an expert opinion from professional carpet cleaner
& Mass Carpet Care owner -
Many people have been sold and sold again that a truck mount carpet-cleaning machine is the holy grail of cleaning a rug. I’m here to set the record straight.. Truck mounts are the only way to go when cleaning residential homes, condos and apartments that is for sure and a given. However, sometimes commercial cleaning calls for different means.
Portables of today are not only adequate but in many cases blow that monster sitting out on your lawn away. There are three elements (...actually four when you count Elbow Grease...) to cleaning carpets. #1 water pressure
This is the amount of force the water is shooting out of the pinholes at the end of the technician’s wand. Portable machines start at 100 psi and go up from there. At Mass we use 1000-psi pumps that operate at about 4- 500 Pounds Per Inch. This is the same pressure truck mounts are run at. Imagine your shooting this blast of water at the big dirt trails in your carpeting; even if you cant see its there. Everybody’s “Got Dirt.” A 100-psi pump will only actually shoot out at maybe 60 psi or so; this is not nearly enough Pressure. As on the other end 7-800 psi blasting out would one get your carpet much to wet and two possible do some damage to your fibers, carpet glue or even wet the wood below and that is something you do not want to do.
Actual cleaning pressure of 4-500 psi is optimum. Quality portables will produce that hands down. So you’re blasting away this trail of dirt and literally turning it to mud right there in your carpet; this now mud trail starts to pool up and puddle. You must vacuum that mess up fast. This is the second element of cleaning a carpet. #2 Vacuum power
Portables come in many shapes and sizes and quite honestly for the most part do not have enough power for the job; For the most part that is. Anything less then dual 3 stage motors will not do. Machines with dual 3 stage motors at 100 feet of hose have more then enough suction to pull any muck, dirt or water out of any carpet period. A quality kept up truck mount machine is a great thing. The main difference is convenience and speed. They can carry their own water, create their own power, and can create the third eliminate to cleaning a carpet. #3 Heat
These are gasoline powered motors called “Slide ins”. Some machines run directly off the trucks motor!! This is where a truck mount really differs from the majority of portable carpet cleaning today. A truck mount use to be unmatchable in the hot water department. Used to be is the key words here.
Portable heat has come a long way in the last five years or so. It's is absolutely necessary to have heat when cleaning. Yes this is much more involved then simply putting a garden hose on your truck mount and away you go, then why? Several reasons
A. Price. A quality truck mount starts at $15,0000.00 (without the truck!) Where a comparable portable can be picked up for around $5000.00.
B. Power. I truly believe that once you’re up 4 floors or higher you will lose too much power to justify the need for one. For high-rise cleaning that is. Truck mounts are absolutely great for residential cleaning. They were made for it! Did you know that truck mount manufactures recommend only using 150 feet of hose maximum? That’s 150 feet away from their truck. How far are they going? For anything higher then the second floor we use portables; and yes your lobby will be as clean as your penthouse. Walk your truck mount cleaned building and check out their results. High to low. C. Versatility. If what I say is true is; and I truly believe it is. That a quality portable using adequate water pressure, suction and heat is as good or better… Then of course a portable could be used in many more situations then a truck could.
Truck mounts are impressive machines not only in looks but performance as well. However, just like any vacuum even the ones in our homes, you’re going to lose power if not keep up in a professional matter. The gaskets and the dump doors must be changed and cleaned regularly. Believe me there is nothing cheap about working on a truck mount for this reason it often gets neglected. Often not always. Is your current carpet cleaner up on everything? You be the judge. About 20 years ago when I first used a truck mount (after years of doing it the hard way) I thought that when I fired up this loud shiny, fancy, expensive machine that it was going to do it all. Just do it all, right. Wrong. After the excitement of how fast you can set up and no buckets! Wow! That was great for the first few days then all of a sudden here we are scrubbing and sucking carpet. It’s the same process! machines vary. Some have good pumps and weak vacuum; some the opposite. Cleaning carpet is a trade and it takes a professional to know what it takes. Maybe more strokes with weaker vacuum or more scrubbing with a less then killer pump. Bottom line I know how to get the dirt out of your carpet and that’s what we do. Period. When it really comes down to it, it’s the operator cleaning your investment. He or she must be experienced in the carpet-cleaning field and understand the methods of getting the dirt out of there. Correct water amount, angle of attack, correct pre treatment and spotter chemicals as well as good-old hard work and elbow grease! This dirt did not get in there overnight and will take a little effort to come out. An experience tech could clean your carpet better with a rug doctor then an untrained person with the most powerful fancy shining truck mount you can find.
Please be sold on references and delivery rather then hype and slander. Just because a person has a big fancy rig does not necessarily mean he should be trusted with a product sometimes worth several thousands of dollars. In closing I will say I am only pulling from my 25 plus years in the floor cleaning industry when writing this informational. My main goal here is to educate you in the exact process of cleaning a carpet. Can you remember? #1 Water Pressure and some scrubbing #2 Vacuum power or adequate passes and #3 Heat! Hopefully this will turn up the heat on those putting every angle they have on there “the only way” Machine. Give us a try. Your carpets will come cleaner and stay cleaner longer. Guaranteed! | 
