Self service carpet cleaner [extractor]

[ACTcarwashlover]

Hello everyone, I’m wanting to know does anybody know A company that makes coin operated Self service extractors? These are different to a dry foam carpet shampooer, as these use a shampoo liquid that’s sprayed into the carpet, and then a wet vacuum sucks up the dirty shampoo water with any dirt or liquids into the machine, and then, that gets pumped out of the machine into the drain, has anybody seen anything like this?

 

[MEP001]

I haven't seen an extractor unit in many years. I don't know of any still being made, and there's probably a good reason.

 

[Waxman]

Bud Abraham once explained to me that an extractor is a rinser. basically you scrub and clean the carpets in the vehicle with shampoo and friction and then you use the extractor to rinse the dirty muddy material out of the fabric and carpeting. This important detailing concept is contrary to what you're saying this machinery does.

 

[Earl Weiss]

IMO sucking the dirty water / shampoo out after shampoo is applied is exactly what happens with a Combo Vac. One main difference is the Combos use a brush and friction to loosen the soils.

 

[OurTown]

I have thought about building something like this for years but there are many hurdles. Around here it freezes for months out of the year. There are concerns that people will not vac first and therefore plug it up with too large of solids. To keep the daily maintenance down it probably needs a city water supply and drain to sewer.

 

[ACTcarwashlover]

I haven't seen an extractor unit in many years. I don't know of any still being made, and there's probably a good reason.

Well where I’m from there actually pretty popular, I know at least 3+ different washers that have them and there’s generally gonna be someone who does the entire car with them, they no longer use actual hot steam but they use hot water, not super hot but at most about 110°F and I’ve used them myself and they actually do a better job in comparison to dry foaming carpet cleaners, there’s even this particular one that was made by a European manufacturer (its in Italian and English

 

[ACTcarwashlover]

Bud Abraham once explained to me that an extractor is a rinser. basically you scrub and clean the carpets in the vehicle with shampoo and friction and then you use the extractor to rinse the dirty muddy material out of the fabric and carpeting. This important detailing concept is contrary to what you're saying this machinery does.

Oh, my apologies it’s just with the local versions that I know of, instead of them having a separate brush or chemical gun to apply the cleaning solution, they actually have the chemical coming out of the spray nozzle and the vacuum sucks it up, like a kind of no rinse carpet cleaner, At least this is The particular method that my only two local examples that I know of, the kind with the cleaning gun Was found at a Melbourne car wash, and my hometown is Canberra [ACT]

 

[ACTcarwashlover]

I have thought about building something like this for years but there are many hurdles. Around here it freezes for months out of the year. There are concerns that people will not vac first and therefore plug it up with too large of solids. To keep the daily maintenance down it probably needs a city water supply and drain to sewer.

I’m going to potentially be building my own actually, just as a prototype and just see if the method works, it’s for private use and it will be using off-the-shelf parts and I’m thinking about using a cyclone With a float valve in the tank it’s attached to, and a utility sink pump to work as a drain pump so while the system is running it can dump water out call mom and a 2.2 kW [3 hp] regenerative blower, I might decide to use a Hanna Coleman style brush but I would much rather it producing a More wet foam, instead of dry shaving cream style foam

 

[Earl Weiss]

I have thought about building something like this for years but there are many hurdles. Around here it freezes for months out of the year. There are concerns that people will not vac first and therefore plug it up with too large of solids. To keep the daily maintenance down it probably needs a city water supply and drain to sewer.

I use n anti freeze Shampoo in Combo Vacs and they have heaters for the tank so o issues with freezing. Certainly used less in colder weather.

 

[Greg Pack]

I've never seen a coin op extractor. That's a pretty cool concept. The shampooers (coleman, fragramatics) do a mediocre job but are easy to maintain and it's hard for the customers to really screw things up. I would think a bonafide extractor would have to be a pricey service to pay for the hassle of set up/clean up and customers taking up space for an extended time. People that don't have experience would likely way overwet the seats. As waxman said, properly used, the extractor is the last step in a multi step cleaning job involving cleaners and agitation. The extractor companies do make a low moisture head the pros really like but they are expensive and relatively fragile (look at the mytee dry tool).

I have an mytee lite extractor in storage I pull out once in a while to do my seats and carpet. At one time I thought about offering a "rent it out on site" option for customers for $20 for thirty minutes. But as I'm getting a little older I'm transitioning more to simplifying operations, not complicating life for a few extra bucks.

 

[ACTcarwashlover]

I think the concept has been around for quite a bit of time, as companies that build these machines have come and gone,

Where I’m from people tend to almost treat it like it’s a rug doctor machine, so they actually go quicker over the clean areas and anywhere where it’s dirty they tend to kind of slow down quite a bit, plus the nozzle isn’t dousing the carpet it’s more of a light spray, enough to wet but people would probably have to be holding it in the same spot for over 30 seconds just to over wet the carpet, Plus it’s generally one of those “use at your own risk“ things

 

[Earl Weiss]

I The shampooers (coleman, fragramatics) do a mediocre job but

I use my Coleman SNV on my own car and always pleased with how ell it works.

 

[Greg Pack]

I use my Coleman SNV on my own car and always pleased with how ell it works.

They do a decent job for a quick touch up, especially on general dirt. Not so much on greasy soils. Certainly the most practical option for the SS operator to offer with little to no extra mess and just an occasional fill up of the machines.

For me a hot water extractor with a clear head is one of the most satisfying tools to run. Watching that dirty water getting sucked out of upholstery or carpet is addictive.

 

[ACTcarwashlover]

I did try a Coleman Hannah SNV at a wash north of me, it did an alright job, after scrubbing a mat (car mat) The foam changed from white to a cream colour, so Some dirt was picked up and after vacuuming it did look noticeably better, But after giving it a rinse In the bath tub under a faucet, the water turned brown so it did try, but of course I know not everything is gonna come out so I do think it is pretty decent But it makes me wonder how can one achieve better results

 

[MEP001]

I would think a bonafide extractor would have to be a pricey service to pay for the hassle of set up/clean up and customers taking up space for an extended time.

The ones I've seen, which was many years ago when a lot of car washes were 50¢ for five minutes, were $2 for 4 or 5 minutes, so pretty profitable. It was a stainless box with a stainless tank inside and had an actual toilet flapper valve on the bottom side of the inner tank with the floor of the tank at an angle toward the valve opening. The suction held the flapper closed, and when it shut off the weight of the water would push its way under the flapper. The tank just had to be rinsed out once in a while. It was pretty simple and clever, but it saw very little use so not a good investment.