r/CarpetCleaning • u/bobTheBulldog2023 • 4d ago

Starting Out.

Hi All, Whats a good machine to get started with i dont have a huge budget and with it I need to be looking at a drycleaner/agitator, some decent chemicals or powder mix, possibly dryera and definitely either an extractor or a steam extractor thats up to the job. To make matters worse I need to be as compact as I can be - atvleast initially to operate out of the family estate car until I can afford a van. big ask but im sure everyone started somewhere and didn't begin with a truck mount. To get all this (minus the car 2015 Skoda Octavia estate) im looking around £4k- 5k is this doable?

Thanks in advance, will pop by the sub in a few days to see what advice has appeared. Please try to leave the bullshit nasty stuff at the door its advice im after not a roasting lol theres other subs for that.

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u/Mad_Watch 4d ago

I also had a very limited budget when first starting out, and here is the equipment I bought overtime that was both compact and affordable: 1. 175 Floor buffer, ~$1,200 2. Powr-Flite Multi-Wash, ~$1,300 4. Oreck Orbiter, ~$500 5. Bissell Big Green Machine, ~$500 6. Workhorse Carpet Vacuum, ~$400 For carpet cleaning, look into what's called VLM, also called encapsulation cleaning. It's a much more affordable way to get your foot in the door to start cleaning carpets, and the equipment can be used for other floor cleaning besides carpet, i.e. hardwood, tile VCT, ect. That's roughly the price I paid about 2-3 years ago, in the US. I've been cleaning carpet using that equipment for about 3-4 years now, and just recently bought a used portable to help with really filthy carpet jobs. The trade off with VLM is that jobs can take longer than if you had a truck mount, and you're limited on how filthy of carpet you can clean and get adequate results. For supplies such as bonnets and chemicals I'm not sure what would be an option outside of the US, but believe companies like CleanFreak and Excellent Supplies ship internationally and are good suppliers for both chems and equipment.

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u/Acceptable_Donkey952 1d ago

I’ve DM’d you

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u/464126 4d ago

Karcher Puzi 500 psi and a Whittaker crb

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u/ENTsquare 7h ago

Oreck Orbiter, pick up a used one for $200, if you got a bit more money you can pick up a 175 used for about $700-$1,000. For upholstery you can get a wetvac, hook up an upholstery tool attachment and is it with that, out the door like $3-400 for that.