[CleanerCarpets]

Just bought a rotary with a tank.

My thoughts are when doing bonnet cleaning or encapping i can still prespray but also use the shower feed from the tank to keep the pad moist and in areas that may need more chemical

I was thinking about how it works - if you prespray, then bonnet with a bonnet and then shower feed at times, will that moisture going through the pad then loosen the soil held in the bonnet back onto the carpet?

To use the shower feed, i am thinking its best with an encap product only and maybe a scrub pad rather than a bonnet?

Or do some use bonnets and shower feed any way through them?

I am trying to get on with encaps and find they do work but i often get better results with MS with some crystallizing shampoo added for lubrication and its cheaper but i know the encaps are better for the carpet chemistry

[adrian marsh]

You may well find you'll be making the carpet too wet using the shower feed on carpets. Ok on low profile (with caution) and when hard floor cleaning. I thought the same as you when I bought my rotary with tank and tried it on carpets. Didn't do it again though

[Russ Chadd]

Pre spray the carpet using a quality encap...this is absolutely essential !!!
Let's take Releasit as an example... Spray down just enough in order to see a white, light foam appear once you start padding... I use a white fibre pad as this doesn't absorb like a bonnet.
Make several passes to ensure the product has been well worked into the carpet...

Depending on the level of soil and carpet will totally depend on how much encap, which variety of encap and which pad you use

[Jamie Pearson]

I was thinking about how it works - if you prespray, then bonnet with a bonnet and then shower feed at times, will that moisture going through the pad then loosen the soil held in the bonnet back onto the carpet?

If you are using an encap thats not a major concern. If using a product to bonnet clean then you are spreading dirt to an extent. Adding in the crystalising of the fibre shampoo will help a little but if its heavy soiled you might want to add a little more of it to suspend the soil or switch to a modern encap product.

The main issue with tanks are that you use a lot more product than when spraying down. The only machine that gravity feeds well when using pads is the cimex due to its distribution pattern thanks to the planetary action.

A good shower feed shampoo brush can help but bonnets and pads work better/faster on most carpet types.

[gwrightson]

s Jamie has said, " switch to a quality encap product" 

I do get the feeling that some c/c just starting out with encap  imagine that if an area is particularly bad they need to put down more solution, this is not the case , more a case of simply going over the area again with out solution, and the best way to tackle a stain where wick back could be a problem is to actually omit putting down solution directly onto the stain but work some solution from around the outside of stain, perhaps Jamie or John may verify this procedure .
I did once se a video of this process but cant seem to locate it.

Geoff

[Jamie Pearson]

Not sure about a vide Geoff but there is this article from Rick Gelinas inventor of Releasit that he wrote for Cleanfax.

http://www.cleanfax.com/articles/commercial-carpet-maintenance

[Russ Chadd]

Excellent guide from Rick

[CleanerCarpets]

anyone tried Prochems natural carpet shampoo? 10quid for 5 litres and uses polymers

[stuart_clark]

I use my Chemspec Chemstractor with a solonoid shower feed all the time, I imagne I've cleaned in excess of 150,000 sq mts this year using that method, I use a variety of encaps inc releasit and Dynamall   it works for me

[CleanerCarpets]

Stuart - do you prespray and just use tank feed when needed or not prespray and just tank feed?

[stuart_clark]

No mate I dont pre spray,  unless there is very heavy staining but otherwise straight from the tank!
I've been cleaning that way since january this year ! 85% of all my work is commercial so ive had lots of pratice ! Lol

[CleanerCarpets]

ok thanks, i've not seen a Chemstractor in the flesh but i saw one for sale once and i am sure they impress the customers - they look the business!!

[stuart_clark]

At the end of the day, you could use any standard speed rotary with a shower feed !
I have a jeiber that I purchased in 2013 it cost me £250 delivered to my door brand new it came with a drive board and two brushes

[Jamie Pearson]

As long as it has a shower feed drive board.
This requires an off centre solution feed. A lot of machines dont have these as they are intended for hard floor cleaning where it isnt an issue. The Chemsrtractor/Rotobrite machines are built for carpet maintenance work an are my first weapon of choice followed by the Orbot & Cimex. Sadly they no longer build the original red machines.
If required I can get generic shower feed drive boards if necessary.
Got some nifty ones we are trialing just now that have shampoo brush and pad holder in one that gives really good results so far.

[stuart_clark]

Not sure about any off centre hole but I have used the Jeiber on quite a few carpets all low profile and got exellent results

[CleanerCarpets]

Jamie - how much are the shower feed boards and will they fit a Victor machine?