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Kränzle South Africa offers a range of commercial and industrial carpet and upholstery cleaning machines, built for contractors, valet businesses and hotels. A carpet cleaning machine, otherwise known as a carpet extractor, washes a carpet by spraying cleaning solution deep into the carpet or fabric, loosening the dirt, and vacuuming the solution straight back out into a separate recovery tank. Because it pulls the water back out as it goes, it lifts the dirt that has worked its way down into the pile, which also makes stains easier to remove, and leaves the carpet damp rather than soaked, so it dries far sooner than a carpet that has only been shampooed.
The figure that separates one machine from another is the water lift of its vacuum motors, because that is what removes the water from the fabric. Drum-type units do not have the water lift of the Predator and therefore do not remove as much water, causing extended drying times.
Choosing a carpet and upholstery cleaning machine
The Predator is the machine for industrial carpet and upholstery cleaning. It carries 40 litre solution and recovery tanks and runs two three-stage vacuum motors, which is where its water lift comes from. It is our preferred machine for washing carpets, it handles large carpeted areas such as hotels, and it is the machine for a car wash that valets interiors every day. The Sniper is the compact one, with 20 litre tanks and a single motor. It is lighter to carry and most often used for upholstery - couches, chairs and car seats - and suits the smaller valet operator, where interiors are not a daily job.
Specifications
| Machine | Code | Solution tank | Recovery tank | Vacuum motors | Pump | Hose | Weight | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Predator | PRED3-60 | 40 L | 40 L | 2 × 1400 W, three-stage | 60 psi Flojet | 6.7 m | 41 kg | Carpets, hotels, car wash interiors |
| Sniper | SNI001 | 20 L | 20 L | 1 × 1400 W, three-stage | 60 psi Flojet | 5 m | 25 kg | Upholstery, smaller valet operators |
Both machines use non-corrosive roto-moulded tanks and a mechanical float that cuts the vacuum off when the recovery tank is full. The Sniper is most often used for upholstery and valet work, and comes with its upholstery tool. The Predator adds a recovery-tank viewing lid and takes a two-jet floor wand and an upholstery tool, so it can be set up for floors, furniture or both.
How the Predator is built for daily work
The Predator separates into two sections: the lower section, with the solution tank and the motors, and the recovery tank that sits on top of it.
The recovery tank is emptied by pouring it out over a lip at the front of the machine, into a 20 litre bucket, a toilet or a floor drain. There is no drain hose or valve to leak or block, and the tank pivots so that it empties completely, leaving no dirty water standing in it. The same layout suits flood-recovery work, with the machine parked beside a toilet or drain.
The solution and recovery tanks are both 40 litres, so a full tank of solution is extracted without reaching the float cut-out, which keeps water away from the vacuum motors. At the end of the day the tanks rinse out and the filters come out for cleaning. The pump can be changed in about ten minutes, and the motors are reached through a mesh cover underneath the machine.
Drying the interior afterwards: the valet dryer
After a wash, the interior of a car does not always dry quickly on its own, and in winter the outside temperature slows it further. The valet dryer, which Kränzle South Africa manufactures locally, is a blower and heater with two hoses that feed warm air in through the car windows, which brings the drying time down. It comes in a 230V and a 400V version, and the 400V unit is the one we recommend for regular use. A carpet blower does the same job for floors.
Who buys these machines
These machines are used by carpet and upholstery cleaning contractors, by car valet and detailing businesses, by car washes finishing off interiors, and by guesthouses, hotels and cleaning companies. The Sniper suits the smaller valet operator, and the Predator is the machine a carpet-cleaning business or a busy car wash runs day in and day out.
Supplied and serviced across South Africa
The Predator and Sniper are made locally by South African manufacturers, not by Kränzle. Kränzle South Africa supplies these machines across the country, directly in the Western Cape and through our dealer network everywhere else, from our facility in Cape Town. If you are looking for specific accessories, such as wands, hoses or upholstery tools, visit the vacuum accessories page.
Frequently asked questions
How does a carpet cleaning machine work?
A carpet cleaning machine, or carpet extractor, cleans by spray extraction. It holds a solution tank and a separate recovery tank. A pump sprays cleaning solution through a wand deep into the carpet fibre, where it loosens and dissolves the dirt, and the same wand vacuums the solution straight back out into the recovery tank, taking the dirt and most of the water with it. Because the water is extracted rather than left to soak in, the carpet is left damp rather than wet and dries much sooner.
What is the difference between the Predator and the Sniper?
The Predator is the larger machine. It carries 40 litre solution and recovery tanks and runs two three-stage vacuum motors, which give it strong water lift, and it is the preferred machine for washing carpets, large carpeted areas such as hotels, and car wash interiors valeted every day. The Sniper is compact, with 20 litre tanks and a single motor, so it is lighter to carry and suited to upholstery, seats and the smaller valet operator.
Why does water lift matter on a carpet extractor?
Water lift is how strongly the vacuum motors pull water back out of the fabric, and it decides how wet the carpet is left. Strong water lift leaves the carpet drier and cuts the drying time; weak water lift leaves it soaked and slow to dry. Drum-type units do not have the water lift of the Predator and therefore do not remove as much water, causing extended drying times.
Can these machines clean couches, upholstery and car interiors?
Yes. The Sniper is most often used for upholstery and car valet work and comes with an upholstery tool for couches, chairs, seats and trim, and the Predator does the same with its upholstery tool. To dry the interior afterwards, a valet dryer feeds warm air in through the windows and brings the drying time down.
Where can I buy a carpet cleaning machine in South Africa?
From Kränzle South Africa. We supply the Predator and Sniper across the country, directly in the Western Cape and through our dealer network in other regions, and back them with spare parts, wands, hoses and servicing. Enquiries from anywhere in South Africa and neighbouring countries come to us and are either quoted directly or passed to the dealer for that region.