Do you keep an RX20 or Rotovac on board?

[Mikey P]

For true grease/grime pits?


Do you know for a fact that they clean better than a scrubbing with a 175/shampoo brush and wand rinse?

 

[Bruce Humphrey]

No and No

 

[Mikey P]

I personally think that are situations where the trapped heat will do better and with less effort on the operator but....



How about that Rotovac on tile, anybody try that?

 

[Ryan]

Never tried it, but everyone I've ask said they sucked on tile.

 

[Jim Martin]

I use my rx all the time....I can see a differance......and I can cover more area in less time

 

[Scott Rogers]

I have in the past and will in the future, but currently on my rig is a Whitaker CBM and a Defender OP.

In most cases the CBM follow by my glided wand is fast and easier then the ROTOVAC. But the OP is definitely slower then the RV.

Op gets used when I need to both prescrub and post pad though.

The Whitaker CBM is much lighter and easier to carry in then a 175, so it is more likely to get used IMO.

 

[The Great Oz]

Rotovac on all residential trucks and RX20s on the commercial trucks. The commercial trucks also carry the shampoo brush adaptor for the RX.

As far as comparing pre-scrub and rinse to just using rotary extraction, I'd say there are some places where the pre-scrub and rinse would remove more soil. Using the rotary takes far less time.

 

[cleaningfool]

I can see how an rx would save time. I just haven't bought one. But on the trashed out apartments the 175 with the green and white bonnet and cobbs powermax it hard to beat.

 

[XTREME1]

I own 2 rotovac originals and a 360 and neither can touch a 175 scrub and extract

 

[Amazing]

Oh the really bad ones get hit with the rx20.

I end up using it about 2 times per month.

I also do a huge fellowship hall for a church a few times per year, it speeds the clean time on that job.

Will I part with my RX20? No, it was money well spent. But not an every job tool!

 

[Jim Williams]

I agree that the 175 will clean a rat nasty better. I have had a few where the 360 wouldn't do it but the 175 scrub cleaned it.

BTW-Anybody want to buy a 360?

 

[daniel@procarpet]

The only time I ever see any benefit in using the rx is carpets that streak. I don't care what others say, some carpets streak with a wand. I run into maybe one account out of a hundred that is a pita to clean with a wand. That is where the rx shines. The rotary action cleans great and guaranteed to not streak. Plus you can hold the machine in one spot for superior rinsing action. A scrub and wand will clean better in most situations. Better yet a good vac and strong machine will clean better imo. I personally prefer an ungided wand for most applications but that is just me. I converted my rx star over to five 80015 jets instead of the three cone jets and have slot glides. After using it for a couple months I think the glides leave the carpet wetter. The unit may perform better with three 8002 jets and five vac slots. The original full slot was hard to operate on cgd so the half slot was created to perform better on all types of carpet. I never had a problem with the original setup. I just wanted to improve performance. I think I am going to go back to three 02 jets and keep the glides. The glides are good but the unit is still bumpy on certain carpets. Basically if you buy a new star just keep it the way it is. You can improve the performance for sure but it cleans just fine the way it is.

I never keep it on the truck unless I have pre-inspected a job and determined it would be the best option.

 

[amazingcleansc]

I'm happy with the RX. I've prescrubbed rat nasty apartments and I've RX'ed them and I think they are both about as fast.

 

[NobleCarpetCleaners]

I tried my 360 couple times before I gave up my Chevy's account. It did real well. Of course it's a chemistry job more then it need agitation. Needed to me melted with the right pre-spray.

360 on tile. A tile head came with my used 360. RV doesn't understand that flat bristles won't drop into gout lines. I'm having it re-stapled in Houston right now.

 

[Mikey P]

Scott, remind me, are you running a Savage unit?

 

[NobleCarpetCleaners]

I have a WM ComandHO, no filter box, custom "y"s for running 4 to the door.

 

[Mikey P]

gotcha



I think it was Greg from Chico who had the Savage.

 

[SMRBAP]

4 Vans, 4 Rotovac's - I'll never have a van w/o one.

I have yet to run into a carpet that we haven't been able to clean to a customers utmost satisfaction when needed, that is, carpet that though may hold 3 lb's of soil per sq ft, is still in functional shape (no delam, worn 1/2 way to the backing etc).

We stray away from running them on resi berber and any glue down.

We have cleaned carpets that have for the most part resembled chewed bubble gum on a sidewalk with them.

I am a firm believer that the heads holding in the heat is a huge plus. With our Peaks and Everests the carpet will still be steaming for a good while after the heads pass over them.

I'd like to know if anyone has ever rigged up some kind of thermostat under one to see what the under the head actual cleaning temps are, vs. what the same machine at the same distance from the tm against a regular floor wand would end up being.

Anyone?

 

[Curtis Pennington]

I have owned both a rotovac,360, and a RX...I liked them but a wand, pre scrubbed with a 175 is just as good or better. Time spent in the unit also about the same....

 

[Nate The Great]

RV360. Either the wand or RV360, the carpet gets a scrub before rinsing. I have 2 original RV's, that need a new motor on one side, (which I have). I'm just procrasti(Nate)ing to put it back together. Those strainers for the solution lines are a must. Try checking if the jets are spraying suck a$$ if you work alone.

 

[XTREME1]

I mirror can be helpful found in most homes

 

[Out of Character - 0]

We don't keep a rotary extractor on our tucks because we don't have space. If were doing a real bad residential job that has a lot of paint, gum, glue, or wax then we'll bring the original Rotovac. Commercial jobs that are going to take 4+ passes we'll bring the rx20. The rx20 is slower but easier on the tech.

 

[Johnny]

I RX'd almost every job for years until I discovered an OP prescrub and high-flow wand cleans at least as good, is easier on my old bod, is much less cumbersome, and is faster, and dries faster, and gets the corners, and cleans under furniture easier. If you have a helper, she can prescrub ahead of your wanding. (Way faster!)

The benefit of an RX is that it scrubs. But, usually, every square inch doesn't need to be scrubbed. Time wasted.

RX=cumbersome time-waster, IMHO

 

[Mountain View Carpet Care]

175 in my book. You get the added dwell time and no gas and no hours added to the truckmount.

 

[TimP]

I don't carry mine on my truck. I only break it out to do my schools. I prespray and rx20 rinse with my truck. And cimex scrub and greenhorn wand rinse with the other machine.

As far as residential goes. Judson o2 ps heavy the whole job at one time, then rinse. I haven't pulled out a scrubber for residential in months. And with the o2 I haven't had to spot clean much lately either. The local grease pits are too cheap to get carpet cleaned.

 

[Mark Saiger]

RX 20 with old style full slots and 5 jets on van, but have only needed it about 3 times a year in last 2 years since moving to high flow wands, 2.5 inch hose and just using the windsor for agitation in most cases. If that doesnn't do it, then dig out the big gun, but I like to wand over the RX just because it is faster and a lot less work in the homes. I RX 20'd everything for a long time prior to that.

Mark Saiger
www.saigers.com

 

[Steve Lawrence]

Dedicated RXer here. Coupled with our Hi Heat Butler and glides it's a wonder to behold.

 

[amazingcleansc]

Dedicated RXer here. Coupled with our Hi Heat Butler and glides it's a wonder to behold.

rxs definitely do the job.

 

[DevilThomas]

I carry 2 Rotovac's on board....a 360 and an Original...both are lightweight, easy to use, effective, powerwands. I also carry 2 OP machines on board...a 85 lb,17" wheeled, and a 24 lb, 12". To provide needed agitation.

Used on properly agitated presprayed carpet...the powerwands are amazing in very challenging situations.

 

[Kevin. McCreary]

I just put a glided rx-20 back on the trucks after years with out one.

No doubt about it its slower, but if Im the guy doing 5 or 6 houses a

day, 5 days a week, Im not as tired out at the end of the day or week.

One huge benifit, even if the cleaning was equal to the wand, clients

see somthing different than what everyone else uses or somthing

they see in every ad. People like different sometimes.