But it's water based paint!

[B&BGaryC]

Here's the lowdown. I need some advice on whether or not to do this job,
and what I should price it out at.

744 sq. ft on two levels plus 14 stairs. We have a Large Living Room,
4 Bed Rooms, Two Hallways and a Laundry Room plus 6 small closets
that were not measured. (I never measure small closets)

They painted it with "Water Based" Latex paint assuming they would
replace the carpet, and now they don't have enough money to replace it,
and need the carpets cleaned for the new homeowner

None of that is drywall dust, none of it is loose. It is all paint.
The upstairs carpet is nylon, the downstairs is Olefin.
There is paint along the carpet by EVERY single wall and random
spills elsewhere. Is this something where I could put 2 gallons of
Avenge in a pump up and spray along the baseboards, and scrub
it out and then hit it with the wand or am I going to need to use
solvents? (If I need solvents I'll turn the job down.)

 

[bob vawter]

Is this a trick question.......

 

[packfancjh]

run, run, run, run. Did I mention RUN!

 

[truckmount girl]

Tell them it'll be cheaper to just replace the carpet. Then go celebrate for dodging that bullet. I HATE removing dried on paint.

Take care,
Lisa

 

[B&BGaryC]

Is this a trick question.......

No, it's a dumb question. I already know the answer is replacement, but I always like a challenge and think there might be a Double-O cleaner on this board just as crazy as me. And I hate telling somebody I can't fix it.

 

[joey895]

It would be cheaper for them to replace it, than for me to clean it.

 

[Art Kelley]

Give it your best shot on one room so they'll know what to expect. Who knows, it might look alright for the time being.

 

[bob vawter]

Tell 'em that is the DUMB TAX......

 

[packfancjh]

I did a house similar to it where the owner painted with no drop cloth and got paint everywhere. I spent 8 hrs on it and still had about another 10 hrs to go on paint removal to make it look satisfactory to me but she was alright with the way it looked when I was done. She just said we'll work on it more next time.

 

[Jim Martin]

But it's water based paint!

so what is it after all the water evaporates and it dries..........

 

[B&BGaryC]

What did you use to do it? My paint removal success is high, but I never had to deal with this much.

For some I use PIG followed by a volatile when done.

For most I use Pro-Solve Gel with a Power Gel Kicker, and for larger, fresher
spills I use avenge with plenty of flushing and even more dry-passes.

 

[steve g]

latex is only water soluble as long as its still wet!! I have great success with paint spills I just tell them to cover with a wet towel and I come the next day and get it out, never had one call back and need the bonded insert option,

as to dried paint, yeah it can be done, however you must use methods that would never be taught in any class, what that means is there is no such thing as using too much paint thinner or POG on the carpets, uhhh what they tell you not to do that in carpet cleaning class. thats really horseshit as long as you have a good truckmount, I have litterly dumped POG and thinner on carpets before, never had a problem once it dried. no backing problems just happy customers that where thrilled the paint was gone, even on ones that where paint can spills, as to the job you showed us above, a couple months ago I was gonna take on one like that, so I tried, it was taking way too long so I told them I couldn't do it. your job is worse I would pass

 

[packfancjh]

If you attempt it, try mixing pro solve with some water in a spray bottle, on the light overspray areas. I worked for me. the rest just straight pro solve.

 

[ScottM]

RUN FOREST, RUN!

They just need to pay their STUPID TAX and chalk it up to experience. If that were in 1 room, it might make sense. But the time and materials it would involve to take it up.......new carpet is cheaper.

Also, if you 'try' to do this job and mess it up/make it look worse, guess who's buying new carpet.

 

[R W]

I just did a Boys and Girls Club where some "free help" dropped paint all along the walls. I went in with Steve Smiths sample of PIG, and it worked quite well. Had just enough to get the spots out. I used the little yellow "Pros choice" fish-shaped scraper, and it helped a lot.

Now for the job in the pic's.....the oversprayed areas would steam out fairly easily with pre-treatment, but the soaked in painted areas will be a challange.....and costly for the chemical to remove it. Don't cha just love it when they "rub it in" with a rag, trying to remove the spill?

 

[White Collar]

I dont know, I'm going to need to see more pics before I can decide.

 

[Dolly Llama]

is some of that over spray from a sprayer??

That's "generally" not too difficult to remove.
Mist with a citrus solvent, a little agitation and extract

paint drips get snipped with the duck bills

for the other areas I see are spills
Since the carpet is already ruined and in a condition and type
that extraordinary salvage/restoration attempts would cost
near as much as replacement...

I probably use something fast and dangerous
like Xylene


edit..I just remembered Tony and Shawn mentioning
gelled paint stripper once before.
Might be an option




..L.T.A.

 

[Bob Foster]

It would make real nice before and after pictures to send to us but it's hooped because of the cost of your time (unless your brother-in-law was the painter).

If you can get permission to experiment it would be good for your own experience.

I would dilute some POG or PIG or Goof Off and spray it down lightly Then use an aggressive pad with an orbital on it (who cares about a little tip bloom) Most of it will come out.

Just and idea...

 

[bob vawter]

off hand....... reduce the goof-off wit acetone to a spray able consistency...and try in an inconspicuous spot first...........

 

[cmaster]

Those tips look a little bloomed already. I would try diluted citrus and some serious agitation. Call it a salvage :roll:

 

[bob vawter]

If THAT comes out..i'll kiss yor ass on the courthouse steps...an' give you an hour to draw a crowd!

 

[asupremeclean]

I am looking for a good painter. What is that guys #. I'll even fly him in.

It would cost more for me to get all that paint out then to replace the carpet.

 

[Contemporary Carpet Clean]

from SOME of the pics it appears that the some paint was sprayed on the walls....usually based on apartment complexes that we do they sometimes spray paint the apt and get some on the carpet. Usually the spray paint method comes out easier than globs or drops of paint. We spray the edges with the hydro sprayer with enzyme in it to loosen it up. Then most of the rest washes out.

Try one room to see.....but if its a PITA like most of the job looks....do not do the job.....you will be so high from the fumes and have blisters on you fingers from scrubbing all that paint out by hand.

 

[B&BGaryC]

I dont know, I'm going to need to see more pics before I can decide.

Can't you tell I just bought that camera this week? I have 30 pictures of my back-yard if you want to see those.

 

[B&BGaryC]

If THAT comes out..i'll kiss yor ass on the courthouse steps...an' give you an hour to draw a crowd!

She called me this evening and said that she didn't like the price I gave her for just the cleaning, and told me not to worry about figuring out what the paint removal was going to cost. When I told her it would START at $450.00 I guess her husband didn't want to wait to figure out where it ENDED.

However:

I think now I'm going to call her back and say that the job is on the house... even if I have to photoshop the after pictures...

 

[Kevin B]

The only paint that I SEE as being really difficult in those pics is along the edges of the walls where it was sprayed, and the big globs where it was spilled. The overspray from the airless sprayer is generally not attatched real well, and will come off with a high ph prespray and some agitation.

Now, there is always a chance that it won't. But, i'd at least do a room for them to see if they want you to go that route.

 

[Mountain View Carpet Care]

Looks like couldn't afford a good painter.

 

[alazo1]

The berber seems it would be the biggest pita. I'd do it for an hourly wage (and a waiver). Nuke it with something fierce and see what comes out. I like the towel idea too, may work on at least some of it.

Albert

 

[Out of Character - 0]

We have done 50 plus for a painting company whose guy needed to be fired.

We would use a healthy shot of a citrus product in our prespray and flood it, scrub well then extract @800-1000 psi and 260F. A chop stroke or two takes care of the bulk of it. The drips and spills are the only problem. Since it's salvage work I would opt for a small amount of pile distortion and use a pressure washing gun at the same pressure and heat. By getting 2-3 inches away from the drips we can melt them away. After pressure washing the drips another wanding will help reduce the appearance of the pile distortion and reverse some of the downward heat setting from the process.

Sometimes I would position the wand over a drip and pressure wash into the vac slot other times just pressure wash then extract, my decision would be based on the sub floor, how trashed the carpet was, and weather it was to be occupied immediately. Having lot's of vac and heat helps alot, I could clean 200-400 ft per hour on most of them some faster.

 

[B&BGaryC]

I'm loving these responses. This sorta info is priceless. Next time I come across one of these (Hopefully not this bad) I will have some options and be able to have a real conversation, not, "I can do it but it will be a million dollars so I'm just gonna take pictures and ask some people if they have a special trick or product I could use."

Time for me a to re-up on my Supporting Membership... (Quick, move this post to the pay only rooms!)