Carpet brush vs. biege/red scrub pad

[Goomer]

I think everyone agrees on the value of a pre-scrub with a 175. Carpet brushes are designed to scrub carpet, yet everyone seems to recommend beige or red scrub pads instead. From the people who have used both, what are the benefits of each, and which do you prefer and why?

 

[steve frasier]

brushes on cut pile, brush does a lot more then scrub carpet

pad on commercial loop

 

[Jeff Brown]

Get the benefits of both, buy a dirt napper and instead of using a bonnet in the center use your beige vct pad.

 

[Carpet Cleaning Fool]

The pads are cool cuz you don't have to pick-out the "carpet nasties" from the brush after each job.

I'm thinking there's less fiber distortion using a pad too... Also, a two year supply of pads might cost you less than a brand new showerfeed brush, which should probably be replaced every couple of years. But, the brush is certainly an old school classic!

To each his own. Rock on man!!!

8)

 

[JamesBaileySmith]

There are three things everybody should look at before agitating a carpet with anything.
1. Your pile height is the most important factor. I have found cut loop over ¾ of an inch is too prone to pile distortions.
2. The degree of heat set on plied yarns. You can determine this by removing a cut loop yarn and untwisting it a couple of times. If it can go back to its original shape, you should be fine provided the pile height is not over ¾ of an inch.
3. Density is another important factor. Builder’s grade saxony is often a disaster waiting to happen. The weight of the machine should not compress the faceyarn flat.
With this said, I realize that there are variations in machines. Most important, the industry needs to stop making blanket statements about agitation.

 

[DCS.LLC]

I use a Kobelense for agitation on carpet. Very light weight and about the size of a vacuum cleaner, very soft brissels never had any problems.

 

[Art Kelley]

The pads are cool cuz you don't have to pick-out the "carpet nasties" from the brush after each job.

I'm thinking there's less fiber distortion using a pad too... Also, a two year supply of pads might cost you less than a brand new showerfeed brush, which should probably be replaced every couple of years. But, the brush is certainly an old school classic!

To each his own. Rock on man!!!

8)

I've never used a pad and don't know what a beige or red do. I have about 3 or 4 brushes that I use that are 20 to 30 years old. Once a brush is broken in it doesn't grab at the carpet and pull out "carpet nasties". There is no pile distortion. I can use them on all type of carpets for preconditioning prior to steam cleaning. You don't throw out brushes. I think a pad lasts a few thousand sq feet of cleaning. A brush used on a presprayed carpet will last at least 1,000,000,000 sq ft.

 

[Nate The Great]

[quote="Carpet Cleaning Fool":rlrsvn75]The pads are cool cuz you don't have to pick-out the "carpet nasties" from the brush after each job.

I'm thinking there's less fiber distortion using a pad too... Also, a two year supply of pads might cost you less than a brand new showerfeed brush, which should probably be replaced every couple of years. But, the brush is certainly an old school classic!

To each his own. Rock on man!!!

8)

I've never used a pad and don't know what a beige or red do. I have about 3 or 4 brushes that I use that are 20 to 30 years old. Once a brush is broken in it doesn't grab at the carpet and pull out "carpet nasties". There is no pile distortion. I can use them on all type of carpets for preconditioning prior to steam cleaning. You don't throw out brushes. I think a pad lasts a few thousand sq feet of cleaning. A brush used on a presprayed carpet will last at least 1,000,000,000 sq ft.[/quote:rlrsvn75]


I also agree that brushes last a long time. Still got the rotary and brush my pops started with. I see alot of problems with people heeling the machines, which leads to uneven bristles. They don't know how to "walk with the machine". When using pads, I don't think you need to worry as much. I got the Cimex so the workers can't heel it or catch any cords. As for resi homes, I got a the windsor model of the sebo.

 

[daniel@procarpet]

I too like pads for commercial carpet, but they don't last very long. I have used green, red, and white pads and they all do the job. I went through three green pads on a relatively small commercial job about 2k sq ft. The white pad lasted about 5 minutes. The brush in the picture is softer than mine. I have a blue adjust a glide brush and I have had it for 7 years. I don't scrub carpet with it much more but I use it all the time for rugs. I want to get a softer brush though. I also learned the hard way that pads have to be broken in. I must have tripped 5 breakers before figuring it out. I guess a softer brush would be the way to go. A new brush is on my list of things to buy.

Mikey and Ron say they like that super stiff brush for tile work. I have one of those and use it for concrete but the blue carpet brush works way better than the stiff strip brush. It glides over the grout and doesn't dig in imo as well as the carpet brush.

 

[Farenheit251]

I'll white knuckle wrestle a brush on the dirtiest carpets,but 80% of the time spinning a green striped bonnet with one hand is adequate and faster.