Remedy for carpet problem ??

[RichardnTn]

I cleaned a commercial glue down a day or so ago and as it was drying, a white powder started showing up... the owner says that all the carpet was white yesterday morning and after 3 vacuumings , it was still there...
I have done thousands of these and haven't seen this but one time before.... Am I dealing with some previous residue, concrete not sealed, latex, etc...
I thought I would use a low pressure, one pass rinse to hopefully remedy the situation.... What do you think ? Richard R

BTW, the owner said that if someone spilled water that it would do the same thing....

 

[RichardnTn]

No protector.... used mild alkaline rinse..... will try acid...RR

 

[ScottM]

white powder

unless its the DeLorean kind....................

Its probably 'Carpet Fresh' type powder. I haven't seen that in commercial setting in over 10 years, but it will work its way to the surface after you use HWE. Look carefully at the pattern of the powder on the carpet, sometimes, its obvious how it was put out. It won't vacuum out out this point. The easiest solution is to do light OP or bonnet cleaning.

Ask about who is doing the janitorial cleaning, check the cleaning closets, under the sink, etc. You might get lucky and find the evidence.

 

[Dolly Llama]

My first thoughts were the same as Scott's

carpet fresh

it can be vacced up, but isn't easy on the ones we've encountered.

a Certified pile brush (the brand I think is the best) and it's aggressive brush and weight followed by a vac will help the most

running a bonnet over it will help too

..L.T.A.

 

[Lee Stockwell]

Definitely "Carpet fresh", we've encountered it many times.

A white pad under a rotary, alternated with aggressive vacuuming will quickly knock it loose and remove it.

Despite their inevitable denials that stuff lurks in a janitor's closet or cabinet somewhere nearby.

 

[Ron Werner]

never trust a homeowner/busnowner to vacuum!!
Who knows what lurks in the depths!!

 

[TimP]

I had the same thing happen to me also. I cleaned some carpet for an institution and the carpet dried with a white powder. In my case I used end zone for a rinse. With traffic slam for a preconditioner. Although I think it vacuumed away. I think the problem may of been some carpet fresh or something of the sort, anything could of caused it since it hadn't been cleaned in well over 10 years.

 

[RichardnTn]

Thanks everybody.
What is ironical is that I have cleaned adjacent businesses in the same complex with the same carpet and haven't had any problems. I'd say some
"do it yourselfer".. Thanks Again, Richard R

 

[Chads]

question is did you vacuum it or did they vac it check your vac height and do it again that usually the best solution and tell them its going to happen a couple more times you clean it.

 

[RichardnTn]

Chad,
I going by Monday after they close and vacuum with the TM, I may have to agitate prior to, though....RR

 

[Jeremy]

Got a pile lifter?

 

[Kevin. McCreary]

I did some warranty related work for Lee's carpet mill years ago. It had the same type of problem. After HWE a white residue powder was left on top of the carpet. We did some research and found the company that cleaned was a reliable cleaner with a good TM and rinsed it with formula 77 that was it.

We tried to do a corrective cleaning with an acid rinse. It made it worse. The manufacture found that the carpet was defective and had some form of granite dust compound breaking down in the primary backing, thus making it wick to the surface of the carpet during HWE.

The remedy they came up with was a very slow thorough dry vacuuming with a weighted 50# weight. It corrected the problem even after future cleanings.

 

[The Great Oz]

Marble dust Kevin.

Some low loop commercial carpet is made with terrible adhesive. The carpet only has to hold together long enough to be glued down, and then the installation mastic will become the carpet backing. Marble dust from the stretched too far adhesive will migrate to the face.

 

[John Buxton]

I had this happen also on new carpet. Its the backing breaking down. If you lower your psi and reduce your vacuum with a relief, it will stop happening.