using a thermax on thursday for first time

[vacuumfreeeke]

Hey guys.... I have a friend who cleans houses and his neighbor is moving out and asked if he would do her place... he didn't know, but she expected him to clean the carpets as well and she's going to rent a machine. He asked me to help, so of course I agreed. She was going to get a Rug Doctor at Publix, but there's an Ace Hardware in the same plaza and they have the Thermax machines for the same price as the Rug Doctors... I told him to ask her to get the Thermax instead... I don't like the Rug Doctors because both tanks aren't removable (I hear they've fixed that on newer models though) and you have to tip them up and only go backward with them... it makes the job really tedious. I've never used a Thermax before so I'm really excited... I will try to take before and after pictures and post them here.

Is there anything I should know before I do this about the Thermax machines? I may bring one of my Hoover Steam Vacs as well just in case I hate the Thermax or in case it needs scrubbing.... don't some of them have a motorized carpet head as well?

Thanks!

 

[twocvbloke]

Once you use a Thermax, you'll throw that steamvac out...

 

[floor-a-matic]

Thermax

Yes some mdls have a Power Brush.

Don't Rug Doctors clean FORWARD & REVERSE? I've only pushe it forward to dry carpets faster.

http://www.thermaxrentalsinc.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=15&products_id=135

 

[kirbyvertibles]

I love the Thermax system

I love it so much that I became a dealer for them. Anything Thermax that you need let me know via email. I also plan to start useing them in my small carpet cleaning business i'm starting on the side.

 

[kirbyvertibles]

wooohooo I just ordered my first CP3 cleaner with the power brush today, should get it tomorrow, I also ordered the AF2 vacuum. Can't wait to play with them, I have dealt with plenty AF1's but this will be the first time I have seen the AF1 in person. I will start a new thread with pics.

 

[kirbyvertibles]

so have you made your choice yet on what you will use?

 

[vacuumfreeeke]

Thanks for getting back with me guys.... I have decided on the Thermax for sure.... no question! The only other temptation was to see if I could find a place that was renting the new Bissells since I'd considered buying one if my 2 Steam Vacs ever give out... I'm looking forward to trying a machine I've never used before and I can't wait to see the results.... will let you know how it goes.

Flooramatic, Rug Doctors don't clean forward and reverse... you do a back stroke with them and then have to tip them up on the back wheels, push them back to the beginning and do another back stroke.... I don't think it's easy to push them forward because they aren't meant to be used like that.... it's soo tedious.

 

[kirbyeureka95]

the lowes near me

rents the bissell big greens so maybe check there

 

[vacuumfreeeke]

OK, so I used the machine yesterday, and I'll share a few cell phone pics. Let me just say that I was extremely disappointed. The carpet was much dirtier than I expected it to be, and the machine just didn't do as well as I expected it to. Not only did it not have as much suction as I expected, it was bulky and cumbersome, the cord was short... I just did not like it at all.... I had to bend over to push the wand and really put muscle into it. It was truly awful. We used a whole bottle of shampoo and the results were pretty disappointing... I was not with them when they got the machine and they didn't get the powered head, but I thought it would be OK because the professionals don't have powered heads and they seem to do just fine in one swipe. The only good thing is that the dirty water tank had a huge capacity and I didn't have to dump it every 5 minutes like I do with my Steam Vac... but truly, I should have just pre scrubbed with my Kirby and then gone over with my steam vac and some Oxi-clean and it would have done better... plus I would have been able to stand upright the whole time!

Here's the machine...

 

[vacuumfreeeke]

Before pic of the carpet

 

[vacuumfreeeke]

another before.... how nasty!

 

[vacuumfreeeke]

Me using the machine

 

[vacuumfreeeke]

the after.... still terrible though a little lighter after TWO HOURS of cleaning.... what a nightmare!

 

[twocvbloke]

Good lord!!! That carpet was DISGUSTING!! I've seen cleaner carpets dumped in fly-tipping heaps!!! I think that was a case of trying to polish a turd, you'd have saved money by going to a carpet store and buying a new one, and getting a Sanitaire while you were at it....

And I thought I was a pig...

 

[tolivac]

I think your neighbor needs NEW carpet in her house.If you are going to clean that floor-your Thermax needs the MOTORIZED brush tool to do the job.If it can get that peice of carpet clean-the Thermax is a competent machine.

 

[kirby519]

That thermax machine looks like the old Rince & Vac carpet machines you could rent years ago. I used them then started using the Rug Doctor (wand model) those were great. The Rince & Vac machines had only a 20 to 30 psi pumps and a single vacuum motor.

Commercial machines have any where from 100 psi to 500 psi and at least two 2 or 3 stage vacuum motors. Of couse the truck mounts have the maximum suctiion of any. That is why commercial cleaners can clean in one pass and the have pre treat products to assist in breaking up the soil prior to extraction.

Machines like the one pictured are made for people that don't have the experience with that type of equipment to hot water extract carpets with out over wetting. The reason for the low water pressure. The wands for the commercial machines are longer to reduce bending. And yes a powered nozzle would have helped. Even pre scrubbing with the kirby would have helped. I do that also even with my commercial box extractor.

To top it all of that carpet was not even worth cleaning. It was well past time for replacement.

 

[vacuumfreeeke]

Thanks for the insight about the machines! Yes, I think the carpet was beyond hope... remember, the lady was moving out and just wanted the carpet cleaned so she could get her deposit back... I don't think she got it based on the carpet alone LOL

I hope the landlord replaced that carpet before trying to put new tenants in the place. It's not that big of a room and would probably not cost too much.

 

[floor-a-matic]

a XXX SteamMaster will REALLY get the dirtiest (even worse than shown here) carpets super clean!

 

[ridgidwd0670]

Your Thermax probably needs serviced; its well worn & poorly maintained

My Thermax was missing a motor mounting screw, which resulted in very low suction. Once I put on the missing screw, the Thermax had more suction at the hose/nozzle end