Stainguard - Carpet Cleaning Issues

Carpet Cleaning Issues - Carpet construction, upholstery cleaning, stain removal, equipment, events, etc.

Stainguard

Posted by stevegunn (Steve Gunn), 20 January 2004

Just had customer who wanted new suite stainguarded she has been quoted £15 from someone in local paper gave her my price and she nearly choked this other guy said he will give her a 12 month guarantee for £15.When i asked what he uses she said he would not say only that it was guaranteed Roll Eyes

Posted by John_Flynn (John_Flynn), 20 January 2004

Don't lose sleep over it Steve, he'll soon be gone charging those prices!!

Guy in my local paper cleans a suite and any 2 carpets for £49.00 dry in 2 hours and with a Protective finish!!

My customers laugh at his ad, GREAT for my business.

Posted by nick.solution (nick.solution), 20 January 2004

Hi Steve

It would be interesting to know what happens when see puts a claim in on his so called insured stain protection.

regards Nick

Posted by Ian_G. (Ian_Gourlay), 20 January 2004

Where do you buy stain protection so that you can do a suite for £15 and make a profit.

Or am I buying from wrong places,

Posted by Derek (Derek Bolton), 20 January 2004

Ian

Don't worry.... you are buying from the right places

Its a scam....through and through

Derek

Posted by Tony_Browning (Tony_Browning), 20 January 2004

Didn't you know!!!!Your wasting so much money.

All you do is add 1 part hot water to 10 parts cold water and shake it all up...then spray onto 3 pcs...works a treat....HAHAHAHA!
and I will clean all the carpets in your house for free.....with a "30 year anti soiling Guarantee!!!"
Grin

Rgds
Tony

Posted by Northerclean (Alex), 20 January 2004

Can I book you in for next week Tony Grin

Posted by John_Flynn (John_Flynn), 20 January 2004

Where did you learn MY Formula, Tony.

Huh

Posted by paul_moss (paul_moss), 20 January 2004

Shit
I was only doing 7 parts water.No wonder the stains were not coming out.Thanks for the tip.

Paul

Posted by Shaun_Ashmore (Shaun_Ashmore), 20 January 2004

let that customer go, you will find others that will spend the correct amount with you.

Protector has never been so cheap but £15 is approx what it cost to protect an average suite with a water based teflon treatment, so if he wants to work for nothing it will leave you more time to concentrate on finding good clients and also tie him up with non profit making time!

But to answer your original question it's a scam or bad workmanship ask to do a free check to see if it's doing what it is supposed to be doing or ask for a copy of the warranty.

How much do these warrantees work out at? I bet it's not £15 (and you still have to buy protector on top of this price)

Shaun Ashmore

Ps I charge £16 and the warranty lasts as long as it takes to leave the premises or until urine smell starts to get air bourne from the new suite.

Posted by Derek (Derek Bolton), 21 January 2004

Hi Shaun

I moved away from water based protectors a few years ago when a fabric I was treating suddenly changed colour.

I knew that it was the protector causing my problem but didn't know exactly what is was reacting with at the time.

I have since found out that the water based protector I used affected an acid sensitive dye in the fabric. I have since discovered that the use of these dyes are widespread.... may I respectfully suggest you check the pH of your protector

Kind regards
Derek

Posted by paul_moss (paul_moss), 21 January 2004

Derek
What protector do you now use.

Paul

Posted by Shaun_Ashmore (Shaun_Ashmore), 21 January 2004

thanks Derek for the advise but it was meant as a joke, I prefer the solvent based for upholstery but still use water based for carpeting, or do you mean rogue dye stuffs in all items?

I spoke to John Flynn about protectors and he mentioned that Paul Pearce recommended water based on suites and solvent style on carpets but this was for Alltec promite protectors.

What do you think?

Shaun

Posted by SteveTruman (SteveTruman), 21 January 2004

I think the best way is to tell the customer to stay out of the room as the protector is not good for you . Go in with a mask on and pump up sprayer under arm , and sup the coffee = £15...... Or show what you are going to put on , (Tissue Test) explain the plusses of having it done and charge £100+ ............ Major suite outlets charge approx £150 for a suite to be protected ,has anyone seen them actually protect them and if you have purchased a suite recently you will notice that you dont get the guarantee until your suite arrives ( 3month later ) and in the small print it covers JACK S**T...

Regards

Steve

Posted by Northerclean (Alex), 21 January 2004

Totally agree with you steve about what it covers.

Posted by Derek (Derek Bolton), 22 January 2004

Hi Paul/Shaun

I have always used a water based product on carpets and they work fine providing the correct amount is applied per square yard/metre.

I have used water based protectors on suites and found them OK...until about two years ago that is.

That's when I had a wonderful beige suite go pink on me overnight. Huh

This is not uncommon (not all mine...only had the one that was enough) but we didn't know what was causing the reaction.

It is only within the last couple on months or so that I have found that some dyes used in the manufacture of fabrics are sensitive to acidic products ...(cleaning chemicals and protectors)
I think that all the water based upholstery protectors are on the acid side which I always thouigh was great as it was assumed to be safe on acid dyes....some of the dyes are not acid dyes!!

Aren't these fabric manufacturers wonderful? Undecided

You cannot test for this on site unless you test one day and return the following day.

I now always stick to solvent based protectors for upholstery...BUT...how long before solvents are withdrawn as carriers for fluorochemical treatments under H & S laws?

Regards
Derek

Posted by rob_s (rob_s), 27 January 2004

Hi Derek,
Would a solution of Bi Carb reverse a pink suite back to its original beige, if acid sensitive.

Regards Rob-s Huh

Posted by Derek (Derek Bolton), 28 January 2004

Good guess Rob Wink

Posted by rob_s (rob_s), 29 January 2004

Hi Derek
Does this mean an acid rince will turn fibres pink. Huh

rob-s

Posted by Derek (Derek Bolton), 30 January 2004

Hi Rob

If Direct dyes are used in the manufacture then it will be a distinct possibility....make sure you leave the fabric (usually natural fibres) in a neutral state.
Alkaline cleaning chemicals can change them to a lovely shade of green.

Ain't' it fun being a carpet/upholstery cleaner.

Derek

Posted by rob_s (rob_s), 30 January 2004

Hi Derek
could you tell me how to reverse these conditions of colour change.

What is a direct dye and how do you identify it.

Thanks rob-s Huh

Posted by Derek (Derek Bolton), 30 January 2004

Hi again Rob

The simple fact is you can't tell whether Direct dyes have been used unless you carry out the correct laboratory tests...these will be way outside the capabilities of most cleaning technicians.... including me

With colour changes caused by a chemical reaction they can often be reversed by using a corresponding opposite pH chemical
i.e. if it is an alkaline reaction from a chemical with a pH of 9 then you will neutralise it by using an acidic solution to the value of pH 5 (both 9 and 5 are two digits away from the neutral 7 on either side of the pH scale)

Derek

Posted by rob_s (rob_s), 30 January 2004

Hi Derek,
When you applied a protector to a suite it turned pink. Did you use an alkali product for it to return back to its original colour and if so ,was this impeded by the protector. Huh

Thanks rob -s

Posted by Derek (Derek Bolton), 30 January 2004

Rob

I will be honest ...at the time (about three/four years ago) I didn't know about this particular problem and I thought it may have been a reaction between the water based acidic fabric protector and a Fire retardant back coating.
The pink staining was extensive and didn't respond to any of the alkali solutions I used trying the reversal process at the time.

Although I knew it was a chemical reaction problem I couldn't come up with a definitive explanation and It resulted in an Insurance claim.

It was only late last year when I discovered that the Direct Dyes were the problem...since then I have given advice which has resulted in two suites being rectified.

I have tried a variation on the rectification process on cushions which have changed colour through the use of a water based acidic fabric protector most but not all have responded

Regards
Derek

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