Fels Naptha users...I have a question for you.

[Zee]

Here is my idiot proof method of "making" this stuff:

Get an empty jar (like powerburst jar). clean it out...

Fill it up with HOT water (on the verge of boiling)

Get a small cheese grater. Something like this: http://www.amazon.com/OXO-Grips-Sto...1_19?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1386450408&sr=1-19

You need something to stir the water with, as you slowly grate the Fels down. I use a cordless drill with a paint stir tool. Make sure you stir it sloooowly that way it won't foam up.

As you grate and stir get 2oz of soapfree from masterblend and stir it in as well. Also if you are unsucsessful with the foaming issue, you can sprinkle a small amount (a pinch) of powder defoamer in it every so often. Not too much!

Don't press the chees grater hard because the Fels is soft and the "powder" won't be too fine it the grater is biting into it hard. (its harder to melt it down if the powder is too big grainy)

I recommend 1 bar for one jar full of water. And also to grate it down onto paper first and then as you mix the liquid you can slowly apply the powder and you won't be trying to grate into the jar as you are trying to mix it.

When everything is melted and mixed well, cover it up and let is sit overnight.

Next morning it will be hard jello....you can get your drill with the paint mixer and go to town on the jar to mix it/break it up.

In the end you will have a smooth jelly/creamy substance that now will be easy to fill into the quart bottle with a squirt cap on it.
(for some reason it won't turn hard after the inital cooling overnight and will stay pretty consistent in a quart bottle.)


IT IS HANDS DOWN THE BEST SPOT REMOVER OUT THERE! One qt will last you weeks. works incredibly well- with the squirt cap- to apply on stairs bullnose etc.

 

[Franklin]

!st of all Im new to all these forums, never been to a trade show heck I just "Earned" my first IICRC badge 3-4 yrs ago. Never needed anyone else to validate my success I leave that to my clients. Until the other day I had no idea anyone else used Fels did learn to jump start with 40(thanks Mike) which Im going to try. After 20 yrs never a call back never seen resoiling color loss nothing notta zilch. Even before I got in the biz my brother ( best friend actually) who got me in the biz has been cleaning since 78. we've used everything from shaving cream to clean leather, lemons and salt for rust stains wd-20 , actually lemons for many uses, vinegar, baking soda , so on and so on. Now we have these well defined specifically labeled products oxidizers reducers which are nice but the old ways have their place and no "scientist" can convince me that these time tested procedures are B A A D and Im doing the customer a dis service....... in my humble opinion

 

[hogjowl]

Zee lost me about two sentences in, but I think he does it somewhat like I do. I grate up a palm full of it and pour it into a bottle, then I add hot water fro the TM. Shake it up and your good to go. Squirt it on the spot, rub it in with your toe and rinse it out.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Hack! Porkhack!

 

[hogjowl]

ASS, Tacoass!

 

[KevinD]

I use the gel formula myself.
I stumbled upon it the first time I made up a batch of liquid and went to use it the next day and it had turned to gel.

 

[Steamin McFadden]

I love fels, between that and a gallon of 40 vol, takes care of 98.257% of all my spotting,

 

[Vivers]

No problems at all but I was told prior to starting to use it that you have to rinse it very well just like any other type spotters like gel solvents etc. Never seen any discoloration with it at all

 

[Mardie]

Is fells considered as a spot remover or stain remover ? What kind of problems do you guys use fells on ?

 

[Mikey P]

anything that does not come out with HWE/prespray.

in a nutshell.

 

[hogjowl]

I agree with anvil head. It's my first go to spotter.

 

[Desk Jockey]

ASS, Tacoass!

Oh my!

 

[ruff]

Seriously I'd like to see how hard or easy it is to flush out and what's the benefit to using it over what we currently are using.

Richard, it is just that it works well on such a large variety of stains, does not seem to set stains and does not seem to have any negative effects if rinsed thoroughly.
It simplifies what sometimes will require the use of a bunch of different spotters. And it does not lighten the area around the stain like some spotters do.

 

[Mikey P]

And that 1.99 bar last for months and months.
With it in your pocket you or your chim p s are far more likely to work on a stain instead of walking out to the van to get a jug and or a sorry mam, that's permanent.

 

[steve g]

I haven't had an issue with fels I have used it quite a bit in my own house. my house was a spec house that had the cheapest polyester frieze they could find put in. I normally use a CRB to scrubb the prespray in when I clean it. really high traffic areas like in front of my sofa were still darker, I rubbed the bar around the whole area and the carpet came ALOT cleaner. in fact try it some time on a traffic area that is dark and looks terrible just rub the bar around and agitate with your foot. umm you will feel bad because all those years you told the customers those traffic lanes would never come out with anything. fels takes them out. its also taken the place of POG for the most part and quite a few other spotters. I do feel its tuff to rinse the stuff, SOOOO just rinse it more!!! between peroxide, Fels and a couple others the different types of chemicals I use is way down. I do wish I could get a liquid fels though.

 

[GCCLee]

I do wish I could get a liquid fels though.

This peaks me interest!

Squirt and Stomp : )

 

[Blue Monarch]

$1.99 mikey? I get it for $0.99 here! Lol.

 

[Russ T.]

Again I feel kinda slow here. Someone tell me, like I'm a 5 year old, what I need to get started with Fels. I've NEVER used it and carrying around a bar of soap sounds kind of odd but what do I know? If there really are inexpensive products that work well on a wide variety of spots, I'd be foolish not to try. Someone mentioned Fels and 40 Vol taking care of most spots/stains not removed by prespray. I want to know more! Please help by being as specific as you can remembering that the Kid has NEVER done this. THANKS!


The Clean Machine

 

[Mikey P]

If you come across a mystery spot that your pre spray didn't budge, take that handy bar of Fels out of your pocket, mist the spot with your wand to facilitate some suds and rub the bar on the spot or small area until it turns white/sudsy. Let dwell than rinse with your wand real well. Depending on flow and rice agent this can take a while. If the spot is still there try again only this time lube the area with 40 vol.
If that doesn't work get out your synthetic dye remover and legal disclaimer speech.

Works good on most upholstery as well. Never had a problem on wool either. Just make sure to get it all out.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Again I feel kinda slow here. Someone tell me, like I'm a 5 year old, what I need to get started with Fels. I've NEVER used it and carrying around a bar of soap sounds kind of odd but what do I know? If there really are inexpensive products that work well on a wide variety of spots, I'd be foolish not to try. Someone mentioned Fels and 40 Vol taking care of most spots/stains not removed by prespray. I want to know more! Please help by being as specific as you can remembering that the Kid has NEVER done this. THANKS!

Don't feel bad we don't use Fels either, interested but haven't tried it. I'm a little concerned about them not flushing it out well enough. Very little if any 40 vol except on specific stains, but we do few trashed carpets.

 

[ruff]

Don't feel bad we don't use Fels either,

Let that be the final proof for the need to use it .

 

[steve_64]

i got a bar after reading about it here. tried it on some white work shirts i have that had some spots that wouldnt come out.

some spots came out and i saw some tanish stains i believe came from the fels on other spots i treated.

i stopped using the stuff, have half a bar sitting by the washer for about a year now.


im really liking goo gone though lol

 

[hogjowl]

II love the stuff and use it all the time, but I don't rub the bar on the carpet. I grate it up and mix with hot water, then put it in a squirt bottle.

 

[Shawn Forsythe]

From a post made by me in a thread from 2011 on the subject....

Fels Naptha is basically a bar of soap with Methyl Cellosolve solvent added to boost performance. A few stabilizers, preservatives, fragrance and colorants round out the mix. No self-respecting manufacturer of carpet cleaning chemicals would use actual soap as a base for anything in their product line. Soap has inherent disadvantages when used in a process not guaranteeing soft water and/or full immersion/copious rinsing.

I still stand behind the remark. That being said, some people may indeed not notice a problem. In that manner it's like a lot of other procedural errors performed in cleaning inasmuch as some may not notice the problems generated, as it is not necessarily observable from the cleaners standpoint. I mean, who compares resoiling rates of filtration lines? Even if you did, you'd likely chalk it up to the original cause, not realizing that you accelerated the re-appearance. As well, if you are using a good rinse agent and/or really soft water, you might actually do a decent job at rinsing soap with adequate rinse volume. But carpet edging, that likely is not edge sealed, is probably not a good place to employ near immersion flood rinsing with your scrub wand on wall-to-wall.

From an ethics perspective, I agree with Paul Lucas on this one. But I understand the business decision to "git-r-done" for temporary appearance.




p.s. We have/use Fels in our laundry room. Then again, everything there is immersion rinsed for protracted time, too. Any slight potential for resoiling is not going to be an issue during a 1 day wearing cycle.

 

[Russ T.]

II love the stuff and use it all the time, but I don't rub the bar on the carpet. I grate it up and mix with hot water, then put it in a squirt bottle.

How much Fels to how much hot water?


The Clean Machine

 

[Blue Monarch]

I think porkchop said he grates about a palmful into a spray bottle?

 

[Russ T.]

I think porkchop said he grates about a palmful into a spray bottle?

Palm full? Spray bottle...what size? I'm beginning to think you Fels guys are a bunch of hacks! Kidding (sort of).


The Clean Machine

 

[Blue Monarch]

2.587 tablespoons. and a 32 ounce bottle. lol

I don't know. The last time I tried making liquid, I didn't like the gel it turned into. I prefer the bar and sneaker agitation.

It works on so much stuff I think guys are crazy for not using it. Even takes care of rust most of the time.

 

[Zee]

How much Fels to how much hot water?


The Clean Machine

Have you read this entire thread or just jumped in on at the very end? I wrote down pretty well detailed how you could make a jar full of gel that will rinse out easy...

First post on page 2 here.

 

[Russ T.]

Have you read this entire thread or just jumped in on at the very end? I wrote down pretty well detailed how you could make a jar full of gel that will rinse out easy...

First post on page 2 here.

I read it all. I guess I missed it.


The Clean Machine