Better than a carpet washer!

[Vacuum Facts]

I’ve often found that people think carpet washers are a good approach to stains. For (real-world) messes and stains, a simple damp cloth rinsed in dish detergent and microsponge treatment is the cheapest method I’ve experienced that also gets the best results. I’ve completely cleaned the worst thick and dirty, greasy chain oil patches using this method. Carpet washers don’t clean as effectively on the surface and actually make a bigger mess deeper in the pile. They’re marketed as a silver bullet, and people fall for it, but they’re a bit of a scam for the most part from what I’ve measured. (Incidentally, there are good physical reasons for this covered in this lecture when discussing carpet backing and airspeed as a function of pile depth.)

I evidenced this beyond all reasonable doubt a few years ago and forgot how poignant the video was until I rewatched it in response to a recent thread. I’ve made a playlist of different methods of cleaning and examples. There’s also a playlist showing professional cleaning using microsponges.

 

[kloveland]

I would rather use a carpet shampooer extractor on dog piss. A damp cloth will not clean up dog piss, vomit on carpet.

 

[Vacuum Facts]

You might think that. I found that actually the exact opposite is true and it's even shown fully in the link above. It's hard to dismiss video evidence as strong as provided. And that's the whole point of this thread really—to dispel myths and show what's really true, even if it seems unbelievable at first glance. I've had feedback over the years how people have changed how they clean since.

 

[kloveland]

You must be laughing your ass off. You give out wrong information to get a thrill!

 

[Vacuum Facts]

I mean, you can literally go watch it happen before your very eyes in the video. There's no way anyone who watched it and had an interest in expanding their horizons could possibly suggest it's wrong information. The empirical evidence is right there for you to see for yourself. That's not me giving out wrong information; that's blatant fact denial and reality dismissal. I mean, you just can't reasonably discuss with anyone who flat out rejects reality offered on a plate. But that's fine; my expectations are always low. I guess this post isn't for you at the moment.

 

[thevacomaticiec]

You must be laughing your ass off. You give out wrong information to get a thrill!

i have a carpet washer extractor wet dry vacuum all in one i love it the gung dirt grime it pull out my carpet i was suprise even i vacuum twice a week and my cat loves to roll on the carpet so extraction suction and agitation will remove the stain the key is to do as many suction only pass as posible to remove all the dirty water . thats the key

 

[Vacuum Facts]

the key is to do as many suction only pass as posible to remove all the dirty water . thats the key

I would have thought so too. It turns out that's not the key. The video above shows crystal clearly what happens even if you do dozens and dozens and dozens of extra suction only passes. And then there's all the scientific literature findings too that are really shocking. They seem like such great machines, definitely do extract dirt, but there are big side effects and consequences to their approach no one talks about that are shown in the video. Worth understanding and learning of other extremely effective methods.

 

[kirbyman65]

So just to make it clear,
you claim that if I use a sponge, soap, and a rag it will clean better than a carpet washer that will extract all the dirty water with suction? How did you conduct your tests?

 

[thevacomaticiec]

i was about to as k the same thing to me avacuum suction cleans better than a rag pushing down the dirt

 

[kirbyman65]

i was about to as k the same thing to me avacuum suction cleans better than a rag pushing down the dirt

Exactly! We think alike!

 

[thevacomaticiec]

Exactly! We think alike!

Yes!!! we do you need suction airflow agitation dirt removing detergeant alll that combo to remove dirt why do you think vacuum cleaners work airflow and suction being the way the dirt is remove why they were invented in the first place much better then a broom it picks it up puts it in a container that you empty voila wine stain gone no hes full of rubish

 

[kirbyman65]

Yes!!! we do you need suction airflow agitation dirt removing detergeant alll that combo to remove dirt why do you think vacuum cleaners work airflow and suction being the way the dirt is remove why they were invented in the first place much better then a broom it picks it up puts it in a container that you empty voila wine stain gone no hes full of rubish

He is! Well said!

 

[keldrin]

Well, my thoughts are not scientific. And I do believe that dawn can do wonders removing certain stains. However, not extracting the water/solution containing the stain should mean the stain material is still there. Thus much more likely to show up again. Maybe not as strong, but still.
Instant hand sanitizer kills germs, but the dirt is still on your hands. You need to wash and rinse to get your hands actually clean.

 

[keldrin]

I guess the flip side argument is pushing fluid through the stain could spread the stain material to other areas.
I had a felt cowboy hat that got blown off into the road by high winds. It had black from the asphalt on it. I tried using a stain cleaner to remove it without success. I then took it to a hat shop and they told me the cleaner I used made the stain go deeper into the felt and ruined the hat. If I had brought it straight to them, the could have sanded the stains off.

 

[royalfan103]

He is! Well said!

Oh god, I recognize this dude. Wait, weren’t there a couple threads on him over the past few years?

 

[Vacuum Facts]

I mean, responses of this nature only require me to redirect to the first post for all answers. Hope it helps resolve the difficulties.

 

[briguy]

“Vacuum fallacies” Hot water extraction will always be the best way to clean carpet. As someone who worked as a professional capet cleaner and who has removed carpet I can speak definitively. In fact, hot water extraction is the method recommended by the Carpet & Rug Institute. Let’s also notice that in the videos a real vacuum isn’t used, but rather a stick vacuum for someone who speaks as they know what they’re talking about when cleaning carpet. I also never saw the carpet rolled back showing what the backing looks like comparing the methods. I can tell you I am not going to be cleaning my 2,200 sq ft of carpet with a rag or any dry form of carpet “cleaning” product. Hot water extraction is the key. Then you use air movers to dry it thoroughly.

 

[thevacomaticiec]

Oh god, I recognize this dude. Wait, weren’t there a couple threads on him over the past few years?

What's you mean

 

[royalfan103]

What's you mean

https://vacuumland.org/threads/the-most-frustrating-vacuum-video-on-youtube.38196/
https://vacuumland.org/threads/a-yo...-doesn’t-know-how-bagged-vacuums-works.45787/

 

[thevacomaticiec]

Aah i forgot him i recall now