[Deep Cleaning Solutions]

I did a job for a regular commercial customer recently and I used a subcontractor for one of the floors.  The customer has come back to me with photos of issues that look like bitchumen bleed. The problems are on the floor that the sub-contractor did and looking at the photos it looks like 2 of the problems where because they left wet pads on the floor because they are perfect circles which is annoying because I'm always telling my staff not to leave wet pads on the floor or under the machine. The other issues look like bitchumen bleed also because it was over wet as the customer said the brown patches where wet the day after so god knows how they managed that! I have spoken to the subbie today and he say's they did not spill anything! I supplied the chems too so I know that was not the problem.

Any ideas on how to solve the problem. I think I've sorted one out years ago that was caused by small flood and from memory I think I sprayed the pad only and used a airmover which worked. Any other suggestions!

[John Kelly]

If it is Bitumen then it would have needed something with a solvent to cause it to bleed. Is it not just wickback of dirt from the base of the pile.
If you were bonneting then a wet bonnet left on the carpet would have wetted out that area and caused wickback. If it is Bitumen then its very difficult to deal with as it can be right to the full depth of the carpet and just keeps bleeding through.
Any photos?

[Deep Cleaning Solutions]

Not seen it yet but on the photos but it looks like a similar colour to bitumen, so I'm a bit baffled because only MS was used and i did not think the bitumen backing could be released by overwetting. Saying that I have been to jobs before when a customer has said that only water has been spilt and it looked like bitumen bleed when I've seen the stain!

Hopefully it's just wickback 

Hoping I can sort it out and I'm sick of having to hold peoples hands to do a simple job. The only 2 problems I've had are when I've had to leave a sub-contractor on their own. Never mind, just having one of those weeks, can only get better 

[Hilton]

Trouble is, you can't be sure if your subbies used a solvent, of course they will deny it.

Bitumin is a heavy oil product mixed with clay and water so you have all the elements there to cause a few problems for any product used but usually they are bullet proof it almost certainly will be a solvent based product that has caused the tar stains on top, IF it is tar to remove it you will need a solvent (in the past I used white spirit) applied to a cloth used across the top of the pile only and extracted out almost immediately,even then its doubtful it will all be removed.

Usually though it's just soil wicking back you will need to bring in your extracta and pull it out , you can also use a roto with a dry pad over the extracted area if you want to speed drying.

If you want to know if they have used solvents lift the tile look underneath and in some cases you can see bubbling if it has bubbled the tile is a write off. You can probably lift tiles from other less conspicuous areas and replace/swap the damaged ones with these.

[Steve Chapman]

We have done some jobs for an ex MOD property that is now all offices but all tiles & carpets had bitumen backing ...

They often had water cooler leaks and it would bring the black up to the surface of the tiles, and a real pain to get rid off once it had dried out.......

The only way I found worked was to spray the whole stain with solvent ( obviously being careful not to let dwell too long ), work it over with a rotary & scrub pad and then rinse extract....

Even then It never completely got rid of the stain but looked alot better......

[Hilton]

I would advice against spraying solvents directly onto Bitumin backed tiles, mainly because I witnessed a company doing this and it cost them £250000   

Seriously never directly apply solvents.

[Steve Chapman]

It was a light misting, scrubbing and then rinsing which did the trick....

I knew the risks,, and it was a last ditch attempt before replacing the tiles.....

Not for the faint hearted........