Be Careful of your Sprayer,

[steamron]

I have been doing this carpet cleaning thing for 20+ years and when I first got into it I purchased a inline sprayer and thought that it was a great tool, I must of purchased a few of them over the years. I typically would put my pre-spray in and sprayed away what needed done. Being that the gun had the pre-spray spraying close to the carpet (TM idling at about 250psi) I never really gave it much thought about any back wards misting towards me.

Well the last sprayer broke so I started using a pump up sprayer over a year ago and found out that I have been saving so much more pre-spray over this last year that I should of listen to someone a few years ago who tried to sell me a battery sprayer. A gallon of rtu pre-spray goes a long way and there is no kick back of mist towards me to breath in.

Now I am not blaming the spray for this but I found out 2 years ago that I have Lymphoma, no one in my family knows of anyone in the family that has had it.
They say that your environment may play a roll in contracting lymphoma, your exposure to chemicals, pesticide and etc. All I want to say to all of you is that if you think that you may be inhaling any chemicals that may be kicking back up to consider changing your habits.

My Lymphoma is a slow growing, low grade type, and I hope and pray that it stays there since I kind of like doing this job.

Enough said;

 

[Derek]

very sorry to hear Ron. it does make think twice about the products i use. my wife says i should wear a mask sometimes.



all the best to you and yours.

 

[floorguy]

sorry to hear about that...

my take on the whole "it could be hurting you" theory....

everyone is different and some are more prone to problems then others...

back in the day (dont ask) when my dad bought his PS from a chemist in a different cleaning arena...

we use to save bottles and i would dip them in a 55 gallon open top barrel...with my head in it...

and of course the PS had a bunch of butyl in it.....

and 20 yrs later....

no health issues, no breathing problems...no nothing.....

cept i drink to much soda...

My theory has always been that....about anything the fruit loops out there try to think up....

your DNA is either programed for it or its not.....sure sure...somethings may flip a switch....but its still there...

 

[hogjowl]

very sorry to hear Ron. it does make think twice about the products i use. my wife says i should wear a mask sometimes.



all the best to you and yours.

I suspect it's not your lungs she is trying to protect when she tells you to wear a mask.

 

[hogjowl]

"we use to save bottles and i would dip them in a 55 gallon open top barrel...with my head in it..."

Can you possibly explain this to me in a way that will help me to not conclude you are an idiot?

 

[SamIam]

Im guessing he was a kid and had to reach into fill it,

I was 12 putting 16 gallons of big brute from maintex janitorial in a 55 gal drum diluting it down and repumping into gallon containers. I would make 300 gal of rtu a week, took me all day on a saturday.

The hardest was mixing a powdered emulsifier, this was in a back rom with no ventilation.

Where were the child labor laws??

oh ya I had to glue labels on each bottle too.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[HydroDude]

Have a buddy that clean's like this everyday do to health problems the doctor says is work related.
View attachment 1865

 

[Steve Lawrence]

Like Ron, we switched from using Hydroforce type sprayers to RTU solutions in a battery sprayer. I never thought much about the health implications but your concerns do make sense. We switched mostly to minimize overwetting and to be sure we were using proper dilutions. Our carpets dry faster and we are saving over half on our prespraying costs. Plus we don't have to interrupt the cleaning tool to apply presprays. I also imagine that we are minimizing residues with this system. Nice to know that it's a healthier way to clean, too.

 

[Desk Jockey]

I preach to keep the wand low to the ground when spraying, although no matter how you spray you are going to aerosolize some vapor no matter how careful you are. You should also go with a larger jet sizes to help keep as much on the carpet and out out of the air.

The other maybe more important aspect is, what are you spraying down? Some screaming high PH bath tub brew? That can't be good to breathe everyday.

 

[floorguy]

maybe he needs to find a different line of work then.....

if it affects your health like that GET OUT!!!

Wonder what his custys say??

I get a pest guy spraying your eves wearing one...but i would be a little bugged if he came into my house like that...

same with insulation....duhhhh we all know how much it makes your skin itch....you want that crap in your lungs??

but carpet cleaning??? when you are suppodsly "helping indoor air quality" uhhhhh no

 

[John Olson]

sorry to hear about that...

my take on the whole "it could be hurting you" theory....

everyone is different and some are more prone to problems then others...

back in the day (dont ask) when my dad bought his PS from a chemist in a different cleaning arena...

we use to save bottles and i would dip them in a 55 gallon open top barrel...with my head in it...

and of course the PS had a bunch of butyl in it.....

and 20 yrs later....

no health issues, no breathing problems...no nothing.....

cept i drink to much soda...

My theory has always been that....about anything the fruit loops out there try to think up....

your DNA is either programed for it or its not.....sure sure...somethings may flip a switch....but its still there...

Well there ya go....that it explains it all... Bless your heart

 

[Buck1955]

Ron,

Sorry to hear that. What were your symptoms?

 

[Mike Draper]

I'm sorry to hear that. I have been considering getting a battery sprayer, I may just do it.