First time using a Cimex

Bryce C · Wednesday at 9:14 PM

I have 2 commercial jobs tomorrow, about 7k sq ft of carpet. One is 5 of the floors, hallways and lobbies in a big apartment building. I'm glad I have a van now, there is no way I could get my trailer into this metro area. I am going to rent a Cimex for $50 from our local supplier. Never used one before except a 30 second tutorial at his shop.

I'm thinking of bringing my 175 to post bonnet some of the heavily trafficked areas. I've never done solely vlm cleaning before. I've always extracted heavily soiled areas and did vlm in the lighter areas.

hogjowl · Wednesday at 10:54 PM

Bryce C said:
I have 2 commercial jobs tomorrow, about 7k sq ft of carpet. One is 5 of the floors, hallways and lobbies in a big apartment building. I'm glad I have a van now, there is no way I could get my trailer into this metro area. I am going to rent a Cimex for $50 from our local supplier. Never used one before except a 30 second tutorial at his shop.

I'm thinking of bringing my 175 to post bonnet some of the heavily trafficked areas. I've never done solely vlm cleaning before. I've always extracted heavily soiled areas and did vlm in the lighter areas.

There’s a tutorial on Rick’s website on how to use it.

Mikey P · 2025-08-21T00:37:48-0400

Post bonneting with cotton/blend pads in the high traffic areas is a must with a Cimex imo

Gives OP type results and longevity.

Eventually you'll get an OP and simplify things.

Nate The Great · 2025-08-21T05:05:22-0400

Good luck lifting it in your van.. And please fill it up after unloading from the van......

A post bonnet in the high TA like Mikey said

Bryce C · 2025-08-21T05:36:08-0400

Thanks guys. I'm going to crush it!

Mikey P · 2025-08-21T08:41:33-0400

Bryce C said:
Thanks guys. I'm going to crush it!

What Cimex pads are you going to use?

encapman · 2025-08-21T12:08:47-0400

Bryce C · 2025-08-21T13:39:22-0400

Mikey P said:
What Cimex pads are you going to use?

Beige fiber pads.

Bryce C · 2025-08-21T13:40:49-0400

encapman said:

Thanks bud. I watched a few of your videos at 5am this morning!

This thing is a beast! I would've been stuck here for days with my portable. The results with this look stellar too.

encapman · 2025-08-21T16:07:41-0400

A practical necessity for the Cimex…

Link 63 - Aluminum Ramp (63 Inch) for Carpet Cleaning Machines and Equipment

excellent-supply.com

encapman · 2025-08-21T16:09:56-0400

Bryce C said:
Thanks bud. I watched a few of your videos at 5am this morning!

This thing is a beast! I would've been stuck here for days with my portable. The results with this look stellar too.

Glad to hear you had “stellar” results. Welcome to the Cimex/Encap cosmos!

Mikey P · 2025-08-21T16:47:59-0400

encapman said:

Its been 15 years or so since Ive ran a 'mex

Thanks for the flashback

Kenny Hayes · 2025-08-21T16:58:04-0400

What chemical are you using? Where you need post bonnet is on drink stains mostly. Oxy for those. As Rick shows in his videos, it's best to let them with and go back the next day and hit those with a bonnet and hydrox sprayed lightly on, since you don't have an OP.

Bryce C · 2025-08-21T18:23:10-0400

How about I hit it the same day with my 175? I have a luxuriant assortment of bonnets and fine mists at hand.

Kenny Hayes · 2025-08-21T18:30:59-0400

You can, but it don't mean it won't wick back.
If there's no spills don't worry about it.

hogjowl · 2025-08-21T18:57:13-0400

I don’t think I’ve ever had a drink spill wick back using my Gimex.

Cleanworks · 2025-08-21T19:09:53-0400

hogjowl said:
I don’t think I’ve ever had a drink spill wick back using my Gimex.

Yeah but you only drink sweet tea. What's a gimex!

Kenny Hayes · 2025-08-21T19:10:06-0400

You probably used the right amount of chemical and I didn't. I was nice!

Bryce C · 2025-08-21T20:26:59-0400

Overall the Cimex worked great. But! At the last commercial job there were some traffic lanes that I scrubbed with the Cimex twice, and post bonneted with a microfiber bonnet and they still looked nasty. I went back over it with stronger encap, Commercial Magic, scrubbed with the Cimex, post bonneted with microfiber, and it still looked like garbage. Seriously...

Hit it with Iron Man cotton pads and pulled tons of soil from those areas and they finally looked acceptable. I'm ordering more Iron Man pads. Microfiber just doesn't cut the mustard in the hardest to clean areas

Bryce C · 2025-08-21T20:32:46-0400

I don't get it with the microfiber thing. Whether hand spotting or post bonnet cleaning, cotton simply cleans better in my experience. Are you guys smoking tweedleberries? Do you all own stock in microfiber? Am I more insane than I thought? What's going on here?

Bryce C · 2025-08-21T20:33:24-0400

Today was my best day yet, made $2200. Stoked..!

Kenny Hayes · 2025-08-21T20:41:22-0400

Ok, the beige pads won't be as aggressive as
the gray fiber plus max pads or blue neptune pads. Excellent Supply chemicals are really good. The Encapstore are as well. Those with Tops, and your set for vlm.

Kenny Hayes · 2025-08-21T20:57:06-0400

Probably about the same. By the way, I ordered War on Pee and it does work really good on commercial carpet. Just what the dr. ordered. Extremely concentrate.

Bryce C · 2025-08-21T21:19:12-0400

Kenny Hayes said:
What chemical are you using?

I was using Multi Steam Mist and Brush encap pH 9. It's my suppliers line of stuff so I thought I'd give it a try since I was renting the Cimex from him. I followed that with Vacaway Commercial Magic encap pH 11 in the few tough areas. Never tried Rick's stuff. Ron really likes the Commercial Magic, I do too. Although I have limited experience.

Mikey P · 2025-08-21T21:19:34-0400

Bryce C said:
Overall the Cimex worked great. But! At the last commercial job there were some traffic lanes that I scrubbed with the Cimex twice, and post bonneted with a microfiber bonnet and they still looked nasty. I went back over it with stronger encap, Commercial Magic, scrubbed with the Cimex, post bonneted with microfiber, and it still looked like garbage. Seriously...

Hit it with Iron Man cotton pads and pulled tons of soil from those areas and they finally looked acceptable. I'm ordering more Iron Man pads. Microfiber just doesn't cut the mustard in the hardest to clean areas

View attachment 132270

View attachment 132269

Glad Pads from Trinity will grab even more

Microfiber's are not meant to grab that type of soil.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2Y_dJX8Vpk&t=5s

Kenny Hayes · 2025-08-21T21:37:27-0400

Bryce C said:
I was using Multi Steam Mist and Brush encap pH 9. It's my suppliers line of stuff so I thought I'd give it a try since I was renting the Cimex from him. I followed that with Vacaway Commercial Magic encap pH 11 in the few tough areas. Never tried Rick's stuff. Ron really likes the Commercial Magic, I do too. Although I have limited experience.

View attachment 132271

That's fair on the chems especially since you were right there. I'm positive they don't compare to any of the 3 I mentioned. I use Rick's the very most. Tops is great too.

Mikey P · 2025-08-22T08:47:13-0400

Kenny Hayes said:
That's fair on the chems especially since you were right there. I'm positive they don't compare to any of the 3 I mentioned. I use Rick's the very most. Tops is great too.

You need to add Saigers Oxi Encap to that list heavy hitters.

First time using a Cimex

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