Of Extraction The job is carpet cleaning. The decision you must make is which extractor is best for getting the job done right. By: Jeff Cross The Options I In virtually any service-related industry, choosing the right tool for the job is the key to success. For contract cleaners and facility cleaning pro-fessionals, carpet cleaning is often considered one of the most challenging cleaning chores they engage in. It’s typical that carpet isn’t cleaned as often as it should be — on a regular maintenance sched-ule — and restoration efforts are required. This means that having the very best tools — in either portable or truckmounted extractors — is important. If you choose what is best for your company or facility, you not only create satisfaction with your customers or facility users, you create confidence in your technicians. They feel and perform better because frustra-tion is reduced and their sense of pride increases. With quality tools, you suffer less frequently from costly downtime. Jeff Cross is the senior editor of Cleanfax magazine and an industry trainer and consult-ant. He offers carpet cleaning marketing, disaster restora-tion marketing and contract cleaning marketing seminars and classes through Totally Booked University, and also Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) techni-cal training for carpet and furniture cleaning, spot and stain removal and carpet color repair. For more infor-mation on Cross’ technical training and marketing training, visit www.cleaningprofessor.com. Does that mean a portable is best? Not neces-sarily. It depends on the situation. For smaller buildings and for homes, a truck-mount may be the best option for speed of clean-ing and easier access plus, many believe, better flushing and subsequent removal of carpet soils. You pull up to the main entrance and within minutes of pulling hoses from the truck or van into the building and bringing in your cleaning tools, you are cleaning carpet. Many truckmounts come equipped with onboard water and a large waste tank, which means longer cleaning sessions. Oftentimes, jobs can be completed nonstop, while with some portable extractors, that may not be the case. Remember this: With either portable or truck-The Debate: Truckmount Or Portable If you work in a facility, no doubt a truckmount may be limited in reaching all areas that need cleaning. Although some of the more powerful truck-mounts on the market can reach carpet hundreds of feet away from the van or truck, many cleaners hesitate to engage in that far of a reach. Instead, they may opt for a high-performance portable, especially when working higher than the first floor of a building. A portable extractor is easy to use and can be used anywhere in the building, without concern if the cleaning is on the first floor or the 50th. As long as there is a supply of fresh water and a sanitary sink or toilet for disposing of waste-water, technicians can do their work with efficien-cy and skill. for more info Visit www.cmmonline.com and type in search keyword: Carpet Cleaning . For more information on related products, visit www.cmmonline.com , select SUPPLIER SEARCH from the main navigation bar, and enter keyword: Extractor . Contract cleaners and facility professionals like options, and many situations demand the use of a quality portable extractor. 24 CM/Cleaning & Maintenance Management ® • August 2010
CMM – Archives Aug 2010: 24
