Home
>
Small Business
>
Maintaining Your Carpet Extractor in Your Auto Detail Shop

Maintaining Your Carpet Extractor in Your Auto Detail Shop

Auto Detailing: Maintaining A Commercial Carpet Extractor

You should drain your carpet extractor at the end of each use or at least by the end of the day. Do not dump the excess dirty water or soap into a storm drain. Dump it into a toilet, sink or on a lawn. It is not allowed in the storm drain that is for storm water only and not the kind of scum, which is found in the discharge tank of a carpet extractor. If you leave the fluid in the tank more than a couple of days, it will be very difficult to clean. Two weeks and it's a major chore. You should rinse out the chemical tank and attachment parts as well, including the hoses.

Your carpet extractor most likely has a three-year warranty on parts; this is typical in the industry. Do not expect your warranty to be guaranteed abusive use such as cleaning out a dog house, fire and water damaged carpet or insides of lateens is generally a void able event. Don't laugh. Our vendor has told us stories of such. He guaranteed that he would void all warranties in the event an idiot was operating the machine in a fashion beyond its realm of ability. Super industrial machines are available for this type of work and companies that use them have a major investment in their units. Companies such as: Serve Pro, Service Master, Miligan 'Milicare", Chem-Dry, Duraclean, Stanely Steamer. These are huge companies with over 15,000 outlets combined worldwide.

Stick to what you are good at. Cars, trucks, motor homes, boats, planes, etc. If you attempt to clean household furniture, carpets or drapes you'll be sorry. Such work to do it right requires training, as you have to know all about: Different types of fabric, Different types of dyes, Different types of stains, Different types of carpets, Different types of chemicals, Etc. Most of the Franchise companies, which do that type of work have specialty niches and go through three weeks of intense classroom study to learn it all. They must learn a week's worth of: Selling, Advertising, Bidding, Competition and Equipment Knowledge.

I am not saying don't clean your upholstery at home. Go ahead. But don't be surprised if it takes you hours and doesn't clean the pomegranate juice up. And don't be surprised when you run out of chemicals and rip a piece of furniture and bust a part of your machine.

Maintenance And Up Keep;

The cleaning power of an extractor is generally based upon three important elements: Pump Pressure, Suction or Waterlift, Heat or No Heat. Most manufacturers have different theories as to what is the most effective combination. As you gain savvy in the Auto Detailing Industry you will better understand what is needed to get the job done and what the advantages and disadvantages are to each type of carpet extractor machine.

The pressure at which an extractor shoots the water/cleaning solution mix into the carpets or seats is a function of your pump. Pumps vary from 15 PSI to 200 PSI. We feel comfortable at 60 to 100 PSI. Higher pressures tend to deflect or bounce water off the item you are cleaning. This will usually cause you to splatter carpet cleaner on things you don't want splattered. If your carpet extractor is spraying chemicals too hard or too soft, check: The orifice at the nozzle for proper sizing; Voltage to the pump. Make sure it's operating at the proper speed; Leaks in the inlet hose and fittings; Leaks in the outlet pressure hose wand or guns; Chemical injection for air leaks; Chemical tank for fluid. Make sure it's not all foam, you could be sucking air.

You should keep unit clean internally and inspect it periodically, especially if you see water dripping from the unit during operation.

Water lift is the rating on suction. This is important because you want to suck all the water and chemicals from the carpet. We recommend and supply a unit with 100 to 120 inches of life. In other words, it will suck water from the ground 100 to 120 inches straight up. It's important to always maintain great suction power. To make sure you have appropriate suction, put your hand over the hose. If it feels off a little you should check for: Blockage in hose, Holes in hose, Air leaks in fittings, Cracks in vacuum head, Voltage of motor, Speed of motor, Etc.

Many extractors have heating elements. It takes fifteen minutes for extractors to heat the water. If your carpet extractor unit doesn't, then simply take your hot water pressure washer and turn on the heat. Turn it up all the way and put hot water into the carpet extractor tank at 190?F. Simply quick release the spray tip and fill up the tank on the extractor. If you have problems heating the water, see the section on steam cleaner burner in this section of the Operations Manual. Take care of your carpet extractor because the costs of the newer models now on the market are not cheap. If you own a detail shop, car wash or have a mobile unit, for Pete's sake; Lock it up at all times. They seem to be a favorite item for the Crystal Meth loser crowd to walk off with.

"Lance Winslow" - If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.worldthinktank.net/wttbbs

cheapest limo Akin .. Lockport Chicago limo O’Hare

In The News:

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says using outdated computers and software leaves them vulnerable to security risks and malware.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson reveals how WalkON enhances walking and jogging with sensors and artificial tendons.

Old-fashioned check fraud is back in style, quintupling over the past year. Here are a few low-tech, practical means of protecting yourself.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson discusses how 600,000-plus records, including checks and property data, were left exposed online by an information service provider.

That weird text from a friend may actually be from a hacker. Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson tells you what signs to look out for.

Scammers can wreak havoc on your life just by having your phone number. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson addresses how to avoid becoming a victim.

PongBot is an artificial intelligence-powered tennis robot and a smart training partner available to play 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson explains how to update your iPhone to add Apple Intelligence, which he says can transform your interactions with your phone.

University scientists have trained a robotic surgical system to do work with the skill of human doctors, possibly transforming the future of surgeries.

As more companies implement artificial intelligence for daily tasks, some industry leaders are working to push back against certain aspects of the technology.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says the Batagaika crater in Siberia expands 35 million cubic feet yearly due to thawing.

While fewer than 30% of farmers reportedly use emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, experts believe AI could help producers and farmers make food quicker and more efficiently.

Amazon becomes a prime target of scammers during the holiday shopping season trying to steal Social Security numbers, bank information and Amazon credentials.

Spammers have found a way to target Spotify playlists and podcasts to push pirated software, cheat codes for games and spam links and malware sites.

Sharing information online like your vacation plans and relationship status can make you a target for scammers; here's what to avoid posting to keep yourself safe.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson explores six sneaky holiday season gift card tricks, providing tips on how to outsmart scammers trying to rip you off.

Apple Watch's Translate app gives you your own personal interpreter, allowing you to have live two-way conversations in up to 20 different languages.

With kids facing a seemingly increasing amount of threats from creeps on the internet, here's how you can respectfully ask people not to post photos of your children on social media.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson reveals how to regain your Facebook access if you get hacked or locked out.

Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson explains how to safeguard retirement accounts from cyber threats with a VPN: encryption, anonymity, secure access.

I’m going to Europe soon, and planning my trip was a breeze. Yes, really! AI did a big chunk of the work for me — and it can help you plan your next getaway, too.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says North Korean hackers hide malware in macOS apps, bypassing Mac security checks.

Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson reveals how iPhone’s new Automatic Mic Mode adjusts settings for optimal call quality automatically.

Jeff Hancock, an expert on AI and misinformation, has been accused of fabricating an expert declaration by citing a study that was allegedly made up by AI.

Maintaining Your Carpet Extractor in Your Auto Detail Shop

Small Business