Water ruins carpets!

[dwellpro]

That's what I was told by the owner of a host carpet cleaning company. She's been in business for 31 years doing the same method. A very loyal customer base as well.

Is she right? Is host the better method of cleaning carpets?

http://www.xlcarpetcare.com

 

[Spurlington]

Sounds like a good business woman. Great marketing. I see she dosent like to move furniture. She also believes HWE makes carpets smell like wet dog. Seems like a scare tatic. Id say many can make any method work. Its pretty much selling yourself and your system. Which appears shes doing well with.

 

[Jim Pemberton]

Ask if she's ever seen carpet manufactured. It gets wetter when they make it than it will ever get when (most) cleaners clean it.

She might also be interested in the fact that flood damaged carpet that has been exposed to Category 1 water is routinely flooded, extracted, and dried and lives a long and useful life afterward.

 

[The Great Oz]

She might also be interested in the fact that flood damaged carpet that has been exposed to Category 1 water is routinely flooded, extracted, and dried and lives a long and useful life afterward.

Unlikely she'd be interested in any information after 25 years of ignoring "wet" propogandists.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Is host the better method of cleaning carpets?

I wouldn't say better, its just another option.

With dry compound you can put the carpet back in service immediately so in cases when you cannot shut down for cleaning the uses water, it can be a good option.

I think its much slower and much more expensive to clean with but if a client only wants dry compound we will clean it with that method. Fortunately very few ever do, once we explain why we prefer other methods.

 

[Jack Zipper Zerkie]

Only if they changed the product it might work? I tried it in 1981 the carpet was a shag in a party room and was dirty. I used the as the directions read. The host made zero change in the carpet. I rotary cleaned the carpet and rinsed with WATER and extracted with my Hoover extractor and the carpet was cleaner. I could not have charged for the Host cleaning because NOTHING happened except the carpet was DRY, but still very dirty. So WATER to the rescue so that I could charge for a clean carpet. jz.

 

[Lee Stockwell]

Tbe best marketers turn flaws into features.

 

[Desk Jockey]

I personally think you need the "Prep traffic cleaner" to precondition if you want to see any actual cleaning otherwise it just smells clean.

 

[steve_64]

Dry Extraction cleaned carpets typically dry within one hour.

WTF

 

[Lee Stockwell]

Deep steam cleaning. Dry before I start.

 

[TomKing]

Below is the maintenance instructions from the Dixie Groups Website.

Several positives for the professional cleaner.
2 cleanings per year
HWE is ideal when performed by a certified technician
Protectant treatments are bad

This is the Dixie group manufactures of Fabrica, Masland & Dixie home

At least twice per year, it is necessary to remove the oil and soil which cannot be removed by vacuuming. This is done using a dry extraction method. The system that FABRICA recommends is called HOST©, manufactured by Racine Industries. This system employs a pre-cleaning spray solution for spots and heavy soil, a cleaning compound for all areas, and a lightweight electric machine.

Sometimes, a more aggressive method of soil and stain removal is necessary, such as the Hot Water Extraction method. This method is ideal when properly performed by a certified professional and allowed to dry COMPLETELY. Always test a small area in an inconspicuous location for colorfastness before using any cleaning products on your new carpet. For recommendations, please call your FABRICA dealer.

• FABRICA does not recommend topical treatments (topical treatments are advertised soil repellents applied after carpet is manufactured) and will accept no claims where they have been applied. FABRICA product warranties will be voided if topical treatments are utilized.

Masland Instructions
RESTORATIVE CLEANING

• Hot Water Extraction is the preferred method of cleaning by Masland. This method is proven to be the most effective means of removing entrapped soil and other residues. This method does require effort and will take some time to dry. Use air movement systems and the HVAC system to aid in drying time. Masland does require that all systems used on Masland Carpet be approved under the Carpet and Rug Institutes Seal of Approval Program. Masland also prefers that all equipment be at least a Silver Level cleaning system. Carpet should only be cleaned by trained technicians. IICRC Certified technicians are preferred.
  
  
• Never mix “In-Tank” solutions at greater the recommended concentrations. The most effective cleaning method by hot water extraction employs a pre-spray chemistry coupled with agitation. Always thoroughly rinse any detergents from the carpet with water only as to impede accelerated soiling. If detergent residue or build up exists, clean the carpet with hot water only.
  
  
• The use of a pile lifter will help to remove embedded soil and sandy particulate. It will also help to erect the pile fiber and renew the appearance of the carpet. Use of a pile lifter in funnel areas, walk off areas, and around elevators will enhance the appearance of the carpet.
• 
  
• DO NOT USE BONNET/ROTARY SYSTEMS ON MASLAND CARPET. USE OF THIS TYPE SYSTEM WILL VOID ALL MASLAND WARRANTIES.

1. 
   Follow all guidelines set forth by the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration (IICRC) S100 Standard and Reference Guide for Professional Carpet Cleaning. This is available at www.iicrc.org

Dixie Home instructions
PROFESSIONAL CLEANING

To retain its luster and beauty, your carpet should be deep-cleaned every 12 to 18 months, depending upon 1) the life-style of the household, 2) frequency of vacuuming, and 3) whether the carpet is a light or dark color. You want to deep clean your carpet BEFORE it becomes excessively soiled.

Professional carpet cleaners can keep your carpet looking fresh and new longer. Many are trained and certified to care for carpets manufactured from today’s state-of-the-art fibers.

For deep-cleaning, we recommend hot water (also known as steam) extraction. With this method, a detergent solution is sprayed on the carpet and removed by extracting the dirt and solution with a powerful vacuum from either a truck-mounted or portable unit. We recommend a professional for this type of cleaning. A professional has been trained to use the equipment properly so that the carpet will not be damaged. Additionally, the equipment he uses is much more powerful than rental units available to you.


HOT WATER EXTRACTION REQUIRED
Hot water extraction, performed by a trained, qualified carpet care professional, is required every 12-18 months for coverage under these limited warranties.

You must provide your receipt for proof of service.

Do not get the carpet too wet. Wetting through to the backing may result in shrinkage, discoloration, odor and delaminating.

Before cleaning, it is advisable to remove furniture from the room. If this is impractical, place thick plastic film or aluminum foil under and around the legs of chairs and tables until the carpet is dry so that rust or furniture stains will be prevented.

 

[tubad sosad]

she's probably not cleaning very dirty carpet. an OP machine would work in those jobs as good or better then host and not leave any host in the carpet to vac up. there are host videos on youtube and you can see that the host after is darker than when it is first put on.

some people never want to find something better becasue then they would have to spend money to get a new system running. for most carpet cleaners a tm is the way to go.

 

[TomKing]

The questions is not what system is better what does the manufacture say.

If we are professionals which many of us on here are we need to know what the manufactures say and desire for us to do.

If you owned a Bentley you would want your mechanic to know what Bentley had to say about maintaining your investment.

These high end products are no different.

Many of the methods used my some cleaners are voiding warranties.

I sell Fabrica and I can tell you it is not cheap if you had to replace it.
The customers who buy it are not uneducated individuals.
They are the high end client we all desire.

 

[The Great Oz]

• FABRICA does not recommend topical treatments (topical treatments are advertised soil repellents applied after carpet is manufactured) and will accept no claims where they have been applied. FABRICA product warranties will be voided if topical treatments are utilized.

This began back when people were using silicones and advertising their UV blocking capabilities. The silicone would slowly turn yellow and could not be removed. I helped a few of the silicone applicators get replacement Fabrica semi-custom carpet at less than retail, and Fabrica has never forgotten the claims.

Just like the Wool Bureau, they choose not to bother with the differences between silicones and fluorochemicals, which puts
ANY liability on the applicator.

 

[Mikey P]

WillS is kicking ASS with Host these days...










you can please 80% of the people 100% of the time...

 

[Spurlington]

Fabrica warranty runs out in 2years - so protect away after the first clean.

 

[Louis]

I have a host cleaner in our area. They were on Facebook bashing steam cleaning. I quickly shut her down. I own a host machine and it doesn't even come close to the hoss. Next time they bash me I'm going to call them out and bet them a $100 they can't come close. Then I will clean their area with a new filter. The filter does not lie. Jim Martin

 

[Mark Saiger]

Would love to see someone "Host" this one today...

Not the place for it on a job like this in my opinion.

This was after over 30 minutes of prevac....

 

[WillS]

I like the phrase, not better, just another way of cleaning. Just like HWE is not better, just another way of cleaning. Unlike that lady, we don't fully bash HWE, at least not much publicly. HOST does cost more, takes longer, etc. but we still turn a nice profit from it and produce great results. Our return customer base is over 80%. Went from 10-15 houses starting out a week to now 45-50 houses a week. Commercial properties actually prefer it here. We do a lot of cleaning inside of the Forum Shoppes at Caesers Palace, Planet Hollywood's Miracle Mile Shops, etc. because HWE hoses won't run through the entire mall. It's learning the process and using it properly. A lot of calls we do get are customers who were screwed by a crappy steam cleaner previously who left the carpet wet for days and don't want a repeat of that. Of course this is probably from a poorly trained HWE tech that breezed through their house.

Both methods work just as well.

You can say HOST leaves sponges in the carpet, pushes dirt down, blah blah... But you can also say, HWE, leaves 15% dirty water and only sucks out 85% - hence why the long dry times, wicking issues, etc. So really, people should work on perfecting their own process.

We use HOST w/Encap 02 in our cleanings. Examples of dirty carpet we cleaned with the process:

Residential:

Commercial:

 

[dwellpro]

There's still a line in your commercial.

Show your method in video. Not your results in picture form. Anyone almost anyway can get it clean. All it takes is self worth and determination. Detergents including plant fibers are a successful options. Fire water from a truck mount can certainly work...

How and how long is what we are talking about here.

Kudos to you for getting it done. Are you faster than the Dwell1?

 

[dwellpro]

I wouldn't say better, its just another option.

With dry compound you can put the carpet back in service immediately so in cases when you cannot shut down for cleaning the uses water, it can be a good option.

I think its much slower and much more expensive to clean with but if a client only wants dry compound we will clean it with that method. Fortunately very few ever do, once we explain why we prefer other methods.

Slower and more expensive than what?

 

[Sweetie]

Hi guys.
Where's everyone at ????

 

[Desk Jockey]

Slower and more expensive than what?

Than nearly any other method.

 

[Captain America]

HWE is the standard for the last 30-40 years and will be for the next 40 or so.
I moved from a portable to a truckmount after the first 3-4 resturant owners asked me if I had a truckmount when I bid for their resturants.
I am guessing minus the initial price of equipment that $ for $ the host method may cost as much and take just as long if not longer.

 

[WillS]

For 4 areas and stairs, medium traffic lanes/staining it takes us 1 1/2 hours. Heavily soiled, 2 - 2 1/2 hours.

Our start up cost was around 20k. This was the first truck, equipment, marketing, site, etc.

Wish I had a video for you dwell, we will work on getting one made on the process. To answer your question, no we can't clean that dirty of carpet as quick as your wand did, I'm guessing that carpet returns to that look in about 2 weeks? When we first started out on this board I took a grain a salt to dissing on HOST. Now that we have grown to the size we have in 1 year and 9 months, I "shake it off, haters gonna hate." Isn't that how it goes?

When we go to Interlink to pick up supplies other cleaners are always asking us for info on the process. Had a few guys offer to cut us in half of a profit of commercial properties they clean if we used our method and taught them how to use it. 50% and train you? No thanks.

 

[WillS]

BTW: We did just receive a request for proposal for 72,000 sq. ft. commercial cleaning. This is a government contract, twice a year for 5 years. In the description she sent says the cleaner must only use Encap, Green Seal Certified, Bio Degradable products. No steam cleaning. So there is need for it out there I guess. I'm sure we will get out bid at some crazy low price, not everyone requires or uses HWE. I guess if they are on strict contract with the "carpet manufacturer" as I've heard time and time again on here, then it would be a must.

 

[Jimmy L]

What kind of vacuums do you use?

 

[WillS]

http://www.sanitairevac.com/Cleaning-Products/Upright/SC899F/

 

[WillS]

Also for vacuuming.. sometimes we use the one 2nd to the left, the freestyle. That vacuum works well, but is a pain in a residential setting. Makes the machine heavier, doesn't move as easy, use those and the middle Liberators for commercial.

 

[steve_64]

Deep steam cleaning. Dry before I start.

i have seen so many damp carpets around here before i clean its amazing. the humidity gets so bad and people cant afford to turn on the a/c, ive seen walls dripping wet when i arrive. marty has probably seen this a lot maybe?

but im surprised nobodies ever questioned why "dry" cleaning leaves them wet also? how do you bash getting carpets wet then talk about dry times?
good marketing i suppose but i find it funny anyway.