key the wand forward and back of just on the back stroke???

[steve g]

I was wondering what you guys are doing when you are cleaning, are you keying in both directions or just the back stroke, seems like I hear a lot of guys that do it just on the back stroke, personally I have always held it down both ways without letting off

 

[The Great Oz]

You're doing it correctly. Guys that key the wand one way will need to go to high-flow, giant units, four to the door and glides to get the same cleaning results.

 

[TimP]

I run .10 flow and only key going back. I don't run 4 to the door unless I'm running over 100" and also only have a 47 blower. I have yet to have a problem.

 

[Doug Cox]

I key it both ways and stop spraying before I hit the end of my stroke.

 

[asupremeclean]

We always use the forward and back unless it is really clean or the custy is concerned about dry time.

 

[Dolly Llama]

if you're using quality pre-spray in sufficient quantity and dwell(or mechanical agitation) you only need a slow back flush stroke.
in that scenario, a forward keys stroke only makes carpets wetter, not cleaner.

it's easy enough to see for your self on the next trashed rag you clean.

if you see a difference with a keyed forward stroke, it's because you're using poor pre-sprays, not enough pre-spray and dwell time and the wand agitation is what's making the difference.
not the added water.

if you don't use quality pre-sprays in suficient quantity, or run just run emulsifier thru the wand to clean, then you need a keyed back and forth stroke


..L.T.A.

 

[Jim Martin]

Meat nail it..................

 

[Rex Tyus]

I was wondering what you guys are doing when you are cleaning, are you keying in both directions or just the back stroke, seems like I hear a lot of guys that do it just on the back stroke, personally I have always held it down both ways without letting off
I was wondering what you guys are doing when you are cleaning, are you keying in both directions or just the back stroke, seems like I hear a lot of guys that do it just on the back stroke, personally I have always held it down both ways without letting off

If you prespray and agitate you only need to key on the back stroke. If you are using your wand for a hydroforce then key both directions. Unless you have a greenglides angled manifold on your wand you are risking wetting the backing with the keyed front stroke. Not saying anyone is a hack or they are wrong. Just stating what is what.

 

[Greenie]

We always use the forward and back unless it is really clean or the custy is concerned about dry time.

Exactly. Time and a place.

 

[Jimmy L]

The push stroke with the wand keyed is the prespray!

 

[Chads]

I go both forward and on back strokes takes way to much effort to key on and off all the time. Yes, there always is a ocasion where it might be the choice but dang I just see it wearing out my k-valves just that much quicker. So in short terms, just to much of a pain in my a$$ to only do a back stroke.

 

[John Watson]

A few of you nailed it solid, It depends on the soiling and condition of the carpet. Very seldom do I spray on the push stroke unless it is heavely soild but usally in that case I have already run my rotary for additional aggitation.

 

[Becker]

Some of my jobs are so clean that I don't key the wand forward or back.


Most often just on the back stroke.

UNless it is a really dirty one.. then nice chop strokes keyed... and a few dry strokes.

Entries, walk off areas from kitchens.

 

[LeeCory]

Like Meat said, if you prespray the carpet there should be no reason to have to spray in each direction.

Keep in mind that depending on soil you can always adjust the speed of your back stroke.

 

[Blue Monarch]

Very rarely do I key the forward stroke. Slow, high flow back stroke. High to me that is. Lippold would think I'm barely misting it.

 

[Jack May]

I clean mostly wool carpets and so I key the back stroke only, often slowly, and then always do a forward dry stroke for extra drying.

If I keyed in forward and then backward and moved on, the wool carpets would take days to dry.

John

 

[bob vawter]

I guess it depends on which side of the carpet fiber...

you want ta clean!

 

[Dolly Llama]

I guess it depends on which side of the carpet fiber...

you want ta clean!

ummm, Ole Man, if you're not turning the wand around and cleaning from the opposite direction, you're hitting the same side of the fiber whether pushing or pulling....



..L.T.A.

 

[Ron Lippold]

24 flow 600 psi slow back stroke

 

[B&BGaryC]

An old-schooler whom I have much respect for explained to me that when you key the forward stroke, you are heating the fiber up, and opening it up just a little bit so it's prepared to be well flushed out with the keyed back stroke.

 

[Rex Tyus]

An old-schooler whom I have much respect for explained to me that when you key the forward stroke, you are heating the fiber up, and opening it up just a little bit so it's prepared to be well flushed out with the keyed back stroke.

What did he say about the backing? If he is old school I am betting he has a straight jet manifold.

 

[Dolly Llama]

An old-schooler whom I have much respect for...

I have much respect, love and admiration for many "old schoolers".
but the truth is, they may or may not know more about running a wand than a 5 year vet that can fiigure things out for themselves
(that includes some instructors TOO!)


..L.T.A.

 

[The Great Oz]

Keyed stroke both ways is done quickly, left and right (or right and left) followed by a s-l-o-w-e-r dry stroke to get over to the next section of carpet to clean. Done correctly, this method is both very thorough and very fast, and will not overwet the carpet. It takes a little more effort, and you have to do it quickly, so may not be best for out of shape guys. I absolutely agree with changing this procedure given the appropriate circumstances, but would not want a tech to think that a procedure appropriate for lightly soiled carpet would be the best that can be done for all carpet conditions.

 

[B&BGaryC]

Tested the theory on a white nylon today. It wasn't really nasty, but it was kinda gross. Real good pre-vac, Zone Perfect and deliminate with an end-zone chaser, agitation with a pile rake, did all the edges while I let the spray dwell, and only did a slow pull back, no juice on the forward stroke. It looked great and I only had to wait five minutes after I finished rolling up for the last room to dry. I spent that time explaining our referral incentive program and pre-selling protector for my next time in. (The carpet was only a year old and she wasn't ready to buy protector yet.)

 

[B&BGaryC]

An old-schooler whom I have much respect for explained to me that when you key the forward stroke, you are heating the fiber up, and opening it up just a little bit so it's prepared to be well flushed out with the keyed back stroke.

What did he say about the backing? If he is old school I am betting he has a straight jet manifold.

I am speaking of MicahR's dad. If you PM him I'm sure he'd relay a message for you.

 

[bob vawter]

I guess it depends on which side of the carpet fiber...

you want ta clean!

ummm, Ole Man, if you're not turning the wand around and cleaning from the opposite direction, you're hitting the same side of the fiber whether pushing or pulling....



..L.T.A.

WRONG FISH BREATH.....if you only key on one stroke that's the only side you clean......

Full key but opposite triangles...if you get my drift!

 

[TimP]

Bob, so you're telling us when someone say hangs a shirt up and you spray it on one side of it the back side doesn't get wet?????? :roll:

 

[bob vawter]

would you plez run that one bye me again...thanz

 

[Greenie]

Bawb's comment might be true if you are misting the carpet with tiny jets, but when you have 2 gpm high flow giving it a hot sauna bath, it's a little different animal.

So what year was it?

that old dawgs stop leanrning new tricks?

 

[Jimmy L]

And remember that as you key the forward stroke you are also "Prevacuuming" too!