What is our moral responsibility...

Mikey P

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When cleaning rental carpets that should have been replaced years or ten minutes ago that slumlords want to keep milking out and hiding the fact that there's urine damage in the pad and subfloor?

do we take it upon ourselves to apply as much disinfectant and cootie killer as possible?

or do just enough to get paid and hope crawling babies isn't a reality..
 

Cleanworks

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When cleaning rental carpets that should have been replaced years or ten minutes ago that slumlords want to keep milking out and hiding the fact that there's urine damage in the pad and subfloor?

do we take it upon ourselves to apply as much disinfectant and cootie killer as possible?

or do just enough to get paid and hope crawling babies isn't a reality..
The only moral responsibility we have is to inform the person who hires you what the situation is, what the remedy is and what do they want you to do. In a case of complete urine saturation, replacement is the remedy. If they choose to have it cleaned instead, that's their problem. If you feel that's immoral, don't do it.
 

Nomad74

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There is a point where you just get tired of the PM's sending you out for free estimates or to go "look at this carpet and see if you think it can be saved". I had one girl that would assign this task to me on every work order. I got to the point where I said you guys need to make the call on replacement. I'll clean it, but you make the call. I'm not in business to go around telling people to replace the carpet when it's obvious they should. I always point out the wear and state replacement is justified if needed. It just grinds on me when they use me as a crutch. I think i'm getting grouchy in my old age.
 
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Jim Pemberton

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When cleaning rental carpets that should have been replaced years or ten minutes ago that slumlords want to keep milking out and hiding the fact that there's urine damage in the pad and subfloor?

do we take it upon ourselves to apply as much disinfectant and cootie killer as possible?

or do just enough to get paid and hope crawling babies isn't a reality..

Sadly the “cootie killer” might be irritating or worse for a baby/toddler/pet-god.

You DON’T want to be any part of future “they sprayed for Covid and made me sick with their disinfectants” lawsuits in the future.
 

Willy P

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In plain language I tell them it needs replacement. If they insist on cleaning, I've done my duty and realize that while I didn't fix the problem, it's going to be a healthier environment. I also note this on the invoice to cover myself, much like I do for emergency water extraction. I'm not a flood restoration business nor do I want to be. Jim makes a valid point about chemical soup left behind.
 
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Mikey P

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Well fvck me..I get to my first job which isn't even the one in question and it's close to 2,000 ft of sculptured nylon with at least 100 gallons of pug urine in it and the tenants concerned about getting their $1,200 deposit back...

Every inch of baseboard had been peed on a foot up and the markings throughout every square foot of this home is almost I dare say the worst I've ever seen but probably nothing in comparison to the Damon collection..

unfortunately the piece of shit PP500 when it's working is so bright you can't even see half the spots in the photos.. IMG_20200724_093642.jpgIMG_20200724_093649.jpg
 
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Mikey P

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Now the job in question I'm headed to now is an olefin rock hard berber that I've cleaned many times for some riding friends of mine ..that has all sorts of old pad deep liquid stains that will wick up
I don't think they have any pets but I'm thinking more just drinks and wine and teenager juice

they know it needs to be replaced and I've told them every time I've cleaned it it needs to be replaced but they finally moved out and now the landlord told them to clean it cuz he's going to rent it again but the morality of it all is that I know I can pad clean it and it'll look fantastic and it won't wick up but little to no sanitizing is going on.. but in reality what kind of sanitizing is happening with just normal high pH pre-spray and acid rinses...

The interesting fact of my cleaning business here in Nevada is that I clean for a lot of repeats they were friends and I get to see and hear about things that happen that most carpet cleaners never realize because they're never called back or they don't give a shit
And yes Larry I know that with an AW-29 wand and 100 psi and a 1-mi per 24-hour slow backpass nothing would ever wick
 
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Jim Pemberton

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I can pad clean it and it'll look fantastic and it won't wick up but little to no sanitizing is going on.. but in reality what kind of sanitizing is happening with just normal high pH pre-spray and acid rinses...

"Sanitizing" is a term that's subject to some very wide interpretation.

Let's simply this though....since its generally understood to mean a reduction in harmful microbes, I'm not sure any "cleaning alone" on a textile can promise that.

You rinse out more "stuff" with hot water extraction, but short of some darn super fast drying, you also leave water to mix with the soil, spills, and hair that remain (and something always remains) and that just creates all the conditions for a bacterial orgy that looks like a "post lockdown" beach party in the Ozarks under the microscope.

Padding leaves more "stuff" in there, but since it dries quickly, it doesn't get all the "microbuggies" eating and reproducing.

Knowing more than I want to know about the biology involved in all of this, I'd be good for you to pad a place my kids lived in Mike.
 

Nomad74

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Well fvck me..I get to my first job which isn't even the one in question and it's close to 2,000 ft of sculptured nylon with at least 100 gallons of pug urine in it and the tenants concerned about getting their $1,200 deposit back...

Every inch of baseboard had been peed on a foot up and the markings throughout every square foot of this home is almost I dare say the worst I've ever seen but probably nothing in comparison to the Damon collection..

unfortunately the piece of shit PP500 when it's working is so bright you can't even see half the spots in the photos..View attachment 101159View attachment 101160
Tears, I have tears. I’m just so proud.
 

Ron K

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So you're having problems sleeping at night !
Throw in the towel...admit you've always been a hack
and move to Marty's neighborhood and have sleep overs.
That's my advise.
I'm sure you'll make beuutifulll babies!
 

Jim Pemberton

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do we take it upon ourselves to apply as much disinfectant and cootie killer as possible?

Breaking News: I just got a call from a customer of mine who asked how to neutralize and remove a disinfectent residue: It seems a local cleaner fogged the school for "virus" and left a residue all over everything that caused chemical burns on about 20 kids in for a summer program.

Lawsuits filed already....
 

Jim Pemberton

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There is some room for fogging with disinfectants labeled for fogging and used as directed. Just very, very few of them are.

The product they used wasn't labeled for fogging, and should have applied by cleaning and rinsing afterward, not fogging.

Well, they will pay for this. No liability insurance coverage I'm very sure.
 

Ron K

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Breaking News: I just got a call from a customer of mine who asked how to neutralize and remove a disinfectent residue: It seems a local cleaner fogged the school for "virus" and left a residue all over everything that caused chemical burns on about 20 kids in for a summer program.

Lawsuits filed already....
Where did that happen? Love to see the press release.
 

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