Intersting discussion.
I've run a small indepent company (not tied to a franchise, so we can use what we like) for nineteen years. We use the following...
CARPETS.
1/ Hot water extraction (3 portables including CFR. I never thought I'd be in business long enough to justify a truck mount!)
2/ Low moisture (Dry Fusion & micro splitters with microfibre pads)
3/ Dry compound (HOST. I have used enviro dry but can't really say if one is better than the other).
UPHOLSTERY.
1/ HWE (CFR).
2/ Von Shrader.
The fact is that they are all the best to use IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS.
I've had times where I've used one system only eg HOST. The fact is that sooner or later you will come across a situation where a different approach works better. Here's a few examples.
1/ In the early nineties, I cleaned a really greasy pub carpet with HOST, just the way Geoff Greeley from HOST showed me. It came up great. The problem was that an area about the size of two through lounges cost about £70 in HOST compound and several hours of my time! Nowadays, I do them with HWE.
2/ We have been doing a large office block twice a year for several years (low profile loop tiles, with lots of drinks spillages).
HOST did not touch them (even with black brushes), HWE led to stains wicking back, but Dry Fusion has got them looking like the day the were laid. The client loves it.
3/ We've got people with floatex carpets that cannot be cleaned with DF and are a pig to dry with HWE. HOST brings them up beautifully. We also do server rooms that have to be cleaned with HOST. I've even got domestic customers who insist that they have carpets cleaned "with those cornflakes" (even when they've got navy blue long piled carpets - You try vacuuming dry compound off those!).
UPHOLSTERY.
I've had problems with VS with re-soiling due to the amount of foam left in the fabric. I've also found there is a point when HWE produces a much better result, particularly on greasy or grimed in dirt. This is especially true on folds on the arms of suites. With a CFR machine (HWE), being able to use a fine mist at up to 350 psi, in an enclosed tool gets fantastic results.
VS, however is great on quick turnaround jobs such as coach upholstery where having dry seats is the overiding priority.
With regard to drying we always use turbo dryers with HWE and DF.
The quicker, the better. Heck we even tried to speed up the drying of HOST sponges once by trying to move tha air around up high in a room. We got a mini tornado travel through the house and dump a load of HOST compound on the guy's snooker table!
Most of these methods are years old.
LM was around years ago and as for HOST...
I was at a seminar many years ago with a chap in his seventies. He said his granny used to clean her carpets with old tea leaves and a stiff broom!
I can understand someone's frustration when the invest a load of money and then find the stuff on general sale at half the price. The fact is that it's horses for courses. Go look for the work that suites your equipment
I'll sit back now and wait for the storm to erupt.
Garry