Waste Tank Foam
- Thread starter lesterj2
- Start date
Mike Draper
Member
- Joined
- Jan 13, 2008
- Messages
- 4,402
take a pee in your waste tank and let it sit for a couple of days. After that it won't foam for at least a month.
Jim Martin
Supportive Member
I just shot water out my nose....
Bob Foster
Member
- Joined
- Oct 8, 2006
- Messages
- 8,870
pssst. Someone mentioned to me the other night that a shot of WD40 on top of the foam knocks it down. But I have never tried it. If you are running into foaming issues it might be from the stuff you left in the carpet the last time.
If its from your juice, ya need to switch.
J2 - hope things are going better for you. Why don't you tell us what you been running up against for challenges.
If its from your juice, ya need to switch.
J2 - hope things are going better for you. Why don't you tell us what you been running up against for challenges.
hogjowl
Idiot™
Switch to using some good carpet cleaning intended presprays and rinses.
Give your woman back her Tide.
Give your woman back her Tide.
Lee Stockwell
FOJL
Make sure you don't have an air leak below the water line. Otherwise foam should never be a problem.
...even with Tide.
...even with Tide.
Aaron Richards
Member
- Joined
- Feb 26, 2008
- Messages
- 237
Suck a little defoamer through your vac hose, or some fabric softener. The liquid, not the sheets! 
Duane Oxley
Moon Unit
Lester, these guys are apparently in a joking mood and jerking your chain some.
The first thing is to ask: "Why is it foaming?"
Either you're using too much chemical when you clean, or, the wrong kind of chemical (cheap stuff not intended for carpet), or you have a hole in your tank.
If you have a hole in your tank, the vacuum pulls air bubbles back through it from the outside, and that can cause foaming, or something very much like foaming. (To find out, fill it up and let it sit over night. If you have water on the floor in the morning, you have a hole somewhere.)
If, when you dump your tank, there are a lot of suds in it, look at the chemicals you're using, or the amount you're using, as the culprit.
Duane
The first thing is to ask: "Why is it foaming?"
Either you're using too much chemical when you clean, or, the wrong kind of chemical (cheap stuff not intended for carpet), or you have a hole in your tank.
If you have a hole in your tank, the vacuum pulls air bubbles back through it from the outside, and that can cause foaming, or something very much like foaming. (To find out, fill it up and let it sit over night. If you have water on the floor in the morning, you have a hole somewhere.)
If, when you dump your tank, there are a lot of suds in it, look at the chemicals you're using, or the amount you're using, as the culprit.
Duane
hogjowl
Idiot™
They don't wash their paper plates in Albany.
Duane Oxley
Moon Unit
I wasn't joking in my answer, Lester.
In my experience, if you're having consistent problems with foam, it's one of the three things I mentioned.
I could have listed one or two instead. But I try to cover all the bases in an answer. It saves time.
Feel free to call me (I'm in Atlanta) if you need input / advice, etc.
Duane
In my experience, if you're having consistent problems with foam, it's one of the three things I mentioned.
I could have listed one or two instead. But I try to cover all the bases in an answer. It saves time.
Feel free to call me (I'm in Atlanta) if you need input / advice, etc.
Duane
ruff
Member
What Duane says is on target.
The cheapest for defoamer is to buy the powdered one. It works great when needed.
The liquid is just the powder dissolved in water. Why pay for shipping water.
Best of luck
Ofer
The cheapest for defoamer is to buy the powdered one. It works great when needed.
The liquid is just the powder dissolved in water. Why pay for shipping water.
Best of luck
Ofer
Duane Oxley
Moon Unit
Beats me, Man.
Sometimes when things are rollicking in one thread, it can carry over to another, I guess. Sort of like when a police officer goes from one extreme to another and has to shift radically to accomodate the change in "environment", maybe. (One of my best friends, a retired investigator, used to tell me about that and how hard it was. And I can see something similar happen on the boards, where people "surf" so many threads at once.)
And, keep in mind that a lot goes misunderstood when writing alone is the means of communication. More than 50% (some say 80%) of communication is not words, but tone of voice, body language, eye contact, etc. And none of that comes across in written word, unless the person writing takes pains to be especially expressive and sensitive to how things "may" sound, etc.
So, some of it can be chalked up to misunderstanding.
Sometimes when things are rollicking in one thread, it can carry over to another, I guess. Sort of like when a police officer goes from one extreme to another and has to shift radically to accomodate the change in "environment", maybe. (One of my best friends, a retired investigator, used to tell me about that and how hard it was. And I can see something similar happen on the boards, where people "surf" so many threads at once.)
And, keep in mind that a lot goes misunderstood when writing alone is the means of communication. More than 50% (some say 80%) of communication is not words, but tone of voice, body language, eye contact, etc. And none of that comes across in written word, unless the person writing takes pains to be especially expressive and sensitive to how things "may" sound, etc.
So, some of it can be chalked up to misunderstanding.
Mike Draper
Member
- Joined
- Jan 13, 2008
- Messages
- 4,402
I'm sorry, couldn't help myself. We really are here to help you.
I have never heard of that and that is probably why this thread hasn't been taken seriously!
Why would you use a bar of soap to make more suds?
You should stay clear of that that TM forum! (If thats what you heard from there)
Keith
Why would you use a bar of soap to make more suds?
You should stay clear of that that TM forum! (If thats what you heard from there)
Keith
adding more soap will only make more sudds. whomever it was, was probably joking around.
crystal defoamer or liquid, pick your poison. i have noticed that with the grease cutting chems my machine foams more but i just bloob liquid defoamer in my tank or suck it threw my hose every once in a while and it keeps it down. my machine has auto dump so i have to keep adding it or it will foam up.
in a pinch fabric softner liquid does work.
crystal defoamer or liquid, pick your poison. i have noticed that with the grease cutting chems my machine foams more but i just bloob liquid defoamer in my tank or suck it threw my hose every once in a while and it keeps it down. my machine has auto dump so i have to keep adding it or it will foam up.
in a pinch fabric softner liquid does work.
Duane Oxley
Moon Unit
Liquid fabric softeners are cationic, from what I've seen. That being the case, they're not to be used on stain resist carpets.
In a pinch, alcohol is a decent defoamer.
So is WD40.
(No, I'm not joking.)
In a pinch, alcohol is a decent defoamer.
So is WD40.
(No, I'm not joking.)
John Watson
Member
- Joined
- Oct 7, 2006
- Messages
- 2,885
Lester, My question to you is"Are you the one having the problem with foam in your tank at this time???? Or are you just trying to be prepared cause you heard about this problem on the other board??? " If you are having the problem it is like duane said. If it's the dummies from the other board it serves them right after all the experience they say they have, the sure seem to ask alot of dumb and stupid questions about foaming. I would venture to say 98% of the ligit chemical manufactures don't make the foamy type of juice anymore unless it is for shamoooing or dry foam machines. The stuff made for TM and portables don't need foam because it causes problems with the suction.
I also think that is partly the reason you get the run around, You are quite gullable at this stage of your learning.
I also think that is partly the reason you get the run around, You are quite gullable at this stage of your learning.
TimP
Member
- Joined
- May 19, 2007
- Messages
- 4,055
This is a serious reply.
Lester I remember in another post you mentioned the chemicals you were using to clean with. They were some off the wall name nobody ever heard of. Chances are with them being off the wall that they are your problem. Use name brand chemicals (they have defoamer in them so they don't foam)...you need to find you a local dealer. I seriously suggest you also take an IICRC class or equivilent to get you some basics (iicrc.org has a complete list of courses and dates/locations). Anyways foam problems do occur sometimes when cleaning after someone who uses improper chemicals. Sometimes you'll find bubble bath stuff poured by accident, tide etc....in that case it's not a bad idea to have some powdered defoamer and throw a hand full or two in your tank to keep suction up as foam kills blower suction and that's your only concern with foam. I have a few tubs of defoamer and I have taken it off the truck as I don't use it (since I can't carry everything I like anyway) and when it comes time to need it I'm too lazy to go and get it. I almost never have a problem with suction decreasing cause of foam in the tank. Having some foam when dumping is no big deal for sure and I can make myself a good sized glob of foam when dumping myself but vacuum is your only concern.
Now as a joke.....you can pay me 1300 bucks and you can come do a ride a long and I can give you support and have you a 5 day plan made out for you or some crap like that......just don't tell tre's lawyers cause I don't want a big lawsuit. 8)
Lester I remember in another post you mentioned the chemicals you were using to clean with. They were some off the wall name nobody ever heard of. Chances are with them being off the wall that they are your problem. Use name brand chemicals (they have defoamer in them so they don't foam)...you need to find you a local dealer. I seriously suggest you also take an IICRC class or equivilent to get you some basics (iicrc.org has a complete list of courses and dates/locations). Anyways foam problems do occur sometimes when cleaning after someone who uses improper chemicals. Sometimes you'll find bubble bath stuff poured by accident, tide etc....in that case it's not a bad idea to have some powdered defoamer and throw a hand full or two in your tank to keep suction up as foam kills blower suction and that's your only concern with foam. I have a few tubs of defoamer and I have taken it off the truck as I don't use it (since I can't carry everything I like anyway) and when it comes time to need it I'm too lazy to go and get it. I almost never have a problem with suction decreasing cause of foam in the tank. Having some foam when dumping is no big deal for sure and I can make myself a good sized glob of foam when dumping myself but vacuum is your only concern.
Now as a joke.....you can pay me 1300 bucks and you can come do a ride a long and I can give you support and have you a 5 day plan made out for you or some crap like that......just don't tell tre's lawyers cause I don't want a big lawsuit. 8)
Dolly Llama
Number 5
Lester, i just skimmed thru most of the posts and everyone seems to be right on the money.
i don't know if this was mentioned about the soap-on-rope in the waste tank question.
It's not foam in the waste tank that's the biggest prob.
It's foam in the vac hoses that rob vac performance.
any anti foam devise in the tank won't do a thing for the lose of vac in the hoses due to foam.
If you don't have an air leak in the tank plumbing as mentioned, treating the foam probs with de-foamers thru VAC HOSE is the way to do it.
..L.T.A.
i don't know if this was mentioned about the soap-on-rope in the waste tank question.
It's not foam in the waste tank that's the biggest prob.
It's foam in the vac hoses that rob vac performance.
any anti foam devise in the tank won't do a thing for the lose of vac in the hoses due to foam.
If you don't have an air leak in the tank plumbing as mentioned, treating the foam probs with de-foamers thru VAC HOSE is the way to do it.
..L.T.A.
