Host or Streamin Demon
Printed From: Carpet Cleaning Forum
Category: Carpet Cleaners Discussion
Forum Name: Carpet Cleaners Hangout
Forum Description: General discussion on anything related to carpet cleaning
URL: https://www.kleenkuip.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2513
Printed Date: 26/February/2025 at 5:24pm
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Topic: Host or Streamin Demon
Posted By: Brian S
Subject: Host or Streamin Demon
Date Posted: 13/April/2006 at 6:43pm
| I own Bigfoot Air Duct Cleaning and have been thinking about offering carpet cleaning since alot of coustomers ask about it. Carpet cleaners are like landscapers here in Walla Walla, one on every corner but it seems to still be a viable business to get into. I have had a good numbers of people ask about dry extraction since they dont like their carpets to be wet and worry about mold. What is the general concensious on the Host method? they appear to have the best machines on the market for this type of cleaning. Im also considering the Streamin Demon over any other portable, who here has used this one and what do you have to say about it? A friend of mine runs ACE Carpet cleaning with a truck mount and say the host method is hogwash. Is this just a case of my machine is bigger than yours? |
Replies:
Posted By: huckmuck
Date Posted: 13/April/2006 at 7:45pm
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The steamin Demon is great it does a great cleaning job and the carpets dry quick. It is pretty expensive but worth it. ------------- Huckmuck |
Posted By: Revee
Date Posted: 14/April/2006 at 2:36pm
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Making an assumption you are looking to do residential customers. I have never used the Host machine though I have heard some positive feedback about one particular model, which name escapes me (LIberator?)The machine I heard good commets about is made by host and is basically a pile lifter and extractor, but I'm not sure if it is also used to apply the cleaning method. I believe the host method uses spongelike material saturated with a solvent based encapsulation cleaner. The sponges are applied (again I'm not sure how) and allowed to dry on the carpet, then extracted. I own Von Schrader equipment. I am very happy with it in most instances except it is a bit bulky for putting in and out of the van, cleaning in tight spaces. But it does a great job on residential carpet and most commercial grades. It is not an ideal machine for greasy restaurant type carpet and if you're planning on doing a lot of that type of stuff I'd think a Steamin Demon would be a great machine. I've also heard of people using both VS and a Steamon Demon in conjunction for certain types of greasey jobs. Von Schrader and Host are 2 separate companies but each share a manufacturing plant and each company is owned by one of the Rench brothers. So they tend to use some similar methods. VS does not use sponges but does use encapsulation cleansers. The difference from many who use encapsulation cleansers is that that Von Schrader machine also extracts the cleanser, you don't have to wait for the carpet to dry so it can be vacuumed later. In most cases the carpet feels dry or very near to dry within 60-90 minutes. Whatever method you choose make sure you plan for stairs. The Von Schrader carpet machine is NOT suitable for use on stairways and based on pictures I would think the Host machine is also too large. I own a Von Schrader Espirit (upholstery machine) and this is outstanding on stairs. Some also clean stairs with low moisture using encapsulation with hand buffers, etc. |
Posted By: Brian S
Date Posted: 17/April/2006 at 2:28pm
| Thanks for the feed back. the streamin demon sounds great except the amount of water used, not very enviro friendly really when water is in short demand in the summer time. I like the fact that is flushes the carpet with pure water and no chem so your getting a better rinse which should mean the carpets stay cleaner longer. Host says with wont cause wicking and leaves no residue but im just not sure on how well it works on really dirty carpets, plus it does require vacumming first, aplying the sponge and working it in the removing it which can be done with one piece of equipemt by host, just a lot of steps to get it done where as the streamin demon is prespray then rinse. |
Posted By: Revee
Date Posted: 17/April/2006 at 6:04pm
| No matter what method you use you really should vacuum the carpet first :) |
Posted By: Brian S
Date Posted: 17/April/2006 at 6:09pm
| Thats true but i have yet to see a carpet cleaner here do that. You should see the way chimney sweeps and furnace cleaning is done here. In and out within an hr, thats not right even with the big power vac trucks. |
Posted By: Revee
Date Posted: 17/April/2006 at 7:11pm
| Now you're scarin' me. Where is "here", that no one pre-vacs? Are you in US or Canada or elsewhere? |
Posted By: Brian S
Date Posted: 17/April/2006 at 8:07pm
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Wa state, we managed an apartment complex so i got to obseve alot of different carpet cleaners to find one we liked. Also after that job I worked with a very well to do carpet cleaner here and we very rarely vacummed first. We did have to stop offten to remove debris from the wand since pre vacumming was never done. |
Posted By: Michael
Date Posted: 17/April/2006 at 8:19pm
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He was probably more careful before he became well-to-do. Skipping the pre-vac means more debris going into the extractor, which means more wear and tear. It may take longer, but I handbrush all the edges then vacuum using a top-of-the-line commercial grade Royal. Many of us could easily get away with doing less. It may make little to no difference in the end-result (sometimes), but it's a great first impression at the very least. |
Posted By: carpetologist
Date Posted: 18/April/2006 at 10:07am
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One way to answer your question on Steam vs. Host. Open any yellow page book in the world and count the percentage of Host Carpet Cleaners. Why does the veteran carpet cleaner not use Host? Phone a couple and ask. ------------- Kleen Kuip Supply Mart Inc. http://www.kleenkuip.com - New & Used Professional Carpet Cleaning Machines, Restoration Equipment, Training, Service and Supplies |
Posted By: Brian S
Date Posted: 18/April/2006 at 12:39pm
| We have 2 in our area, one uses Host the other i believe miltex and provides materss cleaning ( I dont buy into that system at all). Thousands of $$$$ for a dirt devil vac with a $40 uvc light. Anyway these 2 guys are rather busy and im asked about the dry method a bit so was curious. Talking with truck mounted guys they all say they better than each other, So it seemed like a little bit of penis envy going on, happen with us duct cleaners to. |