the extractor

Ok, we all know how much hot water cleans better than cold. We know the importance of proper prep before extraction. However, does the extractor soap really help to clean? How can it be performing as advertised if it is only on the carpet for less than a second? If it is such a potent soap that it only needs less than a second to break up dirt and grime, then how is it that it doesn't eat the skin off our hands? We still have a half a bucket of powder but I'm not so sure I want to reorder more. What do ya think?

Water hot or cold, will struggle with an oily mark. Detergent will almost instantly break down oils (depending on how much and how greasy it is).

I wouldn't ever be without detergent in my extractor, but sure why don't you test it. Do half a carpet with just hot water extraction, then add the soap and do the other half. Let it dry and see how it looks, smells, etc. Maybe a mat would serve the purpose....

Let us know as well!

Bob

Due to the soils in carpets this is the recommended method of cleaning by the Carpet Cleaning Institute:

a. 85% of the carpet soil is dry
b. 15% of the carpet soil is oily

That being the case, this is the recommended cleaning process:

1. Vacuum very, very thoroughly to remove all the dry soil
2. Hand remove stains/spots with stain removers and preferably a vapor steamer
3. Pre-spray a light coat of carpet shampoo to emulsify the oily soil on the car-
pet fibres and let dwell a few minutes.
4. Friction scrub with hand brush or preferabley a rotary shampooer power tool.
5. Use a heated extractor with a high dilution (60 to 1) extractor shampoo in the
solution tank to rinse out the oily soil and shampoo residue.
NOTE - YOU CAN USE JUST HOT WATER BUT THE EXTRACTOR SHAMPOO HELPS TO "RINSE
CLEAN."
6. When rinsed, go over the carpet with the extractor nozzle and no solution to
to remove excess moisture.
7. If necessary for fast drying use a 2100 cfm air blower to dry

Hope that helps you

Regards
Bud Abraham