If you are in the carpet cleaning business and use the steam cleaning method you have three main types of truck mounts. You can choose a PTO, a Slide In or an Electric unit. It can be a difficult choice as they all have their own advantages and disadvantages. Read this article and learn a little about each type of unit and its benefits.



The first type that I will talk about is the PTO unit. PTO stands for Power Take Off and it is powered off of your vans engine. It might use a belt, a shaft or a hydraulic system to get the power to the unit. The benefits of this type of unit are many. For example, it is usually smaller than the other units meaning that it saves weight and room so you can store more equipment in your van or use a lighter duty one. It is also typically more reliable since you do not have two separate engines to worry about. Finally, it also will allow you to lock up the van while cleaning since you do not have to vent an engines exhaust. The next type of unit is the Slide In which is perhaps one of the most popular styles of units. One of the advantages of a slide in is that it normally provides higher heat. Another advantage is that if something happens to your van you can simply transfer it to another one. This is not so easy with a slide in. The final advantage is cost since these units start at a lower price point than the PTO's although they can get pricey quick. The last type of truck mount cleaning unit is the Electric. Electrics are less powerful than the other two types but they do have advantages. They are normally very simple and reliable making maintenance extremely low. They are also cheaper to operate since you will be using your customers electricity. Finally, the units are almost always portable which will allow you to clean high rises, lock in jobs and apartments easily.

As you can see all of the different cleaning units have their own set of advantages. Choose the one that fits you best an you will have a machine that you can enjoy and profit from for years to come. Good luck with your decision.