Clean It Up

UK Floor Cleaning Forum => Carpet Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: lewis_webb on December 12, 2010, 07:47:57 pm

Title: Wands
Post by: lewis_webb on December 12, 2010, 07:47:57 pm

Hi,
Excuse the question I am about to ask but has been bugging me for a while. I am new to carpet cleaning and have a Truvox President.

I dont seem to be getting on with the wand, seems really hard work to use, probably my technique but whatever i seem to do it just vibrates and bounces over the carpet.

Has anybody got any tips? I am really tempted to buy another wand to see if I get better results with that?

Thanks

Title: Re: Wands
Post by: Colin Day on December 12, 2010, 08:10:29 pm

Seems an awful lot of money for that machine, for it to have such a bad quality looking wand... I may very well be mistaken though....

I would think if you invest in a good quality wand, you'll notice a huge difference.

I'm assuming your wand technique's correct!!!!

Title: Re: Wands
Post by: elliott cleaning on December 12, 2010, 08:55:34 pm

Aluminium headed wands are always going to be somewhat lightweight.  As Colin suggests - get a good wand.  Don't think you can even glide the one that comes with the machine

Title: Re: Wands
Post by: lewis_webb on December 13, 2010, 10:37:04 am

Thanks for the replies. I would like to try a new wand as I will be able to keep it when I upgrade my machine in the future.

Has anybody got an recommendations?

Thanks

Title: Re: Wands
Post by: peter maybury on December 13, 2010, 12:55:20 pm

one thing that has not been mentioned by the previous posters is that a carpet has a pile direction and if you are wanding agaist the pile it can have a tendancy to bounce. When I started in carpet cleaning I did not realise the difference in the quality of tools available and the massive difference they make in both results and user fatigue a good stainless steel wand will be a good investment. If you intend to carry out upholstery also invest in a good internal jet hand tool, your customer willjudge you on the results that you get and the presentablity of your equipment.

Peter
www.carpetcleanercardiff.com

Title: Re: Wands
Post by: garry22 on December 13, 2010, 01:22:04 pm

Just following on from what Peter said above.

Going with the pile direction (or next best thing = across) can make life easier.

I was always taught to drop a heavy coin (say 50p) from waist height, onto it's edge, on to the carpet a few times. In most cases it will jump in the same direction and this will tell you which way the pile is running.

Garry

Title: Re: Wands
Post by: Jamie Pearson on December 13, 2010, 08:23:27 pm

Put aieve ofaper on carpet.

Roll a pen or pencil back and forward on it and the paper will move in direction of the pile.

Title: Re: Wands
Post by: robert meldrum on December 13, 2010, 10:04:09 pm

Why not just draw your foot across the carpet and see whether it's dark ( against the pile ) or light ( with the pile )
Some carpets have more resistance against the wand causing a bounce in which case it's best to cross the pile at 45 degrees.

Title: Re: Wands
Post by: Jamie Pearson on December 14, 2010, 07:09:03 am

The standard wand is pretty poor tbh.

When Chemspec Europe had them made for them (Hydro2000) they imported their own wand for it.

Easy enough to pick up. I got one on ebay the other day for under £30 with my Courier collecting it.

Title: Re: Wands
Post by: peter maybury on December 14, 2010, 10:58:23 am

for a couple of hundred pounds you can invest in a brand new wand that will give you years of service.
They are importand pieces of equipment and well worth investing a small amount into.

Peter
www.carpetcleanercardiff.com (http://
www.carpetcleanercardiff.com)

Title: Re: Wands
Post by: Jim_77 on December 14, 2010, 05:10:52 pm

All I can do is echo the sensible advice above... buy a good quality stainless steel wand - the extra weight is actually better, some tools don't work when they're too light and flimsy ;)

I have one wand that is 10 years old and another which is more recent but will still last years and years.

A few hundred quid seems a big amount to shell out but divide that by 10 years or more lifespan and it suddenly becomes nothing!! 

Crap kit = crap job

Title: Re: Wands
Post by: lewis_webb on December 14, 2010, 08:24:11 pm

Thanks for the good advice guys. Now anyone got any suggestions on which one is a decent wand?

Title: Re: Wands
Post by: Jim_77 on December 14, 2010, 10:04:26 pm

now that IS a can of worms!!!!

Probably for a standard portable you would be best served by a 2-jet model with 1.5" tubing and a 12" wide head, a good all-rounder.  I don't think your machine pump is a high pressure model, so a 4-jet wand wouldn't suit it so well.

10" wide wand will concentrate the suction more if the vac power isn't so great, and the same applies in reverse with a wider model.

tube size - unless you're using a high airflow system such as the triple vac portables or a truckmount, stick to 1.5" tubing.  Bigger tubing will decrease velocity which will actually make recovery worse

Title: Re: Wands
Post by: Vernon Purcell on December 21, 2010, 12:47:52 am

Change your single jet wand to a twin jet , you get less judder on  the carpet You can buy a twin jet wand from Craftex, Hydramaster, Restomate and a few other companys