Cleaning stain resistant carpet...

[CrazyRay]

Shortly after Dupont introduced Stainmaster many years ago we got word of new cleaning recommendations. Only use detergents with a ph less than 10 on stain resistant fibers. High ph could "compromise" the factory stain resistant treatment.
At first it was, "Oh yeah, we gotta use the lower ph, I don't want to be responsible for ruining a customer's carpet." After seeing no negative effects from ph, I gotta admit, I have not worried with the less than 10 ph thing for many years.
I am curious, how many here still use only "stain resist approved" products for SR carpets? Also, has anyone ever had a ph related problem or claim because of using too high a ph?

 

[KevinD]

No SRA approved products here.

I've even Nuked a few wall to wall wools before.
Never noticed till I got half way through a room
prespraying and smelled that familiar sulfur smell.

 

[Larry Cobb]

I specifically asked the CRI group at Connections about the "10 pH recomendation"

since stainresist technology no longer requires that pH maximum.

There answer was, that they kept the pH level to insure dye color integrity.

Even more irritating, was their insistence of the same limits for spot & urine removers.

I explained that the most effective oxidizer currently used has a pH of 10.5,

and they said they would take input from the cleaning industry.

So if you talk to them, explain that eliminating urine odor problems is important

in maintaining customer satisfaction with carpet & rugs.

Larry

 

[ruff]

I follow the guidelines, not because I found that high PH damages carpets (I don't know), more because it is the client property not mine and it is their decision. Most carpets clean great following those guidelines and going the high PH rout is not necessary (yes, it may save a little time.)

If it requires a violation of the warranty, I explain the issue and potential loss of warranty and it is their decision to make. Including, if they choose to do so, a release of liability (lets not get into the issue of legal validity of that).

Never had a PH related claim and I suspect most do not. However, for me, that's not the issue. Their carpet, their warranty, their decision.

I agree with Larry about telling the manufacturers about urine issues etc. A good dialogue is always positive. And it would be great if we could have more of a partnership (we both want the carpet to look great and perform well for years) than the adversarial relationship that usually goes on. To a certain extent our interests are similar.

Though what they say about the dyes does make sense. Be interesting to know more about high ph and dye color integrity, long and short term. (and I am not talking about dye indicators - changing color with ph that can be reversed.)

 

[Dolly Llama]

there was also an heat restriction at one time, no?

if I recall it 160 (?) or there about.
I "think" they dropped that , cause they realized that with normal wands, no one was getting 160 at the fiber ...even with a fire breathing boiler and 240 ATW, the spray hitting the fiber is less than 160


..L.T.A.

 

[billyeadon]

I specifically asked the CRI group at Connections about the "10 pH recomendation"

since stainresist technology no longer requires that pH maximum.

There answer was, that they kept the pH level to insure dye color integrity.

Even more irritating, was their insistence of the same limits for spot & urine removers.

I explained that the most effective oxidizer currently used has a pH of 10.5,

and they said they would take input from the cleaning industry.

So if you talk to them, explain that eliminating urine odor problems is important

in maintaining customer satisfaction with carpet & rugs.

Larry

Kind of a moot point as urine voids the warranty so doesn't matter what we use. The temperature in the original warranty was 150 until Doyle Bloss and the Steamway boys proved that to be impossible.

 

[BradFenstermaker]

NOPE! If they haven't cleaned within the year of purchse, or dog pee pee on the carpet, it don't matter. LOL That's what I get every job pretty much.

 

[hogjowl]

If you knuckledraggers are still cleaning with super high pH cleaners, you're stupid. There is not reason to be cleaning with anything over 10.5.

Spotters are a totally different story.

 

[CrazyRay]

Ok I recalculated my calculator and 10.5 still comes out higher than 10.

 

[hogjowl]

Was it the word knuckledragger that made you think I was talking to you?

 

[Larry Cobb]

Kind of a moot point as urine voids the warranty so doesn't matter what we use.

CRI is planning approving spotters also,

as part of the SOA program.

Larry

 

[billyeadon]

CRI is planning approving spotters also,

as part of the SOA program.

Larry

Larry, After a year of requesting odor control products they have a whopping total of 15 products. Getting detergents and presprays was difficult but I think deodorizers is a lost cause.

 

[Larry Cobb]

Bill;

I hope so !

Larry

 

[CrazyRay]

Was it the word knuckledragger that made you think I was talking to you?

yes

 

[Vivers]

We typically use the correct products for each individual fiber just to eliminate any problems or customer complaints

 

[Desk Jockey]

We only use Stain Resist products when cleaning residential carpet. Most of our clients have newer carpet that could be still be under warranty. It's simple and easy, we know if there is an issue it's not with any products we have used.

 

[GCCLee]

I keep it between 9-10 for the really clean ones. something about ph gaining strength classes like a hurricane so, If theres no need to spike da punch then don't spike da punch.

Aside from neglect, The Stain Master is yo friend remember : )