MasterCarpet
Member
- Joined
- Nov 11, 2025
- Messages
- 24
- Name
- Trace
- Role
- Cleaning Professional
- Years of Experience
- 17
I had just about 1300 sq ft of office carpet to clean (various types). main area was newer carpet tiles that I know would clean up easily. But the offices were made from various, very old commercial carpets. Some did have a pad underneath. Anyways, I didn't take photos but I should have. I spent so long on these 2 offices. Prespray, Dwell, extract slowly, bumping pressure up, etc. It was still just gray. I noticed that when I scrubbed a spot with my shoe, it looked brand new where i scrubbed. No matter how slow I went or how heavy i presprayed, nowhere else would look half as clean as where I scrubbed with my shoe.
Since it was my only job today, I told her I was going to run back to shop and grab a scrubbing machine. I've got a 20" 175 that's basically just collected dust for 5 years. I've only used it once. I had a green pad that I had used on tile, grabbed that. I did a super light spray, a quick scrub witht that heavy thing and a green pad, the dirt was completely gone. I mean it just took it all out. Did a super quick HWE rinse and this probably 30 yr old carpet looked brand new. I just couldn't believe that the chemical and steam barely touched it until agitation. I have a brushpro but I didn't even bother because I didn't think it'd do much.
This got me thinking that it's probably time for me to invest in some actually VLM equipment for commercial work. I spend so much time on filthy commercial carpets, and lots of wicking problems , even whenever I dry 5 dry strokes, because it's like the soil is so embedded and deep, when you put vacuum on it, it's like it pulls all that dirt through the carpet. I know the cimex is good for production rates, but I've also seem some other units like the Phoenix. I just don't know which one to get. I would like something that I can primarily walk behind because I really dont want to do huge hallways where I'm fighting it like a 175 going back and forth. But I also would like it to be able to be pretty maneuverable to get under cubicles and things like that.
Just not really sure which one to get, but I think it's the right call. Seems to me that with lots of commercial carpets, you just aren't going to get a good result unless you agitate.
Since it was my only job today, I told her I was going to run back to shop and grab a scrubbing machine. I've got a 20" 175 that's basically just collected dust for 5 years. I've only used it once. I had a green pad that I had used on tile, grabbed that. I did a super light spray, a quick scrub witht that heavy thing and a green pad, the dirt was completely gone. I mean it just took it all out. Did a super quick HWE rinse and this probably 30 yr old carpet looked brand new. I just couldn't believe that the chemical and steam barely touched it until agitation. I have a brushpro but I didn't even bother because I didn't think it'd do much.
This got me thinking that it's probably time for me to invest in some actually VLM equipment for commercial work. I spend so much time on filthy commercial carpets, and lots of wicking problems , even whenever I dry 5 dry strokes, because it's like the soil is so embedded and deep, when you put vacuum on it, it's like it pulls all that dirt through the carpet. I know the cimex is good for production rates, but I've also seem some other units like the Phoenix. I just don't know which one to get. I would like something that I can primarily walk behind because I really dont want to do huge hallways where I'm fighting it like a 175 going back and forth. But I also would like it to be able to be pretty maneuverable to get under cubicles and things like that.
Just not really sure which one to get, but I think it's the right call. Seems to me that with lots of commercial carpets, you just aren't going to get a good result unless you agitate.
