[David Rogers]

I picked up a second hand minitex machine yesterday. For those that haven't seen one, it's a handheld rotary machine with a drive pad on the end that holds small 7" pads.

As well as stairs, I'd like to try using the machine to clean upholstery, preferably using a powered version of the 'hand scrub' method.

With this in mind, has anyone used of these machines?  Any tips or advice?   and any chemical options for cleaning upholstery with one of these, that doesnt then require HWE?

Ie.... I was told you can apply a fabric shampoo of some sort, agitate and clean the suite with the minidex then towell dry ?! 

Any pointers appreciated.   

[Neil Williams]

Sold mine sometime ago because it's really not suitable for doing upholstery.
If you do decide to still go ahead with it then do it some distance away from walls and wooden furniture because no matter how much you ring the pad out it will still throw droplets of liquid around in a 360 degree arc.

[David Rogers]

Cheers Neil.

That's pretty much what the guy who sold it said!  ...... I bought it to sit alongside my Dry Fusion set up, to do agitation and shampooing of the Catalyst/Activator...... but I'd fancied seeing what I could do with it on upholstery.   Doesn't sound too good eh!

[Neil Williams]

With hinsight perhaps I should have experimented with fitting a skirt to it so that everything was contained within the pad area. You could try that.

[Mark_Jubb]

Great for agitating pre-spray on upholstery prior to HWE, but you've just retired from that market David.
Texatherm do a range of brushes suitable for use on different fabrics, you could possibly spray with a shampoo solution, agitate with Minitex, then vacuum off with a wet vac. Just a thought. And Neil's right, using a pad on upholstery throws moisture all over the place.
When scrubbing stairs, especially if you're doing a lot, don't put too much pressure on the brush, there is a thermal overload on the motor which will kick in and leave you without power to the minitex for quite a while.

[Simon Gerrard]

David,
We've got the Minitex and have experimented with it on all types of upholstery but the only one it works on 'ish is faux suede. The Von Shrader machine may be better for what you want, but you'll still be hard pressed to get really dirt suites clean with it.
Just trying to help, don't bite my head off.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3H3jqAfKzLs

Simon

[David Rogers]

Great for agitating pre-spray on upholstery prior to HWE, but you've just retired from that markey David.
Texatherm do a range of brushes suitable for use on different fabrics, you could possibly spray with a shampoo solution, agitae with Minitex, then vacuum off with a wet vac. Just a thought. And Neil's right, using a pad on upholstery throws moisture all over the place.
When scrubbing stairs, especially if you're doing a lot, don't put too much pressure on the brush, there is a thermal overload on the motor which will kick in and leave you without power to the minitex for quite a while.

Cheers Mark, fair point on the 'retirement'    ..... but that's not a strategic decision, I'd actually love to continue being able to offer a fabric suite cleaning service - I just don't want to use HWE not because it's a bad system but because I want my business to offer a uniformly fast drying service, of no more than an hour.    I'm all ears if anyone has any suggestions on alternatives to HWE for cleaning fabric suites!

Simon - I had an ARIDEX but as you say it was poor on heavily soiled suites, (especially light coloured) so I returned it to Ian Monk.  No more head biting tonight, I'm full. 

Cheers,
David.

[richy27]

what type of hand tool were you using

[Nigel_W]

David,

You can get suites dry in an hour using HWE.

Prepsray with a Microsplitter, hand towel and use a CFR handtool with an 01 jet or a drimaster tool to rinse. Dry with a fan.

You also need to be using a machine that has the right pressure/ heat combination. I like high heat (200 degrees) at about 150-200psi for fast drying suites.

There is no "dry method" that will come close to the results of this approach.

Nigel

[derek west]

don't think that advice will go down to well.

[Gerry Styles]

I have the minitex with an upholstery brush works well. Only use it on bad upholstery though.

[idealrob]

Taking delivery of Dryfusion crystal upholstery machine on wednesday, another dry foam machine, which we have used since 1982 a Geo holloway . Still beleive this is the best method imo

idealrob

[Joe H]

Hi Rob

You must come back and tell us how the DF Crystal Fusion gear performs - give it a wek or two till you tried it proper.

Joe

[clinton]

Is it the brand new machine on there site?

Be good to know how it goes with it..

[robert meldrum]

It's a copy of the Argo oscillating plate machine ..............instead of a round plate as in normal rotaries it's a rectangular plate as in a typical sanding machine a coachbuilder might use.

I had one years ago, it works by " blotting " but assisted by vibration / oscillating

[C Phillips]

Robert I think you are getting mixed up with the vibradry, this is a flat bed system used for stairs.
The Cristal Fusion is very similar to the Host Aridex.
saw one at the show it looks a good bit of kit, keep us posted rob.

Here is the link to the cristal fusion, no pics though.

[C Phillips]

Sorry here is the link

http://www.cleanerswarehouse.co.uk/store/Cristal_Fusion.html

[idealrob]

Yes, as c phillips posted above link, yes thats the machine, very impressed on own sofa and dry in 1 and half hours after good soaking getting the hang of on off detergent switch, Dry fusion are bringing out a pre spray for the machine, not available yet, but what would you recomend at the minute for pre spray for sofas ?

Idelarob

[Dean Wilson]

Chemspec Heavy Duty Soil Lifter.

Great on Upholstery. Powerful but pH neutral.

[Paul Redden Countryfresh]

I know Chris Straker swears by the minitex for upholstery especially
for M/S

[peter maybury]

With dry foam machines nothing comes close to the von schrader the contra rotating brushes make it far more user friendly, the hollaway does not compare and is very primitive by comparison . These machine are very expensive but if you are serious about dry foam cleaning is the only one to go for.  The fact the the dry foam has no heat means that you will need to rely a lot more on spotters and other treatments. There are a lot of things you can add to the foam solution to enhance the results and the brightening effect that you get on many fabrics is not achievable with water extraction. I used a von schrader on upholstery and nothing else for many years but now use hwe as it is so much quicker and easier to get results.By using a truckmount I am able to achieve fast drying times. Using presprays and other additive will increase the drying times with foam but what people really want is results, it is no good telling somebody their suite will be dry in 1 hour if they are not satisfied with the results anyway. The von schrader upholstery machine is also superb on leather and again leather cleaning concentrates can be mixed with the foam. Dry foam is the best media for penetration into fabrics and with practice good results are achievable even on dirty fabrics but it is hard work and time consuming a dirty suite could takes 3-4 hours. It is much harder to get good rates for that amount of time.
 
Peter Maybury
www.carpetcleanercardiff.com

[idealrob]

As for 3 to 4 hours per dirty suite, never takes longer than an hour even on suites we though were brown, but turned out to be gold, dry foam imo is the quickest drying times.
Used to clean a toatl of 8 suites and 8 carpets in one 9 hour day, could allways clean at least 5 suies a day and make money, and do a fantastic job, thats why we have been going for 55 years, not tring to sound big headed, have a 6000 sq metre factory for at one time just carpet cleaning.
Did look at Von Schrader, but liked the more quite dry fusion, do agree about bigger brushes on v s sytem, but working on that getting bigger better brushes made

idealrob