According to a recent survey, 81 percent of carpet cleaning technicians believed the length of carpet cleaning equipment's warranty is "very important." Fourteen percent indicated it was "somewhat important" and less than 5 percent noted the length of the warranty was not an important issue.
 
U.S. Products invited approximately 500 technicians to take the survey, which was also posted on the company's Facebook page.  Sixty-three people completed the survey.
 
Other questions on the survey focused on issues technicians have with some of today's portable extractors in general. For instance, when asked if they find many of today's portable extractors difficult to move and maneuver, 67 percent answered yes. Similarly, when asked if they found many portables difficult to move up and down stairs, an even bigger majority, 81 percent, responded yes.
 
Additionally, the survey found that a majority of the technicians, 76 percent, wished their current machines were quieter. Further, 52 percent indicated, "Some of my customers have complained about the noise my portable makes."
 
Finally, the survey asked, "If I could change one thing about my current portable carpet extractor, it would be…," to make it more powerful was the top answer—47 percent. Twenty-six percent would like lighter machines and the rest checked the "other" box.
 
According to Mark Baxter, product manager for U.S. Products, these "other" responses ran the gamut.
 
"One person suggested 'increasing the heat' the system generates and another recommended making the machine narrower to fit through tight spaces.  [And] one person thought putting 20-inch bike tires on portable [extractors] would make them easier to lower out of vans."