A carpet cleaner is a wonderful tool to have around the home or office. With a robust carpet cleaner, it’s often possible to keep our carpets and upholstery in tip-top shaping, looking almost brand new, even after years of use. Since fabrics can be prone to trapping debris and dirt, especially when compared to moppable hard floors, having a well-functioning carpet cleaner can be essential.

That’s where regular maintenance comes in. With thorough maintenance, you can keep your carpet cleaning machine, like your carpets, acting brand new. What’s more, there’s no need to go looking for your crosshead screwdriver just yet. For many carpet cleaners, maintenance can consist of simple, easy-to-complete processes.

Vax carpet cleaners are a great option. They are robust and capable carpet washer machines that can help homeowners keep their carpets looking great, year after year, with advanced components like spinscrub brushes. Vax offers a range of models, some aimed at specific use cases, such as deep cleaning or sanitary cleaning, to meet a range of unique needs.

However, keeping your Vax carpet cleaner running smooth can be key to harnessing its true potential. That’s where maintenance comes in. In this guide, we’ll explore how to clean a Vax carpet cleaning machine, as well as inform proper usage in order to harness the machine’s potential.

how to clean a vax carpet cleaner

Safety and Pre-usage Guidelines

First, it might be important to take some safety considerations into account before cleaning. These might include:

  • securing any loose items that could become tripping hazards
  • ensuring that the area you’ll be working in is properly ventilated
  • inspecting the carpet cleaner for damage
  • checking the power cord to ensure that it isn’t damaged or frayed

Next, consult with the carpet cleaner’s user guide. Any safety guidelines outlined in the user guide must be strictly adhered to. These guidelines may include considerations specific to your model of carpet cleaner, so it’s vital to consult with your owner’s manual.

Additionally, a prudent first step is to test the machine on carpets, rugs, and upholstery, in a hidden area. This will give you an understanding of how it works and ensure that it isn’t causing damage before you move on to more visible areas in the home or office.

Dry-cleaning vs hot water extraction

Benefits of Using the Vax Carpet Cleaner

A Vax carpet cleaner can be a great addition to your home or office. These machines are capable of a wide range of carpet and upholstery cleaning tasks, including stain removal, and can help you make your carpets look great.

One of the great things about Vax machines is their deep-cleaning abilities. Whether for regular or very infrequent cleanings, this essential capability means they can enable you to clean even very difficult to clean spots and areas.

Vax cleaners can be used to help you with removing stains that might not otherwise be simple to remove, and can help you revitalise the appearance of your floors and carpets. They can make a shocking difference in high traffic areas, and can be used to refresh areas in bad need of deep cleaning.

For optimal results, it’s often recommended to clean one’s carpets about every 6-8 months. With a Vax carpet cleaner, this can be a part of a strategy that helps you achieve impressive results, such as carpets that look amazing, year round.

A 6-8 month cleaning cycle is typically the sweet spot for combining carpet longevity achieved through keeping your carpets in great shape and the cost-effectiveness of spacing cleanings out.

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Getting Started

When starting out, a helpful early step is clearing the cleaning area of anything that will obstruct your path once the machine is running. This might include furniture, miscellany like books, and anything else that might block access to the carpet or upholstery you’re cleaning.

Next, a quick vacuum can remove dirt that's loose, and help prepare the area for the carpet cleaner. While carpet cleaners have their own vacuum capabilities, vacuuming up loose debris and dirt before running the carpet cleaning machine can help keep the system from clogging quickly, allowing it to do its job efficiently.

Next, you’ll need to fill up the water tank and add the cleaning solution. Consult with your owner’s manual and follow the instructions carefully. There will likely be an indicated fill level on the tank not to exceed, and a cleaning solution indicated for use with your machine to ensure the longevity of the machine and its proper use. Additionally, make sure that the outlet you’re using is sufficient to allow you to access the entire cleaning area.

Pre-treatment with Vax Pre-treatment Wand

Depending on what model you have, your Vax carpet cleaner may include a Vax Pre-Treatment wand. This component enables you to proactively spray cleaning solution directly onto stains before you go over with carpet cleaner. It’s designed to aid in the removal of tough stains, making this an ideal option for those with pets or frequent spills in their home.

First, inspect the carpet to identify target stains. Next, apply the cleaning solution directly to the stain with the pre-treatment wand nozzle. This will spray cleaning solution directly on the carpet, where it can work for maximum impact. After letting the pre-treatment sit for 15 minutes, you can go over the spot, so it may be helpful to treat several different stains before starting on one area.

Cleaning Supplies

To start, make sure you have your Vax carpet cleaner. You'll also need cleaning water for the tank, the recommended Vax cleaning solution, and a bucket if the instructions call for pre-mixing solutions with water.

Vax offers a range of cleaning agents that cater to various uses and are indicated for use in various models. These include carpet cleaning solutions, vax platinum cleaning solutions, antibacterial cleaning solutions, spot-washing sprays, steam cleaning detergents and more. Ensure that you have the proper cleaning materials indicated by your owner’s manual for the intended use.

Tips for cleaning

Carpet Washing Process

The carpet cleaning process is relatively straightforward, but some helpful tips can help you get the most out of your Vax carpet cleaning machine.

The steps might differ based on your model, but generally, you'll need to fill the water and cleaning solution tank. Switch on your Vax carpet cleaner using the power button, set the dial to "wash," and press the trigger to apply the water and cleaning solution mix to the carpet. Some models may have a dial to choose between deep clean mode and quick clean mode.

It’s recommended that you spray while pushing forward; the spinscrub brush bar can agitate the carpet, and help make the cleaning solution effective at removing stains. Then, gently pull backward while the trigger is released in order to collect debris. To further dry your floor, you may make a second pass backwards for each forward pass.

Check also: Best Carpet Cleaning Machines for Removing Stains

Additional Cleaning Features

If your Vax carpet cleaner has a hose upholstery tool, this can be used to clean upholstered surfaces off the ground. It can be used on sofas, stairs, and even car seats. However, remember that upholstered materials can be extremely slow to dry, so be careful not to apply to much moisture as you clean them.

Post-treatment and Drying

If you’re concerned with how long drying might take, Vax carpet cleaners enable you to make use of the quick clean function. Rather than the deep clean function, this mode can enable your carpet to dry faster. Depending on your settings, you can choose between a deeper clean or a faster drying experience.

You also may take steps to speed up the carpet drying process, such as running fans and central heat, or opening windows.

After you’ve completed cleaning, and as you wait for the area to dry, with the clean water tank emptied and the dirty tank rinsed out and emptied, it’s time to secure your Vax carpet cleaner for its next use. Be sure to empty out the clean and dirty water tanks for safe storage before securing the carpet cleaner.

You may also like: How Often You Should Clean Your Carpet?

vax water tank

Troubleshooting and Maintenance

While Vax carpet cleaners, as effective as they are, may occasionally run into issues. Vax offers a wide range of helpful materials designed to help owners get the most out of their Vax machines. You can visit their support centre to find specific materials for your model, from owners manuals to instructional videos and troubleshooting guides.

Additionally, ensure that you carry out any regular maintenance such as when necessary, water tank cleaning, or anything that’s recommended by your owner’s manual. This can help extend the lifespan of the machine.

Conclusion

Keep in mind that a Vax carpet cleaner is a great tool for maintaining the appearance of your upholstered, carpeted, and rug-covered surfaces. However, taking care of your carpet cleaner is essential for its longevity.

This can involve following any maintenance steps outlined in your owner’s manual, ensuring that water is drained from tanks before storage, and using the proper cleaning materials with your Vax carpet cleaner.

The benefits of a Vax carpet cleaner can be profound, enabling you to enjoy clean and refreshed carpets. Proper maintenance can be key to the process, enabling you to keep your Vax carpet cleaner running great.

And — if you’re still looking for further assistance getting your home’s carpets to shine, don't hesitate to get in touch. At ProLux Cleaning, we guarantee 100% customer satisfaction. To learn more or get started, get a quote today.