[vangaurd]

been using this machine for 3 weeks now, after paying over 2 thousand
quid is it me or is this a load of crap!
went to clean a carpet , today sunday,
just did not give me the results again lifted loads, of dirt but carpet still looked grubby just does not seem to have much lifting power for me.

[jeff1966]

Iv'e been using my excel for nearly 5 years now,in 99% of cases the results are great.I find in some cases customers are not completly truthful in what they have tried cleaning there carpets with. i.e 1001,vanish,  these products cause permanent damage to carpets and no amount of professional cleaning will bring these carpets back to there former glory.

[Glynn]

What chemicaks where you using ?

[stevegunn]

been using this machine for 3 weeks now, after paying over 2 thousand
quid is it me or is this a load of crap!
went to clean a carpet , today sunday,
just did not give me the results again lifted loads, of dirt but carpet still looked grubby just does not seem to have much lifting power for me.

It's just you try using different chemicals you'll be surprised by the difference

[JS2]

I did a filthy berber today with my Extracta DX (one model down from the Exel) and it too lifted plenty of dirt.  Carpet felt dry to the touch in less than 1 hour, on the surface at least.  Result:  carpet still looked a bit grubby and patchy !  Well, I'll have to give it another shot next week, however since it was my porch-hallway carpet then I won't be complaining.  But if at had been a real customer then I guess they wouldn't have been over impressed, despite the considerable improvement.  Can't blame the machine though !

Pete (JS2)

[carpetguy]

Vanguard ,

I can get extraordinary results from less powerful machines and have done so for years, even little Puzzis, or old Hydromists, etc...............in other words, it's not the machine, possibly not even the chemical, you're using, so, it has to be the operator

Are you new to this business..............are you suited to this business...............have you the application and self discipline required, to get results ?

Not everyone is able to get good results in this business, no matter what they use !

I've seen many people, totally unsuited to the industry, who simply can't apply themselves, to the task, or seem incapable of learning the basics and repeat the same mistakes, week after week, or even for years.

It's possible, of course, that you just need help and if you listen, there are plenty on here offering it.

Not meaning to offend, but, if someone blames their tools, they should have their techniques checked and read the labels, etc.

I was a novice, years ago and learned by my mistakes, but ou are fortunate in having a load of experienced people who can, and will help with your queries.

[Jason Hedges]

Vanguard,

I would very much doubt it was the machine unless its faulty.

Did you thoroughly pre-vac in both directions with a decent vacuum first to remove dry soil?

Did you use the correct chemicals, mix them at the correct ratio and give pre spray the right ammount of dwell time (or if used m/s did you agitate thoroughly)?

How many passed did you make? Sometimes with a really grubby carpet and using a lower power machine you will need to make several passes to flush out all the dirt.

Even if you did all these things some carpets are so badly worn and the pile has burst and the fibres become stained with the dirt!

I use a 135psi machine and have to admit that some really dirty carpets do take extra effort and time to get as clean as I'm satisfied with.

All the best,
Jason.

[Ian Rochester]

I too am an Extracta Exel user, we operate two machine day in day out, trust me it is not the machine that is the problem, it will give you excellent results everytime, even on the dirtiest of carpets.  We have any amount of repeat customers, commercial and domestic, who have had others in, even TM's and much prefer our cleaning results.

What chemical are you using, if you are using extracta chemicals then make sure it is the Superchem, however I recently changed to Formula 90, which I find gives excellent results.

Are you using a wand or a scrubba.

In essence all machines are the same, they spray a solution in and then extract it out, some may also agitate in the process.

The solution you use is key, as is your technique.  Don't blame the machine, I love cleaning berbers with the Exel and Scrubba, they come up like new everytime.

[the red carpet]

I dont think much of the results when using there wand, but use the scrubba and its a different story

[Chris R]

The Excel is an excellent machine, but the wand that comes with it is crap !

Sell it and buy a desent twin jet, stainless steel type ( about £200 ?)

I also dont reckon much to extracta chems. Use the range from Hydramaster or chemspec.

If you pre vac, pre spray with a good product, AGITATE the carpet with some type of mechanical device and then rinse it with your excel you should get good results most of the time. I used one for about 10 yrs, built the business up on it.

But,,,,,,,, some carpets are just knackered and thats it !

regards

Chris


ps  So what everyone is saying really is that YOU are a CRAP carpet cleaner, and so dont blame your tools 

[Terry_Burrows]

my pal use the excel top range for many years he loved it,we use ninja as they are very near to us,have no probs with this,will up grade soon to 400 psi top model,we use Ahsbys chems no problem machine great

[vangaurd]

chris on your advice. i will give this game up as you say i must be crap"
after i have cleaned the  4 offices, removed chewing gum from outside another office block, cleaned the carpets for 3 letting agencys, i do work for .
strpped and sealed 2 hard floors for 3g phone shops etc all on referals.
only then will i tell them.

[Nathanael Jones]

I'm told the excel is almost identical to the alltec machine???
If so,.. I'd agree,.. because my Alltec is also a heap of junk.
That's not to say I can't get good results with it,... use the right solution, agitate a lot, and spend a lot of time at the job and you can match the results of any machine,.... but time is money, and if another machine could allow me to do the same job faster, then I'd be looking to upgrade (Which I am!)
My shopping list would be:
Mytee Speedster
100' hose
CFR wonder wand
Extracta Scrubba

For a relatively small budget,.. I doubt you could beat that setup, as anyone who has tried out the speedster will tell you.

[stevegunn]

chris on your advice. i will give this game up as you say i must be crap"
after i have cleaned the  4 offices, removed chewing gum from outside another office block, cleaned the carpets for 3 letting agencys, i do work for .
strpped and sealed 2 hard floors for 3g phone shops etc all on referals.
only then will i tell them.

Not necessarily any good maybe just the cheapest

I thought you were looking at the speedster?Did extracta take your other machine in part x ? I thought after a few months of reading these forums you would have realised that there are better machines on the market than extracta.