Truck mount carpet cleaning machinery is a costly investment. After you have purchased the truck or van that you will mount the machine in, you have to find a machine that fits in the space allocated for it in the vehicle and meets your specific needs.

There are several things to consider when you are making the final decision about what machine to choose. Think about the following pricing and costs of truck mount carpet cleaning equipment that affect the lifetime cost of the truck mount:

1. Decide if you can save money by purchasing a used truck mount carpet cleaner.

2. Calculate the cost of supplies for the truck mount.

3. Think about the cost of replacement parts for the truck mount, some of which a warranty may not cover.

Action Steps
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Consider the cost of a new truck mount versus the cost of a used truck mount

If you are just starting a new floor cleaning business or purchasing a truck mount floor cleaner for a business, such as a real estate business, buying a used truck mount may be the most budget friendly option for you. Used machines are rated by the hours of use and are usually priced anywhere from 10 to 75 percent cheaper than new models. It is important to find out if a warranty covers the unit, as a used machine may end up being more expensive than a new machine if you have to overhaul it.

I recommend: Century Supply sells new truck mounted carpet cleaning equipment. Prices start at around $15,000 for a basic unit. This company offers financing to qualified individuals and businesses. Steam Brite sells new and used truck mount carpet cleaners. Prices range from about $5,500 for a basic used machine to higher than $20,000 for new machines.

Think about the cost of supplies for truck mount carpet cleaning machines

Truck mount carpet cleaning equipment needs cleaning agents, such as deodorizers, shampoo and stain removers to work properly. Because these products aren't reusable, the cost of purchasing new supplies is a revolving expense.

I recommend: Namco has a varied selection of chemicals for use with carpet cleaning equipment. This company offers bulk discounts on all of its products. The prices range from around $10 per individual unit of some chemicals to over $100 for a case or 50 lb container of other products. CleanFreak.com sells chemicals for commercial carpet cleaning equipment, which start at around $30. This company has a basic chemical package available for around that same price.

Find out the cost of truck mount carpet cleaner replacement parts

Most truck mount carpet cleaners have a factory warranty. In some cases, such as when you purchase used truck mount carpet cleaning equipment, the warranty may be void or it may cover only some of the cost to repair it if it stops working properly. Some items, such as fitting and recovery tanks, aren't usually under any warranty.

I recommend: Magic Wand offers a varied selection of replacement parts for truck mounted carpet cleaners, including water temperature gauges and fittings. Prices vary from less than $1 for fittings to more than $1,000 for mounted reels. WorldofClean.com sells various parts for truck mounted carpet cleaning equipment. Prices vary greatly from around $350 for valves to as high as $2,000 for a slide in engine.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If you have a truck mount that isn't working properly and you find that you need numerous parts for it, consider purchasing a cheap used truck mount to use for parts to fix your truck mount. Another option is to sell the truck mount for parts and use the money you make to put a down payment on another truck mount.

Let’s face it, we would all like to quit that 9 to 5 job and become our own boss – it’s the American dream. A carpet cleaning business can fulfill those dreams and be profitable as well.

Truck mounted carpet cleaners can be bought used, new or even leased from a minimum of about $3,000 all the way up to $30,000. The profit from your own business depends on how much the truck mounted carpet cleaner costs to buy initially and routine maintenance.

There are 2 basic styles of truck mount carpet cleaning machines; one is a slide-in unit and the other is van-driven. The slide-in truck mount can be moved from one vehicle to another and runs on it’s own engine-but takes up more space. The van-mounted truck mount is one unit and runs off the engine of the van. The van-mounted truck mount takes up less space but is more expensive than a slide-in truck mount carpet cleaner.

Before you buy a truck mount carpet cleaner, you’ll need to:

1. Compare new and used truck mount carpet cleaning machines;
2. Decide if you want van-mounted or slide-in carpet cleaning machines;
3. Ensure all used carpet cleaning equipment is included when buying used equipment from a private party; and
4. Check that financing or leasing is available on the truck mount carpet cleaners for sale.

Action Steps
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Compare new vs. used truck mount carpet cleaning machines

Buy a new truck mount carpet cleaner if you can afford it. A new unit comes with few problems and a good warranty; unfortunately a new truck mount also comes with a higher price tag. If you decide to buy a used truck mount carpet cleaning machine, buy it from a reputable dealer when possible. Ask about warranties, too. Always check the equipment and engines to make sure everything is in good working order.

I recommend: Buy a turnkey carpet cleaning business if you can afford it. Or, choose a new economical truck mount carpet cleaner. You can find many good used truck mounted carpet cleaning equipment.

Slide-in vs. van mount carpet cleaners

Compare the qualities of the truck mounted carpet cleaner you want. A slide-in unit is less expensive but more cumbersome to operate. The slide-in unit has it's own power independent of the actual motor of your vehicle. However, because of this, it can also cost more for maintenance and is more complex to operate. The van-mount unit is all inclusive. The van motor runs the carpet cleaning machine so the fuel consumption is increased; however a van-mount unit is considered more reliable in the long run.

I recommend: Compare the pro’s and con’s of each truck mounted carpet cleaner.

Pay cash if you can

Pay in full when you buy a truck mounted carpet cleaner, if at all possible. If you have cash in hand, the price can always be haggled over. Don't pay in actual cash dollars, however. Pay for the truck mount with a business check or cashier's check so you have a record of payment. Consider leasing the carpet cleaning equipment from a reputable leasing company. Leased equipment is maintained more frequently and updated on a regular basis.

I recommend: Apply online for Steambrite financing programs. Get an online quote for leased equipment.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Buy duct cleaning equipment for added income.
• •  Keep your liability insurance up to date.

Truck mounted carpet cleaners are a good option for businesses that have a considerable amount of carpets or floors to clean on a regular basis. Real estate companies, professional cleaning services and large restaurant chains are all examples of businesses that should consider investing in a truck mount.

When you start to look into buying a truck mount, the choices and options may seem overwhelming. Consider these truck mount carpet cleaning equipment basics to help you make sense of it all:

1. Think about buying a direct drive truck mount carpet cleaning machine if you own a van or truck in which you will install it.

2. Look into slide in truck mounts if you are leasing the van or truck for your business.

3. Check your financial situation to decide if a financed truck mount is the best option for your budget.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Consider clutch or direct drive truck mounted carpet cleaners

Clutch or direct drive truck mount carpet cleaners don't have an independent power source or motor. Instead, these machines use the truck or van engine for power. Installing this type of machine takes a considerable amount of time, so if you purchase a new vehicle, moving it to the new vehicle is very expensive.

I recommend: HydraMaster offers a line of van powered truck mount carpet cleaning machines. This company offers online owner's manuals so you can read about the machine before you purchase it. Namco sells trailer and truck mounted carpet cleaning machines.

Think about a slide in truck mounted carpet cleaner

A slide in truck mounted carpet cleaner is a machine that runs on its own power. These machines have an internal engine, which is usually gas powered. If you have a leased truck or van, this is probably a better option than a clutch driven machine because a slide in cleaner is easier to move to a new vehicle.

I recommend: Magic Wand sells a slide in truck mount carpet cleaner. This company offers detailed information about the truck mount, including photos and videos. WorldofClean.com sells new and used truck mount carpet cleaning equipment. This company offers customer support online via a chat server.

Decide if leasing a truck mount floor cleaner is the best option for you

If you are just starting your floor cleaning business, paying cash for a truck mount may not be possible. Some companies will sell you a truck mount on a lease to own basis. You will end up paying more in the long run in most cases, but the direct out of pocket expense is considerably less and you can pay for the lease note out of your income from cleaning with the machine.

I recommend: Rotovac has a large selection of carpet cleaning equipment for sale. This company offers portable and truck mounted equipment. It offers lease to own options on certain items. Jon-Don offers new and used truck mounted industrial carpet cleaners. This company offers financing and service on the equipment it sells.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Before you buy a truck mounted carpet cleaner, research the cost of accessories and cleaning supplies. In some cases, the cheaper machines may actually end up being more expensive once you factor in those costs.

Truck mounted carpet cleaning systems have been around for more than 30 years. Although these powerful machines do a better job with less labor in less time than traditional commercial carpet cleaners, it took a while for their benefits to be realized by any but the largest building service contractors.

Today, truck mounted carpet cleaning equipment is the choice of most professional commercial and residential carpet cleaners. Advances in technology have enabled manufacturers to produce truck mounts that can withstand more use and abuse, and require less maintenance and operator training. Learn some truck mount carpet cleaning equipment key terms to get you started in the business.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Slide-in mount

Slide-in mounts can be moved between vehicles and are typically self-powered. A slide-in mount engine powers the vacuum and pressurizes the water, using the engine's exhaust heat for hot water extraction. Slide-in mounts are a good choice when budget and space considerations are an issue.

I recommend: Head over to Factory Truckmounts to read about slide-in truck mounts, including their advantages and disadvantages over direct drive mounts.

Direct drive mount

Direct drive mounts, which are more or less installed permanently in a truck or van, are typically powered by the engine of the vehicle in which they are mounted.

I recommend: Learn about direct drive mounts at Factory Truckmounts.

Hot water extraction

One of the biggest benefits to cleaning with truck mounted carpet cleaning equipment is that such units can sustain high water temperatures during hot water extraction. Hot water boosts the effectiveness of cleaning chemicals, which improves both the speed of cleaning and the effectiveness of soil removal.

I recommend: Find an article on truck mount hot water extraction carpet cleaning and its benefits at Miracle Services.

Pump system

The right water pump system is critical to the overall effectiveness of truck mount carpet cleaners. The pump must be specific to the carpet cleaning machines being used.

I recommend: Read about different pump systems for truck mount carpet cleaning equipment at Cleanfax Online.

Hose reel

The hoses used with truck mounted carpet cleaners need to be extra long. This makes hose reels a must. Usually a hose reel can hold hundreds of feet of hose.

I recommend: Read about the different types of hose reels available for truck mounted carpet cleaners at HydraMaster.

Wand

The wand is the tool used to spray the cleaning agent onto the carpet to flush out the dirt and then immediately extract it. The wand is a very important component of the carpet cleaning process.

I recommend: Learn more about the carpet cleaning wand and see some of the types available at Michigan Maintenance. Read about some relatively new wand technology at ThomasNET.