Myth Busters
The things nobody explains to you.
Most carpet cleaning advice online is written to fill a page. These are written to bust one myth each — the things people actually ask us on the phone, answered by the person holding the wand.
Every one ends with the questions to ask before you book — so you can judge any cleaner, including us. See all of them in one place →
5 August 2026
Does a higher PSI truck mount clean carpet better?
No. Carpet is cleaned between roughly 200 and 500 PSI depending on fibre and soil. Past about 500 you stop lifting water out and start pushing it into the backing, which causes slow drying, returning stains and delamination. High-PSI figures are hard-floor figures.
5 August 2026
Why is vacuum the most important number in carpet cleaning?
Because cleaning is finished by what comes back out, not by what goes in. Vacuum is what removes the water and the suspended soil. Weak extraction leaves both behind, which is what causes slow drying, returning stains and fast resoiling.
5 August 2026
Are all truck mount carpet cleaning machines the same?
No. The biggest difference is where the heat comes from. Most truck mounts recover heat as a by-product of the engine already driving the vacuum and the pump, so those three jobs compete. A separately fired heater does not compete, so the temperature holds when the trigger stays down.
5 August 2026
What should I ask a carpet cleaner before booking?
Ask what pressure they run on carpet, where their quoted temperature is measured, how much hose they run from the van, whether they pre-spray and how long it dwells, and how many dry passes they finish with. Those five answers tell you more than any amount of marketing.
5 August 2026
Does hose length matter in carpet cleaning?
Yes, more than most people realise. Vacuum and heat are both lost over the length of the hose, and the loss increases the harder the machine is working — so a long run gives up performance exactly when the job needs it most. Nothing about it looks different while it is happening.
5 August 2026
Does pre-spraying carpet before cleaning actually make a difference?
Yes — a large one, and it is measured. Detergent used only in the machine's tank cleans just 4.6% better than plain hot water. The same chemistry sprayed onto the carpet first and given time to work cleans 3.54 times better than in-tank use, according to laboratory testing for the Carpet and Rug Institute.
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