High maintenance maintenance ...

[-JB-]

I have a job that we have done seven times annually in the past until they remodeled in 2013.

Called them last summer knowing they had no need the year before as the carpets had been replaced, they stated at that time,

"We were told only to spot clean with water, no other maintenance is required."

I assured her that was likely misinformation and suggested she review her warranty paperwork that accompanied the carpet.

Fast forward one year, now I get this;

"Our new carpet was installed in 2013. It is a Mohawk Group modular carpet and is covered by a Duracolor Lifetime Stain Resistant Warranty and a Modular Warranty.
Chlorinated and solvent based cleaning agents may not be used on this carpet. Only Mohawk Group cleaning products or products approved in writing by Mohawk may be used.

With regard to Deep Cleaning, the accompanying literature recommends cleaning by using a "hot water extraction method".

Can you accommodate this specification?

Since the carpet cost was a sizable investment on our part, I'm sure you can appreciate our desire to abide by the terms of the warranties.

I look forward to hearing from you."

I'm at a loss the person we had dealt with for years has retired and I'm more getting the PITA feeling from the new head; however to offer her benefit of the doubt, perhaps they have just been scared by a "well meaning, over zealous" salesman. I would prefer to educate her, and myself in this regard should it arise again.

So can anyone offer advice based on real word experience in regards to the "Mohawk warranty?"

Thanks in advance.

PS.
Rember water is the worlds most universal solvent; so essentially, they are saying we can HWE it, if we can do it without water.... uhhh? Whaa?

 

[Mikey P]

use a RE and just and chances are it will clean up good enough.





Don't let them see you rub a little Fels on the toughies.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Offer to test clean and area so she can see how well it does.

 

[-JB-]

"Our new carpet was installed in 2013. It is a Mohawk Group modular carpet and is covered by a Duracolor Lifetime Stain Resistant Warranty and a Modular Warranty.
Chlorinated and solvent based cleaning agents may not be used on this carpet. Only Mohawk Group cleaning products or products approved in writing by Mohawk may be used.

With regard to Deep Cleaning, the accompanying literature recommends cleaning by using a "hot water extraction method".

Can you accommodate this specification?

Since the carpet cost was a sizable investment on our part, I'm sure you can appreciate our desire to abide by the terms of the warranties.

I look forward to hearing from you."

"Recommends," being the key word, I'd prefer bonnet honestly ....

 

[Zee]

There is a difference between "recommended" and "required"

I would talk to them and try to engage positively, to let you try to clean the way it was "recommended" to be done... and THEN do what is "required" to actually get it cleaned, and show them the difference.

 

[Shane Deubell]

I would say how about next Saturday at 9am. ...

We will just pick up the Mohawk cleaning products and use hwe.

Next

 

[jcooper]

I would say how about next Saturday at 9am. ...
We will just pick up the Mohawk cleaning products and use hwe.
Next

Perfect answer.
I agree, if it's well paying I'll do whatever they want. I'd make sure to have written proof the product is "mohawk" approved.

I clean for a former carpet cleaner, his wife only wants the products he used to be used by me... Must be a fresh water rinse, etc....Lol, sure whatever you want sir.... First time cleaning for them he had a hydro force already mixed up for me! lol!

 

[Wing It]

I agree 100% with Shane. Go get Mohawk products and do your best. If it does not clean up, its Mohawks fault for inferior products not yours.

 

[Zee]

Perfect answer.
I agree, if it's well paying I'll do whatever they want. I'd make sure to have written proof the product is "mohawk" approved.

I clean for a former carpet cleaner, his wife only wants the products he used to be used by me... Must be a fresh water rinse, etc....Lol, sure whatever you want sir.... First time cleaning for them he had a hydro force already mixed up for me! lol!

Love those guys....and Hate those guys at the same time. Love that I can show them and explain what the heck this is all about and show them how an up-to-date type cleaning is done.
Hate those guys when they don't want to understand that we don't need their "expertise"....usually some bad outdated method or technique they already failed with before.

 

[Jimmy L]

Buy one gallon of the mohawk to show them the container and then use what you want..............they will never....know.

 

[HydroDude]

I've done a few Mohawk warranty claims, they are looking for a pre-conditioner with a ph 10 or less, agitate with CRB ...no bonnets and extract with fresh hot water with no additives.

 

[-JB-]

..and this thread is complete, thanks for the facts.

 

[Mikey P]

I cant believe any mill would OK a CRB being used on any pile.

 

[HydroDude]

http://www.mohawkgroup.com/sitefiles/pdfs/carpet_care.pdf

 

[Jim Pemberton]

Did you note their comment on rinse extraction saying either to use an acid rinse for neutralization (ok) or a DEFOAMER in the solution tank (!)

For all of their concern over the types of chemicals that should be used on their carpet, they then recommend rinsing the carpet with a silicone based oily product that will attract soil

 

[Wing It]

Shaw recommends periodic encapsulation cleaning with a crb on commercial carpets in between hwe. They had a commercial maintenance video with quizzes I took probably 2 years ago. I think the guys name was Charlie Rollins who shared it. He was a director of product support at shaw.

 

[HydroDude]

Did you note their comment on rinse extraction saying either to use an acid rinse for neutralization (ok) or a DEFOAMER in the solution tank (!)

For all of their concern over the types of chemicals that should be used on their carpet, they then recommend rinsing the carpet with a silicone based oily product that will attract soil

I took that as their description of a typical HWE process...it goes on to say...Instead, use your cleaning agent as a pre-spray, agitate, and then rinse with your extractor using plain water.

 

[Jim Pemberton]

I am sure that is what someone meant, but this is how it reads:

"Hot Water extraction, performed with truck-mount, portable, or
self-contained equipment, uses the high-pressure force of water injected
into the carpet followed by powerful vacuum suction to remove
suspended soil. The process happens almost instantaneously and does
not allow cleaning agents to have adequate dwell time. Therefore, the
only cleaning agent you should use in the machine’s tank is an acidic
rinse agent to help return the pH to neutral, or a de-foamier to cut down
on the accumulation of detergent foam in the machine. Instead, use your
cleaning agent as a pre-spray, agitate, and then rinse with your
extractor using plain water."

In fact, they contradict themselves when they go from the only cleaning agent they should use is an acidic rinse, then later say to rinse with plain water.

I think what happened is they took points from some cleaning guides or manuals, and had someone who doesn't understand cleaning condense and summarize them.

I know I'm picking at them, but when I see the hoops "JB" is being forced to jump through, it brings out the "Lewis Black" in me.

 

[HydroDude]

"Our new carpet was installed in 2013. It is a Mohawk Group modular carpet and is covered by a Duracolor Lifetime Stain Resistant Warranty and a Modular Warranty.

According to their maintenance guidelines, they have already voided the warranty by not cleaning often enough...

 

[-JB-]

THANK YOU!

That is EXACTLY why I recommended they review their warranty literature LAST YEAR!

 

[-JB-]

My correspondence....

"As we have for nearly a decade, we certainly can meet any carpet cleaning needs you may have, we offer four different methods for cleaning, including Hot water extraction; which is what we have done the for you in the past.

For nearly a decade held an IICRC Master cleaner status, and have successfully cleaned tens of thousands of square feet of commercial carpeting, many jobs dealing with similar warranty requirements in our twenty five years in business.

I had recommended you review your warranty paperwork last summer (2013) when I called; you will find most carpeting manufactures require a professional cleaning somewhere between 6-18 intervals, if this is the case, the warranty may be void already, this is something that should be investigated.

In any case we can definitely clean it for you, safely and effectively. I would recommend a "test cleaning" first perhaps in the back office? This will help determine for both of our sake that the carpeting has been installed correctly, and up to industry standards so that it can handle a Hot water extraction cleaning. We have in the past run into issues, albeit rarely, whereas the tiles fail to stay bonded to the floor following a Hot water extraction cleaning, it only seems prudent to test the job on a smaller scale before we tackle the entire job.

Should you choose to proceed with this approach, we will bill the "test area" in with the normal cleaning, if it fails to meet standards, or you choose to go another way we will of course accept the risk and absorb the cleaning costs for you. We want to make your experience as stress free as possible, I hope this puts your mind at ease.

Please feel free to call or respond and we will get you scheduled for that test cleaning asap.

Thanks for your interest and we look forward to serving you again!"

 

[Zee]

Last summer was 2014. Or did you send this last year?

 

[Shane Deubell]

Really dont want this job huh

 

[jcooper]

We have in the past run into issues, albeit rarely, whereas the tiles fail to stay bonded to the floor following a Hot water extraction cleaning, it only seems prudent to test the job on a smaller scale before we tackle the entire job.

I'd keep that info on the DL(down low)....

 

[GeneMiller]

I always provide the customer with what they request to the best of my ability. I only offer hwe so that's not a problem. I don't carry Mohawk products but they can't be hard to get. They are probably just relabeled anyways. I get these kind of customers occasionally. My largest account had the carpet ruined by a circle scrubber of some kind. They made me read and agree to clean according to the manufacturers recommendations on the new carpet. It stated hwe only. I don't remember anything about product choices or limitations it was to long ago. Their happy and I get a nice paycheck 2-3 times a year.

Gene