[Ian Gourlay]

Not sleped to well due to an aquement with a colleque over a job.

So been reading an article in Clenfax on line about how often a carpet should be cleaned.

Nothing new or earth shattering to report.

But once again a pile lifter was mentioned.

I have neve seen one, I have only heard of one make
I think it is Chemstractor? Are there other makes? Who uses one ?

But my question is how does it work What does it do diffrent from a vaccum

[Mike Halliday]

big motor turning a big, heavy duty brush.

strange how they call them a 'pile lifter' not vacuum cleaner perhaps the makers consider the lifting of the pile to be their main objective, after all the actual vacuum power isn't alot better than a commercial vac

[The Great One]

Hi

i use the Envirodri as it is a pile lifter and well as a cleaning system.

Martin

[Nigel_W]

Ian,

The Chemstractor is a different machine.

The pile lifter is a huge heavy vacuum cleaner. See link below.

http://www.kleenkuip.com/images/used_chemspec_pile_lifter.jpg


Nigel
www.designcare.co.uk

[Derek_Walker]

A pile lifter is a funny sort of cream the doctor gives you 

alternatively, it's just a very large powerful vacuum cleaner.

[Billy Russell]

Derek,

Are you sure your not on about a Pile Shifter!!!!! 

[garry22]

Ian,

We have used one for years. It is an indispensable piece of kit.

It is basically, a really heavy duty industrial vacuum cleaner that fetches out the crap from deep down in the carpet.

It only has wheels at the back. All of the weight is supported by the brush (think a HOST type brush). This is powered by a 3/4 horsepower motor that is geared down. All the weight is taken on the brush which really does get down to the carpet backing.

It drives forward at a fast walking pace but the real results come when you pull it backwards (against the drive). This (to paraphrase the playtex ad) lifts and separates the pile. It really does help the cleaning process.

Even on low profile stuff (as in this video  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZX-vhqFj2o ) it still gets a load out and breaks up the surface of compacted dirt.

On some jobs (say a domestic through lounge) you can find yourself in a situation where the carpet looks completely clean after just the pre-vac.

When you finish the vacuuming, more often or not, you have a bag full of dust that is almost like talcum powder. This I presume, is the impacted stuff from deep down.

You can probably tell I'm a fan.

Garry

[Simon Gerrard]

The Flexi 5 is the daddy of pilelifters especially as it not only pre-vacs but agitates the pre-spray - brilliant piece of kit and well worth the price tag.

Simon

[Shaun_Ashmore]

Years ago I used to have a Hollaway pile lifter when you turned it on IT took you for a walk the bag would fill up may be 10 times faster than a sebo, Holloway also used to make a 'rug badger' lookee likee aswell as the Swift upholstery cleaner.

Shaun

[Joe H]

I got to use a pilelifter as referred to in the earlier posts and in my opinion it beats the Flexi5 for lifting pile and dry cleaning a carpet (and I have the Flexi5 equivalent - Carpetgard).
Dont think you can use the pilelifter for agitating pre spray though.

[garry22]

Years ago I used to have a Hollaway pile lifter when you turned it on IT took you for a walk

That's what I've got Shaun. I'm told it came from a Department Store back in the sixties (it works in square yards). Still does a great job

I cannot buy off the shelf brushes now so I have to have them custom made.

[Shaun_Ashmore]

I bought mine from a hotel worker it was advertised in Admag but I didn't want to know any history of where it came from but for £25 I thought it was money well spent.

Shaun

[garry22]

Not bad considering they never wear out and cost a grand plus new. Sounds like a good deal.

[john martin]

check out this mad attachment ...  lol
http://www.steam-brite.com/store/complete-pile-lifter-carpet-dragon-p-4335.html

The thoughs of hauling the pilelifter around is the worst .. and they dont wheel very well

[david_green]

I assume you cant use the vac on the flexi 5 once the carpoet has been presprayed. So is it a 2 stage process vac and brush first folloewd by brush only?

[david_green]

Aslo what do you think of pile lifters in domestic situations are they too aggressive? I'm thinking of wool.

[garry22]

Aslo what do you think of pile lifters in domestic situations are they too aggressive? I'm thinking of wool.

Great in through lounges, not so clever in tiny rooms.

For a one off there is no problem on wool

[Robert Watson]

Hi. I`v got a Chemspec one for sale.

http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=125649.0