Mixing pump for carpet extractor

A method for providing a dilute solution comprising:

• pumping a dilutant through a first line from a source of the dilutant toward a pump;
• pumping a concentrated fluid through a second line toward the pump;
• mixing the concentrated fluid with the dilutant to form the dilute solution, the step of mixing including the subsidiary steps of:
• a) drawing a portion of the dilutant from the second line into an interconnecting line between the first and second lines,
• b) drawing a mixture of dilutant and concentrated fluid into the second line, and
• c) repeating steps a) and b);
• and
• selectively opening a valve to release the mixture to a distributor, the pump maintaining the mixture under pressure so that it is released whenever the valve is opened.

A carpet extractor of the type which applies a cleaning solution to a surface and vacuums dirty cleaning solution from the surface, the extractor comprising:

• a housing;
• a directing handle operatively connected to said housing;
• a distributor located in said housing for delivering the cleaning solution to a surface to be cleaned;
• a pump located in said housing for pumping the cleaning solution to the distributor;
• a selectively operable valve located in said housing for selectively interrupting the flow of cleaning solution to the distributor;
• a source of suction located in said housing for applying a vacuum to the surface to draw dirty cleaning solution from the floor surface;
• a switching assembly for operating the pump, source of suction, and valve, the switching assembly being mounted to the directing handle.

A carpet extractor comprising:

• a base housing;
• a source of suction located on one of the base housing and the handle;
• a brush mounted on the base housing;
• a cleaning solution distributor mounted on the base housing;
• a directing handle pivotally mounted to the base housing, the directing handle including a hand grip at a distal end thereof, the hand grip comprising:
• a first control mounted on the hand grip for selectively actuating the source of suction;
• a second control mounted on the hand grip for selectively actuating the cleaning solution distributor;
• a third control mounted on the hand grip for selectively actuating the brush, wherein all three of the controls can be actuated by the digits of one hand of a user without the user needing to displace that one hand from the hand grip to reach any of the controls.