Cleaning problem on newer carpets

[Zee]

I ran into a problem at a 55+ community where the management bought and installed new carpets in a few units this past two years.

To be honest I'm not exactly sure what brand and manufacturer. Very average looking beige/light cream colors. ( I'm trying to find out from management what the exact product name is that they purchased)

These carpets do not clean up. Lots of grayish traffic areas.

Normal procedures include prevacuuming thoroughly! I have tried multiple presprays. Powermax, flex powder, powerburst, ultrapack. None of these clean it up. Even with long enough dwell time and Orbot prescrub. Tried cleaning these homes with 10 flow greenhorn, 20 flow greenhorn, HOSS. All hooked to a firebreathing diesel burning El Diablo.

The worst thing is that where I would try to do real slow wand flush with high heat, it actually turns the carpet dark!!! Right under the jets. And then its almost impossible to make it go away. Even with 40vol and Fels. (remember, its prevaced- so its not soil wick. I pride myself on wernering carpets)


They had a carpet inspector out and he wrote up an absolutely ridiculous report saying that its not the carpets fault because he tested a small area with warm tap water (!!!) In his spotting machine and can get the carpet clean no problem. No chemicals other than warm tap water!

So I'm losing my patience right now with all our chemicals and equipment, and we are unable to make this new carpet look good.

I tried giving the scratching explanation already. But some of these carpets are less than a year old.

Edit: we try rinsing with Cobb's all fiber rinse and fresh water.

 

[Zee]

We have also tried cleaning with encapu clean O2 and releasit ds2 and just padcap it. No real improvement.

Any ideas?

Anyone with similar experience?

 

[Mark Saiger]

Any pics?

White towel test? Any soil transfer?

 

[Zee]

No pics right now.

I have done post padding with Orbot (weighed) and pick up some with pads but not like dirty pads. I flush high flow.

 

[Mark Saiger]

If you got a chance, call my cell. In between jobs right now

218-259-9099

 

[Mikey P]

Preload5 will be the answer to your problem

Scott on Mikey's PC

 

[Desk Jockey]

Its doesn't sound like its dirty Zee. Could it be wear is scratching up the fiber?

 

[Ed Valentine]

ZEE;

I have seen this situation before. Nothing you can do that will take those grayish areas out, period. And, there is no cleaning agent(s) that can help. I would guess that it is "cheap" carpeting and the dye has been "worn away".

best to you and keep your head up.

Ed Valentine
cross-american.com

 

[DangerkittyToTheRescue]

They had a carpet inspector out and he wrote up an absolutely ridiculous report saying that its not the carpets fault because he tested a small area with warm tap water (!!!) In his spotting machine and can get the carpet clean no problem. No chemicals other than warm tap water!

Oh yeah, don't you love that?!!! I bet that chaps your butt big time! Lucky thing I wasn't around, I would've strangled that "inspector" for you.

Love to find out the manufacture and make of that carpet. "Smart Fiber"?

 

[Zee]

Oh yeah, don't you love that?!!! I bet that chaps your butt big time! Lucky thing I wasn't around, I would've strangled that "inspector" for you.

Love to find out the manufacture and make of that carpet. "Smart Fiber"?

Well, I guess good thing I wasn't there to see the inspector either...otherwise I would've questioned him with intense professionalism

 

[DangerkittyToTheRescue]

Why on earth would going real slow with high heat make it worse? That's puzzling to me.

Actually, I apologize, I was so worked up that it's actually Smartstrand carpet that I was thinking of. That is some very weird carpet but that's just speculation on my part until you get actual answers on what type it really is.

Now on the other hand, wonder what the results would be by going with no heat, just pure water?

 

[Jack May]

Where did the inspector do his test clean? Did he only test one spot? Who contracted him and did anyone else get a copy of his report?

As an inspector myself, I try and be unbiased and independent in every job. I'm not going in there trying to get my client the results they want!

I do plenty of these types of claims and I always test multiple areas, and rarely any non used areas. I like the heavy walkway co I out of the kitchen area as you can clean a strip going from the middle of the walkway at its worst, and clean right across to the cupboard where no one has ever walked and then you can really assess the true clean ability of the carpet.

I have come across similar jobs where a cleaner has struggled, but if have produced acceptable results. Firstly, I only ever do test cleaning processes that are able to be performed across a whole area clean scenario, but I'll often pass on the chemical or procedure that worked in that type of case. Maybe consider contacting the inspector requesting that info but go in asking for help not accusing and they may be open to talking.

Can the facility manager or body corporate contract an independent inspector to conduct their own investigation?

John

 

[Goomer]

They had a carpet inspector out and he wrote up an absolutely ridiculous report saying that its not the carpets fault because he tested a small area with warm tap water (!!!) In his spotting machine and can get the carpet clean no problem. No chemicals other than warm tap water!
.

If this is true, then then there should be a noticeable clean spot somewhere to support his claim………shouldnt there be??

 

[Zee]

If this is true, then then there should be a noticeable clean spot somewhere to support his claim………shouldnt there be??

Hard for me to answer...because when they had the inspector out, that was between two cleanings. And between the two cleanings there was about 3 months. So for him to say he cleaned the spot- could be true. I don't know. I sure couldn't tell where he did his testing.


But this thread is more about the carpet and not the inspector and his "findings". How is this possible that some fabric makes us look like we just forgot how to clean carpets? And we move onto the next one and the next 100..... and can clean no problem all kinds of carpets to beautifully clean...

John, I will pull up the report that I was handed from the facilities. I'm going to double check on a few things.
In the meantime... Could this Really be possible for you as an inspector or any other inspector out there to say that the carpet in a case like this can be cleaned to acceptable by some tap water and the professional grade chemicals we all believe to be using in conjunction with our professional equipment (as in truckmounts, rotary extractors etc)- fails to achieve that same "acceptable" result?

 

[J Scott W]

Could this Really be possible for you as an inspector or any other inspector out there to say that the carpet in a case like this can be cleaned to acceptable by some tap water and the professional grade chemicals we all believe to be using in conjunction with our professional equipment (as in truckmounts, rotary extractors etc)- fails to achieve that same "acceptable" result?

This is a common reason for an inspection and a common method for inspectors to use, although most will use hot water and some type of cleaner that the carpet manufacturer approves of.

The real problem with this is that one selected square can look clean by contrast to dirty soiled carpet around it. You don't get the benefit of that contrast when you are cleaning the entire carpet. You also don't get to choose the spot you want to clean. If the issue is abrasion, they can test clean a spot out of the high traffic area. If the issue is heavy soil, they can choose a very dirty area to get the most contrast. If the issue is related to a change in appearance after the carpet dries (Damp carpet often looks cleaner than dry carpet.) They can snap a few photos while the carpet is still damp.

There is also the issue of what is acceptable. Was it acceptable to the inspector or to the facility manager?

 

[Jack May]

Zee, EVERYTHING gets backed up with good photography. That way it's not my word against someone else's. If I can produce the desired results, the photos show that, if not, and it's still grayed in the traffic lanes from abrasion etc, then the photos show that as justification to replace under warranty.

Again, I never do anything that can't be replicated on a room cleaning level. Most often, I only use cold or tepid water in my spotting machine. I use detergents are normal dilution ratios and stay within the chemical boundaries for spot cleaning purposes.

John

 

[hogjowl]

Is it possible that the high heat and pressure is damaging the Sonora portion of the fiber?

Assuming it's Smart Strand.

 

[Mikey P]

Is it possible that the high heat and pressure is damaging the Sonora portion of the fiber?

Assuming it's Smart Strand.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hrm-rPSCIBw&feature=kp

 

[hogjowl]

LOL.

Prick.

 

[SamIam]

I would say some of the toughest things to get out for me are seniors and their rubber soled house shoes burning the carpet by dragging their feet in TFA's, lots of citrus solvent and scrubbing and oxidizers.


But I would give CTI's

http://proschoice.com/html/dinge_away.html

a try, it may color over it enough to get you outta there.

They give tons of free samples away at their distributors
its worth a try if you haven't yet.

Other than that it sounds like you did everything else.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[GeeeAus]

Could some Dinge Away potentially help sort this out a bit?

Grant

 

[KevinD]

Another thing to consider as I have a couple of these accounts and upon real close inspection with a magnifying glass the traffic areas are deeply embedded with almost microscopic lint. Probably from socks and slippers.