Rotovac, Cimex, or swing machine...

[Outnumbered]

I asked this on another thread but I guess it is better not to jack that thread so here is my question...

For us newbs, is there any risk of burning the carpet or otherwise damaging it with the swing machine? I would assume that if you use a swing machine on a residential carpet to loosen heavy soil you could do some damage with the wrong pad or brush. What about the yarn twist or "frizzing" the end of the tufts?

I'm shopping for equip right now and I am leaning toward a 175 swing rather than a Rotovac or RX20 for heavy soil. I figure the 175 can serve more uses and the RV seems to get mixed reviews. Then, there are more choices like the Cimex too.:?


Thanks for the help.

 

[J Scott W]

There are a lot of ways to damage carpet by using a machine the wrong way.

To use a swing machine on carpet, you need a suitable brush and pad along with lubrication.

If the above qualifications are met, the rotation of the machine will not harm the twist of carpet fibers - except for the very rare fiber which has a reverse twist.

Scott Warrington

 

[Willy P]

Host machine. Fast learning curve, great results.

 

[Outnumbered]

There are a lot of ways to damage carpet by using a machine the wrong way.

To use a swing machine on carpet, you need a suitable brush and pad along with lubrication.

If the above qualifications are met, the rotation of the machine will not harm the twist of carpet fibers - except for the very rare fiber which has a reverse twist.

Scott Warrington

Thanks Scott. I plan to get certified before I do any jobs and I hope that they do cover this topic in the classes. But, I would like to keep shopping for good deals on used equipment as they come available.

With your Versa Pro machine, which pads or brushes would you recommend for typical residential nylon cut-pile and then how about berber, commercial, etc?

Thanks again!

 

[Outnumbered]

Host machine. Fast learning curve, great results.

I'm not familiar with the Host. Where can I get more info?

Thanks

 

[J Scott W]

If the intent is to prescrub prior to HWE extraction, I would use a nylon brush with bristle no larger than .022".

Be sure to break in the brush by running it for 10 minutes or so on some concrete before working on carpet.

You could use the same on commercial carpet.

Personally, I would avoid using a brush on most Berbers.

The advantage of a machine like the Versa Pro is that it can also be used to bonnet carpet, help dry carpet after HWE, used on stone, tile and grout and so forth. If your only use would be to prescrub carpet, a used Host machine or a used swing machine would serve fine.

Scott Warrington

 

[Ricky Thurman]

A 175 is great for prescrubbing. Not really a risk as long as you don't get stupid with it. Don't use a really abrasive pad. If you are concerned about pads, use a shampoo brush. Plus you've got it if you want to do some VCT work.

Cimex is good too, but too big and bulky for use in a lot of homes and tight spaces, but then you've got it to use for encapping commercial if you have plans to market that.

I 've got no experience with a Roto-vac, but from what I understand, the 175 and regular wanding will get much better results.

 

[Outnumbered]

A 175 is great for prescrubbing. Not really a risk as long as you don't get stupid with it. Don't use a really abrasive pad. If you are concerned about pads, use a shampoo brush. Plus you've got it if you want to do some VCT work.

Cimex is good too, but too big and bulky for use in a lot of homes and tight spaces, but then you've got it to use for encapping commercial if you have plans to market that.

I 've got no experience with a Roto-vac, but from what I understand, the 175 and regular wanding will get much better results.

That is the way I am leaning. I'm in the process of getting my new to me Steamway mounted and ready to go. The TM should have plenty of heat and vacuum.

 

[Rex Tyus]

I think it is Meat that advocates the green stripped bonnet with a rotary for prescrubing. Especially when starting out. Any way that is also an option for the 175. Good luck with your decision. I believe the 175 would be the most versatile machine for the money. But one of the counter rotating cylindrical brush types scrub well too. I saw one demoed at a class and was impressed.

 

[floorguy]

I would lean more to the cimex...

yes its a bit heavier and not as easy to take inside a house (multi-story)

but there are A LOT of "other things it can do, and its not going to ruin a carpet as fast as a rotary..

 

[Stevea]

I will have to just add my thoughts: without a doubt the Cimex is going to be the best for overall use. It has proven to be the safest as to not damaging carpet. You can run over broken seams and it will not hurt them or make them any worse.
The Cimex with Brushes is hard to beat plus the ease of use is just great, no torque, no spinning someone around and it has the unique ability to pile lift and agitate the entire fiber which other single disk machines will not do.

I know there is always talk about it being too heavy or bulky to use in homes but I guess that is a matter of viewpoint and opinion. I have used Cimex equipment for the last 33 years and with a 'very rare' exception I have used it to agitate every carpet I clean. Then when this is followed by HWE the results are great. This is with the use of nylon brushes. What it does to make the job easy to break up soils and traffic areas makes it invaluable in my opinion.

Just my thoughts, which mean little but for great results and ease of use it is one great piece of equipment.

Take care,
SA

As for ease of moving around, the 15 inch machine is not too difficult to get in & out of a truck or a home. It covers a great deal of area quickly.

 

[diamond brian]

Definitely a danger in burning carpet with the 175. Use a wet pad.

 

[Dolly Llama]

First off, call it a ROTARY , not a "swing" machine.
yea you can swing it side to side, but the most effective way to use it is in little over lapping ovals.

I think Geenie(?) may have described the motion best.
It's like writing small cursive "e"s over and over

Nothing against Host machines or other counter rotating cylinder brush machines, but a rotary kicks their azz every time for shearing soil off a fiber before extraction.
Also much more versatile

Nothing against the Cimex either.
just too darn big, bulky and heavy for residential.
if you do a lot of lg com jobs, it might be a better choice.

but you still need a rotary first.

As Rex mentioned, I'm an advocate for newbies to use synthetic green striped scrub bonnets to scrub with.
saturate them with pre-spray and pre-spray the carpet and you'll have little worry of "burning up" a carpet.
Personally, i find them to work better than a shampoo brush anyway.
As you gain more experience you'll learn when and where (and what pad to use) to be more aggressive with what you scrub with.

I'm curious, did the "burning up" a carpet come from a Cimex salesman named Ricky??? :roll:


..L.T.A.

 

[Outnumbered]

First off, call it a ROTARY , not a "swing" machine.
yea you can swing it side to side, but the most effective way to use it is in little over lapping ovals.

I think Geenie(?) may have described the motion best.
It's like writing small cursive "e"s over and over

Nothing against Host machines or other counter rotating cylinder brush machines, but a rotary kicks their azz every time for shearing soil off a fiber before extraction.
Also much more versatile

Nothing against the Cimex either.
just too darn big, bulky and heavy for residential.
if you do a lot of lg com jobs, it might be a better choice.

but you still need a rotary first.

As Rex mentioned, I'm an advocate for newbies to use synthetic green striped scrub bonnets to scrub with.
saturate them with pre-spray and pre-spray the carpet and you'll have little worry of "burning up" a carpet.
Personally, i find them to work better than a shampoo brush anyway.
As you gain more experience you'll learn when and where (and what pad to use) to be more aggressive with what you scrub with.

I'm curious, did the "burning up" a carpet come from a Cimex salesman named Ricky??? :roll:


..L.T.A.

Thanks for the info. No on the burning question. I just thought about how you can burn paint on a car and I also read about some vacuums that can damage carpet and/or void the warranty (Dyson). I just want to do the best job I can and don't want to damage anyone's stuff.

 

[floorguy]

lol meat...

hows about a wall banger...

can we call it that???

 

[ksokalski]

I have used a 17" rotary machine in a residential setting but the 15" Cimex will blow it away every single time.

You want to talk about ease of use...try pulling a lower case letter "e" in a 2.5 foot walk way between two pieces of wooden furniture. Okay...so you can do it because you are a master...now let your employee try it....lol...I didn't think so.

Get yourself a 15" Cimex machine...you can truly run it with one hand, it will outperform a rotary machine and if you want to talk about versatility...Soft Brush, Hard Brush, Pad Drivers, Virturally no over spray (as opposed to a rotary machine) and will "out-agitate" a rotary machine any day.

I mean common...on a Cimex machine you have three smaller rotary machines on one larger one....which do you think will work better.

If you guys are still stuck on a rotary machine...I have one for sale...with pad driver and adjustaglide brush.

Kris

NOTE: I will tell you what it comes down to...it is the price...$650 VS $3000. Somebody who cannot see the value in a $3000 machine will choose the $650 machine anyday.

Now say that the Cimex was $650...who wins now?

 

[Jimmy L]

I have a 175/300 speed rotary and can use it with one hand in a residential and a properly lubricated tuway pad.

I use it on the 300 speed.

 

[brite n clean]

I use a Rotovac, but the only thing I can compare it to is an ordinary wand. The Rotovac does a great job for me and sure impresses the customers. It's easy to use once you get the hang of adjusting it, and has been more than up to any challenge I've faced. Probably better methods out there, but for overall ease of use and effective cleaning I'm more than happy with the Rotovac