Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Machines

Cold water extractors use unheated water and work well for light soiling, regular maintenance cleaning, and delicate surfaces. Hot water extractors heat the solution before it reaches the carpet — typically between 60°C and 90°C — which breaks down embedded dirt, grease, and bacteria significantly more effectively. For commercial cleaning, restoration work, or heavily soiled carpets, a heated unit delivers noticeably better results. For vehicle detailing and light upholstery work, cold water often does the job at a lower price point.

For occasional residential or light commercial use, a 10–20 litre tank is manageable. For daily commercial use — hotels, offices, cleaning contractors — look for 35 litres or more on both solution and waste. Larger tanks mean fewer stops, which directly affects how much area you can clean per hour. For restoration work where you're dealing with flood-damaged carpets across large areas, 55 litre tanks or above are worth considering.

Yes — most commercial carpet extractors come with or are compatible with upholstery tools, which use lower pressure and a smaller head designed for softer materials. The key is using the right pressure setting and tool for the material. Delicate upholstery and vehicle interiors need lower PSI to avoid damage. Most extractors in our range include upholstery attachments or have them available as accessories.

For standard commercial carpet maintenance, 100–200 PSI is sufficient. For deeply soiled commercial carpets, high-traffic areas, or restoration work, 300–600 PSI delivers better results by driving the cleaning solution deeper into the carpet pile before extraction. Higher PSI machines are generally more expensive but the difference in results on heavily contaminated carpets is significant. For upholstery and delicate surfaces, stay at the lower end regardless of what the machine is capable of.

Some are, but not all. For water damage restoration you need a machine with strong vacuum suction — measured in water lift — and large recovery tanks. The priority in restoration is water removal rather than solution injection, so high suction performance matters more than PSI. For full flood recovery you'd typically pair an extractor with air movers and a dehumidifier. Give us a call and we can help you spec the right combination for your job.

A well-set-up commercial extractor with strong vacuum recovery typically leaves carpet dry within 1–4 hours under normal conditions. Hot water extraction with good suction tends to dry faster than cold water because less solution is left behind. Air movers speed up the process significantly — in restoration or time-sensitive commercial situations, running air movers after extraction can cut drying time to under an hour.

Portable extractors are self-contained units that run on 240V power and go wherever there's an outlet. They're practical for mobile operators, smaller facilities, and situations where a truck mount isn't feasible. Truck mounts are permanently installed in a vehicle, draw power from the vehicle's engine, and deliver significantly higher suction and heat than portable units — but they require the truck to be parked outside with hoses run into the building. All machines in our range are portable extractors.