Carpet Extractor vs Shop Vac

A broken sewer pipe, a spilled tray of food, a dropped gallon of milk – there’s no telling what may land on your company’s carpet. But how do you choose between a carpet extractor vs shop vac when it’s time to clean the mess?

This guide will help you make the right carpet cleaning choice. Both carpet extractors and shop vacs play an important role in keeping your commercial carpet clean. We’ll show you how to use both as part of a complete carpet cleaning regimen.

For over 15 years, SweepScrub has been your one-stop shop for commercial carpet cleaning equipment. Whether you’re looking for a self-contained carpet extractor, a carpet extractor with wand or a carpet spotter, you’ll find what you’re looking for here. 

We stock all major brands and offer the best prices, and we also offer an incredible selection of shop vacs as well as the best commercial carpet cleaning chemicals. Count on us for all your commercial carpet cleaning needs.

What Does a Carpet Extractor Do?

You need a commercial carpet extractor if you own or manage a commercial space with carpeted surfaces. These keep rugs clean in massive malls, industrial parks, and small offices alike.

Carpet extractors achieve a level of cleanliness that no other carpet cleaning machine can match. They not only remove dirt and stains. They also remove sticky residue and abrasive grit that can wear down your carpets

Deep Cleaning Power With Water and Cleaning Solution

Carpet extractors spray water and detergent deep into the carpet. The spray and detergent breaks down grease, oils, and other stubborn stains, encapsulating them so they float away from the fibers.

Heated carpet extractors raise the water and detergent to near-boiling levels. The heat adds an extra punch to this first step, as it melts away tough waxy or greasy soils and speeds the detergent breakdown and encapsulation process. 

Suction and Extraction to Remove Soil, Stains, and Moisture

The carpet extractor’s powerful vacuum motor creates immense suction. Dirty cleaning solution gets sucked up into the recovery tank. Extraction removes ground-in dirt from deep within the carpet and makes it look like new.

Extraction also reduces drying times because it sucks up most of the moisture. Faster drying gives you faster access to your space. It also prevents mold and mildew growth. Your rug/carpet and your office stay fresh-smelling and allergen-free.

Ideal Use Cases for Carpet Extractors

How often should commercial carpets be cleaned with a carpet extractor? It depends on how much traffic they receive. Offices, hospitals, and schools typically do daily carpet cleanings with a quarterly or annual deep cleaning.

You’ll frequently find ground-in dirt in entryways, hallways, and busy corridors despite daily dry vacuuming and regular carpet cleaner use. A carpet extractor can bring those heavily trafficked carpet areas back to life.

Extractors are especially good for spot and stain removal. They have the power to flush the worst spills out of carpet fibers completely. When you’ve had an incident and need a targeted cleanup, you can count on a carpet extractor.

What Does a Shop Vac Do?

Shop vacs have one primary task: to suck up messes with brute force. Shop vacs can pick up sawdust and nails, then pull in a gallon of standing water. 

While shop vacs are powerful and versatile, they’re not a carpet vacuuming tool. Their job is to remove messes from your site into their barrel-shaped collection tank. They don’t wash, scrub, or sanitize surfaces. 

Designed Primarily for Wet and Dry Debris Pickup

Shop vacs suck up both solids and liquids without shorting out or damaging the vacuum motor. This makes them an invaluable tool in commercial and industrial environments. 

Their wide, tough vacuum hoses can pick up dust, chips, and even gravel or glass without clogging. They can also quickly remove large quantities of water or other liquids. A shop vac can be very useful when you need to get rid of standing water immediately.

Strong Suction, But No Cleaning Solution or Agitation

A shop vac’s motor produces a great deal of suction power. When it comes to removing heavy debris or pulling away a big volume of water, shop vacs are unbeatable. They do those things well, but there are also many things they don’t do at all. 

You can’t apply a cleaning solution with a shop vac. A shop vac has no rotating brushes or high-pressure spray like carpet extractors or other carpet cleaners. It can get rid of dirt and grime, but it can’t dislodge particles that are ground deep into the carpet pile.

Common Use Cases for Shop Vacs

Rugged shop vacs are the perfect choice for keeping construction, woodworking, and automotive repair sites clean. Nothing beats a shop vac for cleaning up sawdust, metal filings, drywall dust, and other industrial debris.

A shop vac is a great first-response tool when you have a flood or major spill. They get rid of liquids quickly and limit the damage before you start the deep cleaning and drying process.

Carpet Extractor vs Shop Vac: Which is Right For You?

How do you choose between a carpet extractor vs shop vac? The shop vac is designed to remove heavy debris and large volumes of water in emergencies. The carpet extractor is built for deep carpet cleaning and restoration. 

Keep a shop vac on hand for unexpected messes. Use your carpet extractor for scheduled deep cleaning to keep your carpets looking clean, bright, and professional. In this sense, you actually need both!

Here are some more pointers that will help you make an informed decision between when to use a carpet extractor vs shop vac. 

Cleaning Goals

Shop vacs are great for removing standing water, sawdust, or other heavy debris. You’ll be happy you had a shop vac available if you have a water emergency. They get messes off the floor and into the tank quickly and efficiently.

You need a carpet extractor if you want to keep your carpets looking great. It’s the best tool for getting rid of embedded dirt, set-in stains, and unpleasant odors in your most highly-trafficked carpeted areas. 

Budget and Frequency of Use

You’ll spend less on a shop vac than a carpet extractor, and they offer excellent value for their price. This durable tool can handle a wide variety of tough cleanup jobs.

Carpet extractors have a higher upfront cost. But they can reduce or eliminate the costs of hiring outside cleaning services. They also protect your facility’s flooring. Our customers agree that purchasing a carpet extractor is a cost-effective long-term investment.  

Drying Time and Water Handling

Shop vacs excel at sucking up large pools of water from hard surfaces or completely saturated carpets. Use these to remove the bulk of standing water from your carpet. 

But for cleaning the carpet and leaving it as dry as possible, rely on a carpet extractor. These have a specialized vacuum shoe that creates a tight seal with the carpet. They pull out water much more effectively than a shop vac’s open nozzle. 

Portability, Weight, and Ease of Use

Shop vacs roll easily on casters and are built to tolerate rough handling. They’re also easy to use. Carpet extractors are more specialized and complex. It will take some time to properly learn how to clean commercial carpets with an extractor.  

A carpet extractor is typically heavier than a shop vac because it has multiple tanks, pumps, and internal components. While we offer many compact and portable models, you will generally find a carpet extractor requires more effort to move and set up. 

Your choice between a carpet extractor vs shop vac ultimately depends on your operational needs. If you need a tool for quick responses to a mess, a shop vac is your best choice. For deep cleaning tasks, you’ll find a carpet extractor is worth the extra weight and complexity. 

Can You Use a Shop Vac as a Carpet Extractor?

We get asked all the time, can you use a shop vac as a carpet extractor? In a pinch, you can rig a shop vac for a small spot-cleaning job. But it’s no substitute for a carpet extractor’s efficiency and cleaning power.

A carpet extractor is built to clean carpets and upholstery. Using a shop vac for extraction will require a lot of effort and several separate components. 

Yes - With Major Limitations

Shop vacs are built to pick up debris and standing water. A carpet extractor uses sealed, high-lift suction to pull water out of carpet fibers. Your shop vac will leave behind more water than a real extractor.

Wet carpets can take days to dry, leading to mildew and musty odors. And a damp carpet can experience wicking as it dries. Dirt wicks up to the carpet's surface as stains and grime. 

At best, a shop vac can serve as a temporary fix. But if you have an immediate problem to solve, here’s how to turn a shop vac into a carpet extractor.

How to Turn a Shop Vac Into a Carpet Extractor

You'll need a few key components to get started. First, you want to apply a cleaning solution. Then you want a specially enhanced shop vac to remove that solution. 

Here are the steps for how to turn a shop vac into a carpet extractor. 

Add an Upholstery or Carpet Cleaning Wand Attachment

Replace your shop vac’s standard wide-mouth nozzle with a dedicated carpet or upholstery cleaning wand attachment. This wand has a narrow opening that improves water lift. It will provide you with an extractor, but you still need to apply the cleaning solution. 

Connect to a Pump Sprayer or Pressurized Tank for Solution Application

You will need a manual garden pump sprayer to apply your cleaning solution. Mix your carpet cleaning chemical with water in the sprayer according to the product instructions. 

Lightly mist the area you need to clean. Don’t soak the carpet. A light, even coating is all you need. Immediately after spraying, use the shop vac’s wand attachment to extract the solution.

Technique Tips for Better DIY Results

Work in small sections, no larger than 2 by 2 feet. Use only small amounts of solution. You can always apply more if necessary, but your shop vac only has limited extraction capabilities. 

Use a slow, steady pulling motion with the wand. Overlap your strokes by about an inch to make sure you cover the entire area. Make multiple passes to get rid of as much liquid as possible. 

Don’t Settle For Less Than the Most Thorough, Efficient Clean!

Can you use a shop vac as a carpet extractor? Yes, but you’re going to expend an awful lot of time and effort for a less-than-professional result. 

Don’t settle for an emergency workaround. Invest in a professional carpet extractor from SweepScrub. You’ll never have to settle for mediocre cleaning or worry about an unexpected spill. You’ll know you’re ready for the toughest stain cleaning jobs.

Discover the Best Selection of Commercial Cleaning Equipment and Supplies at SweepScrub

You’re sure to find the best commercial carpet extractor for your needs at SweepScrub. We carry commercial cleaning equipment from all the top manufacturers. And we also stock a full selection of parts, accessories, and commercial cleaning chemicals. 

Our team of experts will explain the uses of a carpet extractor vs steam cleaner and a carpet cleaner vs extractor so you know exactly which tool to use for every carpet cleaning need. Whether you’re upgrading your current equipment or building a cleaning program for your new business, we can help. Contact us today for the best equipment and the best customer service! 

Wrapping Up Our Carpet Extractor vs Shop Vac Comparison

And that concludes our explanation of how to choose between a carpet extractor vs shop vac. Now you know the difference between these cleaning tools. You even know how to turn a shop vac into a carpet extractor in a pinch.

If you have other questions, get in touch with our team. We’re always happy to help. Whenever you have a cleaning problem, trust SweepScrub to give you the help and equipment you need.