The introduction of Truckmounted Carpet Cleaning Equipment

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Who invented the truck mount? First off, the industry can’t even agree whether it should be truckmount (one word) or truck mount (two words). So reaching a consensus on just exactly who invented the truckmount well…just likely is not going to happen. So I will make an attempt to bring to light virtually all of the original inventors and entrepreneurs who built truckmounts, and perhaps more importantly for our recognition here – actually brought them into the marketplace and sold them to a number of cleaning and restoration companies. Plus, as you have read about in this blog, there were trailer – mounted carpet dusting machines that dated back to the early ’s. The invention of the truckmounted hot water extraction machine specifically designed for the on-location professional carpet cleaner to use to clean carpet dates back to the latter part of the ’s and early parts of the ’s.

Though introduced in the late ’s and early ’s, the truckmount became the dominant piece of equipment for the carpet cleaning professional in the ’s. Like any new revolutionary change, there were those who were resistant to change and slow to adapt. It might be hard for many cleaners to understand now, but there was a long time when the hardest part of selling a truckmount was convincing the carpet cleaner the increased productivity of the truckmount was worth the extra investment required.

I believe the single greatest contribution of the truckmount to the professional carpet cleaning industry was it gave the professional cleaner the ability to double his income in the same amount of time of work performed. It raised the average income level of the professional cleaner, which in turn, led to the advanced development of technical educational opportunities. A significant portion of the industry began to look at education and training as in integral part of their business plan. This inevitably raised the professionalism of the industry and no doubt is what began to bring outside interest in the cleaning industry in the early ’s.

Old #1 – Bane-Clene

Bill Bane of Bane-Clene was certainly one of the first to introduce an extractor mounted in a truck. Here is what he said in his 50th Anniversary reflections.

“I started thinking about the possibility of truck-mounted carpet cleaning equipment in the mid ‘60s. Pumps were available that could move the cleaning solution from the truck to the cleaning head, but recovering the dirty water with fan-vacs remained a problem. That little sewage pump introduced by Bill Wisdom was the missing piece of the puzzle. A larger model of that pump would make it possible to create enough vacuum for water recovery beyond 100 feet. An electrical engineer worked out a design that would let a 1½ horsepower electric motor with dual capacitors, drive the large vacuum and solution pumps that we needed on only 12 amps. With an idea inspired by tanker trucks and using available technology, we built our first two truck-mounted carpet cleaning systems in January of . They were designed on the Wisdom concept but our pumps, tanks and motors were larger and bolted to the floor of the truck.

Here is a picture of the unit that Bane-Clene operators affectionately refer to as “Old #1” the very first Bane Clene van with that machine mounted in it. The design of the Bane-Clene unit has certainly stood the test of time.

For more information on Bane-Clene, visit www.baneclene.com


Judson truckmounts

Next are two drawings provided by Judson and Les Jones detailing the idea that Judson had for the production of what was certainly one of the very first truckmounts.



Here is the machine in production, and the unit in operation. It was a direct drive “Big Truck” and had a four foot wide wand that was pulled with a garden tractor. It was designed for Monsanto to clean Astro-Turf fields.



Judson built their first slide in truckmount in . It had an APO (automatic pump out) and an LP heat system.

For more information on Judson truckmounts and their history, visit www.judsontruckmounts.com/about-us/judson-history



Mike Palmer – HydraMaster

In Michael C. Palmer was a carpet cleaner. After seeing a crude homemade truckmount put together by a cleaner, Mike told himself that he could do it better. Starting in his garage, he set out to do just that. His training as a jet engine mechanic in the military and natural born talent were his only assets to begin with. His first machine was so good, a friend asked him to build one for him. After a while, Mike had so many people wanting machines that he started hiring his neighbors to help and thus HydraMaster began in . While Mike Palmer cannot directly be credited with the invention of the truckmount, but he is generally acknowledged as one of the first to make a business of manufacturing and selling truckmounts all over the U.S. – thus, his reputation as the “father” of truckmounts is certainly well founded. His revolutionary new mobile cleaning system changed carpet cleaning forever.

For more information on HydraMaster truckmounts, visit http://www.hydramaster.com.

The Baron

The first HydraMaster truckmount was called the Baron.



The Baron 2

The Baron 2 started the company into full scale production and nationwide sales



HM Plant

Here is a picture from the first full scale manufacturing plant



BobCat

The next model was the BobCat unit



HydraCat

And then the HydraCat



Ralph Bloss/Clark Seabloom – Steam Way International

As previously discussed. Steam Way was one of the first companies to manufacture and sell a portable hot water extraction machine in . While their portable Steam Way 400 was the “bread and butter” of the company well into the mid-’s it had become obvious that the truckmounts already in the marketplace from Bane-Clene and HydraMaster, and those soon to be introduced by Prochem were gaining a significant marketshare. Together, Mr Bloss and Mr. Seabloom, along with their right hand “MacGyver” machinist – Larry Hawkins, and a long time customer of Steam Way’s, Ralph Greco designed and introduced into the marketplace in the very first Steam Way truckmount – the TurboMatic.

Turbo What?

Here is a great picture from at a training seminar offered by Ohio Steamway Distributors. Like those leisure suits? Steam Way was introducing their very first truckmount – the TurboMatic. This was probably the first time this collection of professional cleaners had ever seen a truckmount



TurboMatic

The Steam Way Turbomatic was first introduced in . It was equipped with an auto pump out system so there was no waste tank.



Prototype PowerMatic

The second Steam Way truck mount was called the PowerMatic. Here is a prototype beta unit for this machine, put out for field testing in .



Steam Way Inventory

Here is a picture from the late ’s showing all of the Steam Way machines in production

For more information on Steam Way truckmounts, visit www.steamway.com.

Prochem (Professional Chemicals)

With his extensive background in chemicals, Jim Rhoden opened the doors to Professional Chemicals in after working with ServiceMaster to formulate products. “We started with shampoo, spotters, furniture cleaning chemicals, deodorizers, etc., and a line of disaster clean-up products, and in , we got involved with dry cleaning furniture. We found we needed to develop equipment to meet the need.”

Shortly after, between and , Prochem became aware of portable steam cleaning equipment. “We weren’t manufacturing at the time, but were reselling equipment. We always attempted to innovate and find the best solution for our customers, so developed an oil burner rather than a propane burner, as there were previous problems with propane safety issues and lack of maintenance on the equipment.”

Jim’s brother Mike came on board shortly after and reworked a design of what became the first Prochem truck mounts – the Model 100 and 150 series.

For more information about Prochem truckmounts, visit http://www.prochem.com




Other early truckmount developers

Arnie Ballweber and Judge Sales first introduced power take off truckmounts to the industry in the late ’s. Gene Bates started Steam Genie and later developed Big Red Truckmounts. Jerry Holman continued to build the Steam Genie truckmount brand. John Sales at Steamaction also was an early developer and innovator of truckmounts.



Electric truckmounts were also developed early on by Herb Harpham and David Bergin at Certified Equipment, and by Ed York and Steve Brandt at Steam Services.



If you have a picture of an early truckmount, or your truckmount from the ’s, I would love for you to post it and provide a little history. Add your knowledge to our collection of historical documentation of the beginning of truckmounts.



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GM Carpet Care | Serving Ocean, Monmouth, and Cape May Counties, NJ

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When it comes to refreshing and deep-cleaning carpets, homeowners often wonder if renting a machine from the store is just as good as hiring a professional. The truth is, it’s not even close. At GM Carpet Care, we provide residential and commercial carpet cleaning services using industry-leading truck-mounted carpet cleaning equipment—and there are some very good reasons why that’s the gold standard in the industry.

Power That Can’t Be Matched

Truck-mounted carpet cleaning systems offer far more heat, pressure, and suction than any portable or store-rented unit can provide. Professional-grade equipment can reach temperatures of over 200°F and operate at 350–800 PSI. This high-temperature steam not only lifts dirt from carpet fibers more effectively, but it also sanitizes, kills bacteria, and helps remove allergens and pet dander. Combined with incredibly strong vacuum suction, these machines extract significantly more water and detergent from your carpet, leaving it cleaner and drier.

The biggest issue with the store-bought machines is the power of the vacuum and lack of maintenance by the stores renting them out. Without powerful vacuum suction, the chemicals/detergents used stay in the carpets.

That leftover residue can create a sticky surface that actually attracts more dirt—and makes your carpet get dirty faster.

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Poor Maintenance = Poor Results

Another major downside of store-rented carpet cleaning machines is how poorly they’re maintained. According to multiple Reddit users who have worked in retail, rental machines are rarely cleaned thoroughly between uses. Dirty tanks, clogged nozzles, and worn-out brushes are common—and can leave behind unpleasant odors or even dirty water on your floors. In worst-case scenarios, malfunctioning machines have flooded living rooms or left stains worse than before.

At GM Carpet Care, we clean and deodorize our truck-mounted systems weekly, and our technicians clean tools and nozzles after every job. That’s the level of attention and reliability you can expect from a professional service.

Deep Cleaning with GM Carpet Care

At GM Carpet Care, we offer professional carpet cleaning services across the Jersey Shore—from Sandy Hook in Monmouth County to Cape May. Our certified technicians use advanced, truck-mounted hot water extraction systems that clean deeper, dry faster, and extend the life of your carpets. We also offer additional treatments like:

• Power scrubbing for high-traffic areas
• Live enzyme treatments for pet odors and organic stains
• Carpet stretching and carpet repair for ripples and wrinkles
• Scotchgard™ fiber protection to reduce future staining

Invest In A Truly Clean Home, Not A Quick Fix

While store-rented machines might seem like a quick fix, they fall short in every major category: cleaning power, drying speed, and safety. Truck-mounted systems like the ones we use at GM Carpet Care deliver a deeper clean, more effective stain removal, and significantly less hassle.

Don’t gamble with your carpets. Trust the professionals who have been serving Ocean, Monmouth, and Cape May County homes and businesses since . Contact GM Carpet Care today for a free quote and see the difference our expertise makes.

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