Smart Strand feedback and advice needed

[ruff]

A good client of mine called for advise regarding buying a new carpet.

I directed him towards solution dyed Nylon (the real thing) as I consider it to be one of the most durable carpets around. (That is what I have at home.)

He came back all enthused about solution dyed Smart Strand.

I told him that it has not been around long enough to know how well it performs in real life, and that I doubt it will be as good. I have concerns about abrasion resistance, and matting (polyester blend) etc.

What is the feedback you are getting from the field or what you have seen yourself.

As always,
Your hard earned advice will be highly appreciated.

 

[Hoody]

Its over-glorified polyester. Loves oils, and greasy soils, and when you clean it you treat it like polyester too. Decent pre-spray that has a citrus booster in it(or add it). I have found it doesn't wear very well though, but as far as repelling stains it does well. Its been around for about 3-4 years now.

 

[ruff]

Thanks for your response Steven,

Yes, being oil loving fabric is a concern and a potential issue.

My main concern however, is:
Durability.

Polyester, in my experience, mats pretty badly and pretty quickly.

And abrasion resistance.

How does it perform this areas?
Or any other problems/advantages

 

[Hoody]

What you're assuming about its durabilty is infact the same thing I have found. It doesn't hold up well to heavy foot traffic. It crushes and mats easily. When it first came out a rep told me it was the newest greatest thing - didn't need vacuumed as much and cleanings could go longer. Turns out its just over-priced polyester.

 

[John Buxton]

Steven is dead on. Plus if they have an asphalt driveway, forget about it. Go with the branded nylon.

 

[Guest]

My second complex that I service added this stuff, and informed me that no chems are to be used. I told them I have already been down that road and wished they had asked me first.

I does in fact crush and is oil loving. I cleans up well, wear is definately an issue. The first time I came across this stuff they asked if they got a discount because no chems were required.

 

[Jim Pemberton]

The "no chemicals required" comments are being brought up a lot lately. Can anyone get their hands on a document or website statement that I can reference on that one?

In the infamous "Rhino" video, you can see a guy with a pump up sprayer applying something, and most every Mohawk site I visited touts their special cleaner for Smartstrand, so I've not found anything yet myself.

I'd love to put a piece of Smartstrand that has been subjected to even normal use and have one of "them" show me how to clean it with water alone.

If any of you can get some that's been removed from an apartment, I'll pay the shipping for you to send it to me.

 

[Shane T]

Is Smart Strand the one they say you can use bleach on? Had one the day before yesterday that I believe was Smart Strand. It had a very soft hand. The owner said it was just over a year old and was warranted for dogs(?). They have two large dogs and was very dirty from dog urine and fecus. It cleaned reasonably well, but I did have to nuc it. It was already beginning to mat in the traffic area.

 

[ruff]

Yep.
They push the bleach spiel
and the pet stain resistance spiel.

It's practically a damn dog and pony show.

These idiots at the mills will never learn. New carpet new claims. same old same old crap.

And after all this build up of unrealistic expectantions we are the ones who have to break the news to the clients.

Somebody ought to neuter these 'geniuses' at Shaws and DuPont.

Any volunteers?

 

[Hoody]

Ofer - you brought up the biggest point. What they "claim" the carpet can do with their "testing" compared to real world conditions is well, not valid. Look at whats happening with CRI. We're meant to take the blame for their more inferior products, so they can say we used something that caused this. I.E. didn't use SOA approved chemicals and machines.

 

[Jim Pemberton]

Just when I thought the SOA was bad, then they come out with the "cleans with water" crap.

I'd love to have the link to where that is actually said before I go to Connections; the CRI have a booth there, and Braun is speaking.

 

[Lee Stockwell]

http://www.allaboutflooringofsc.com/smartstrand.html

 

[Jim Pemberton]

Ahh NOW I see the weasel words.........."no detergents" to Mohawk is NOT the same as no chemicals.

The Mohawk people are big into using surfactant free cleaners, and have those products available at a retail level and they have products made for their cleaning franchises.

Think: Procyon, Prolon, Soap Free, Clean Free, etc.

I also note the comments about stain removal with water alone; that goes back to the stain resistant nylon days. Fresh spill on new carpet and blot with clear water. It works enough to make the claim.

But when that devolves into the belief that you can clean dirty Smartstrand with water alone, that's deceptive.

Heavy sigh........why am I not surprised?

 

[B&BGaryC]

I've been gone a while, how did Mikey's daycare test work?

 

[sweendogg]

Jim: no chems:

But as you can see there was a little shadowing.. p.s. this sat about three weeks before I tried water only... not bad for water only clean up, but you can also see the oil affinity as it took a good prespray to rid of the oily shadow.

 

[leesenter]

Mohawk tells us that 98% of soils of all types can be removed from their commercial carpet with water alone-its not just Smartstrand.

 

[truckmount girl]

15 year soil warranty???? WTH does that really MEAN?

Take care,
Lisa

 

[Lee Stockwell]

15 year soil warranty???? WTH does that really MEAN?

Take care,
Lisa

25% less than Mohawk's 20 year version.

 

[joeynbgky]

A Large apartment complex that I service put in Light colored multi-shag and dark colored multi shag carpet... Which is the Smart strand... Trust me it is not bleach resistant.. We tested a new piece... The light colored showed discoloration but the dark kind didnt show as much.. Weird... The only reason they put this in was because the owner of this property owns Carpets Of Dalton.... So I think they put new carpet in 60 units at the same time.. So I am sure he got an awesome deal on them! But I will watch them and next year when we clean them all again, I will take lots of pictures....

Question............. Can we use high heat on these? What heat setting?
What about red stains? Can they be ironed out of the shag? Or will it melt it?

 

[Jim Pemberton]

David and Lee

Do you have the "water only" as opposed to "no detergent" comments in a document, or can I find it on line?

I don't wish to be unfair: David's pics are impressive. But massive spills accumulated over a short period of time is not the typical scenario we deal with.

We get lower (less visually dramatic) accumulations over a longer time span (18-24 month average) that are impregnated deep into the yarn and fiber surface by traffic.

 

[KevinL]

The question should be, why do we have to dig for this information? Shouldn't it be made available to us? Or do they want us (the uninformed) to use something on it we aren't suppose to so we are responsible for the warranty? The CRI sucks.

 

[Mikey P]

Daycare SS is holing up fine.


Light use.

 

[leesenter]

Mohawk is saying "water only" in their inspector updates. I went to two of them last year.
I am also familiar with the Mohawk Floorcare Essentials, it is a program that is closely associated with Chemspec and yes they push the detergent free cleaning.
The Smartstrand side they really haven't told us much.
The commercial side are anti solvent ingredients period. Even citrus solvents are forbidden. The specialty backings of Mohawk's commercial lines can shrink along the seams or pucker in the field of the carpet panels from the use of solvents or citrus solvents..

 

[B&BGaryC]

Mohawk is saying "water only" in their inspector updates. I went to two of them last year.
I am also familiar with the Mohawk Floorcare Essentials, it is a program that is closely associated with Chemspec and yes they push the detergent free cleaning.
The Smartstrand side they really haven't told us much.
The commercial side are anti solvent ingredients period. Even citrus solvents are forbidden. The specialty backings of Mohawk's commercial lines can shrink along the seams or pucker in the field of the carpet panels from the use of solvents or citrus solvents..

That is flat irresponsible.

 

[sweendogg]

While its not exactly literature.. check out the anidotal information below:


http://www.mohawkflooring.com/carpeting/smartstrand/