5000 Seems to be VERY popular. Its on my list of things I want to get as well...that $700 is a bank breaker thou lol but once I get it I will jump on it with all 4's!
 
I have the Gaia which is a steamer/extractor/vacuum all in one. I have owned it for 1.5 years and love it. Never a moment's trouble with it. A few other members on here have picked one up too and they have been delighted.
 
richy said:
I have the Gaia which is a steamer/extractor/vacuum all in one. I have owned it for 1.5 years and love it. Never a moment's trouble with it. A few other members on here have picked one up too and they have been delighted.
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Do you have a link to the Gaia that you are talking about?
 
krzdimond said:
Steam Cleaners by Vapor Clean: Leading the Revolution in steam cleaning products

Look near the bottom of the page.
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Thanks for the link. So how do you think that one compaired to the VX5000? I dont think the VX has an extractor but i think it has higher pressure and hotter temp. What would you say are the main things to look at (specifics/attachments etc) when buying a steamer? Is an extractor THAT important or is the quality of the steamer the most important?
 
I just GOTa Gaia on Thursday and i am impressed by the machine it puts out 60psi of steam. plus the extractor is built in.How much steam pressure do you really need to have to clean .I did the carpets in 3 cars this weekend and they came out great for a first time user of the machine.I only used steam so far haven't used the extractor part yet i wanted to see how the steam part worked first.Buy what you think you need the VX5000 is a nice machine and i was tossing up between that and the Gaia, the Gaia won but not by much.i just liked the idea of a extractor and steam in one machine to do both jobs well.
 
mystic04 said:
I just GOTa Gaia on Thursday and i am impressed by the machine it puts out 60psi of steam. plus the extractor is built in.How much steam pressure do you really need to have to clean .I did the carpets in 3 cars this weekend and they came out great for a first time user of the machine.I only used steam so far haven't used the extractor part yet i wanted to see how the steam part worked first.Buy what you think you need the VX5000 is a nice machine and i was tossing up between that and the Gaia, the Gaia won but not by much.i just liked the idea of a extractor and steam in one machine to do both jobs well.
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So what benefit would you say the extractor is if you've completed 3 carpets with steam only and they turned out awesome? Not trying to be a smart ass...just wondering
 
No offense take MrWillis13 .I didn't try the extractor as of yet i just wanted to play with the steam part for now. Now today i tried the extractor on my son's F150 on his back seats the combo of hot 180 water plus steam blows most heavy stains away, being it's the first time i have used this part of the machine the seats came out pretty nice i still have a learning curve on the steam and hot water extractor to learn which ways works best and how to use the machine for best results.I am not going to say this is the best machine buts it fits my needs very well .
 
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