Patent ID: 7240394

Claim:
A portable cleaning apparatus for cleaning a surface in which cleaning solution is distributed to the surface and substantially simultaneously extracted along with dirt on the surface in a continuous operation as it moves along the surface comprising: a) a housing mounted to a handle assembly pivotally connected to a base assembly; b) a liquid distribution system operatively associated with said housing and including: a fluid source providing a supply of the cleaning solution, said fluid source being mounted to said housing; a distributor fluidly connected to said fluid source for distributing the cleaning solution to the surface; c) a liquid recovery system mounted to said base assembly and operatively associated with said housing, said liquid recovery system including: a suction nozzle; a recovery tank removably mounted to said housing and in fluid communication with said suction nozzle; a suction source in fluid communication with said suction nozzle for applying suction to draw the cleaning solution and dirt from the surface through the suction nozzle and into said recovery tank; and d) a filter system provided on said housing and in fluid communication with said recovery tank for filtering the recovered cleaning solution to be reused, said filter system comprising: a first filter provided on a filter support mounted to said recovery tank, said first filter filtering particles from the cleaning solution and dirt; a second filter fluidly connected between said recovery tank and said distributor, said second filter filtering particles from the cleaning solution and dirt of a smaller size than the particles filtered from said first filter, wherein said handle is pivoted and manipulated to move said base assembly relative to the surface.