[wayne zabel]

Im very confused - Did a quote the other day and did a float test on a loose fibre,The fibre floated in the glass for a good 2 minutes so I was sure it was a PP.

Did job today and got that distinctive wet wool smell that you get on wool carpets after starting to clean.I did another float test and again the fibre floated and was still floating after about 5 minutes.

The customer said she could smell the wet wool as well so I dont think I'm imagining things,also after the job was done the recovery tank had lots of loose fluff that you get when cleaning wool carpets.

am I going daft or is it possible that if it was a wool/PP mix that the fibre will float.

Confused

[Deep Cleaning Solutions]

I only really do the float test when i have a shrinker,
to see if it's nylon or poly.
I always start with a burns test,did you do a burns test?
The fibre may have had some backing on it to make it float.
I'm a bit bemused why you did a float test,was it to see if it was poly or wool,if so a burns test should of been your first port of call.
Also why did you not do a burn test after you cleaned it and thought it may be wool to clarify.
I'm not being funny,but you should have a good idea by now if a carpet has some wool content just by looking at it.
If you are not sure hold the fibre up to the light,if it reflects light it's more likley to be man made,if still unsure do a burns test.
I always do a burns test on survey anyway to eliminate any suprises.
I'm sorry if i am telling you how to suck eggs and i have not been going that long myself,but some of your questions are dam right censored.

[wayne zabel]

I did a float test first on the quote as there was a few loose fibre on the floor so I just threw one in a glass and it floated and floated for a few minutes so presumed it was PP.Yes i did this to identify it from wool or PP,if it floats its PP isnt it?If it had sunk I would have done a burn test to see if it was wool or Sythetic that wasnt PP

I didnt do a burn test today to clarify as my stuff was in the van and it was an apartment that was 2 floors high,so i did another float test and again it floated.

it wasnt that important that I knew if it was wool or not as I was using a solution that is wool safe anyway on a plain tufted carpet.

I am confused as all the signs were that it was PP ie floating for ages but I got all the signs also of a wool carpet ie the smell and fluff in the waste tank.Thats why i asked the quesution,sorry if you thought it bonkers.

Perhaps you could tell me which other questions of mine are bonkers.

[james roffey]

A few times i have been unsure about something but thought twice about asking on here for fear of being thought stupid   you think to yourself i should know this.

The most any of us would have done would be a two day course or read stuff on these forums, we should not feel uncomfortable asking any question, it is not compulsory to answer,  if you can not say anything constructive say nothing

These petty remarks can spiral out of control, i know : i made what i thought was a joke turned out the other guy did not find it funny, everyone else did. then the tit for tat started

Wayne i usualy do a burn test before a float test just to confirm if it is manmade and or pp, also if it is patterned carpet check the underside if the pattern is visible beware it may be a shrinker the dreaded Belgian Wilton, well thats what i was taught.

[Ian Gourlay]

I sometimes ask what could be classified stupid questions to encourage other people to.

I could delete the bonkers remark

[Doug Holloway]

Hi Guys

Wool will quite often float because of surface tension, treatments etc

You need to put a drop of getergent and make sure the wool is thoroughly wetted and has no air attached, if it still floats it's PP.

To clarify PP floats because it has a lower specific gravity than water.

Cheers

Doug

[Colin Day]

There's no such thing as a stupid question and Wayne did right to ask... He's got some very good answers from the more respected members on here and I'm sure a good few of us have learnt a little bit more than we already knew from these answers.

[Doug Holloway]

Hi Guys

There are quite a lot of 80/20 wool/ PP carpets being laid at present and this could cause problems in identification, the fibres would be either wool or PP bundled together so you could seperate.

On the subject of silly questions, forums are for asking things you don't know and we do unfotunately have  a few, who for whatever reason seem to object to newer guys asking questions, which I find a bit odd. I think it says more about them than than the originator, although it is necessary to develop a thicker skin in the internet world!

Cheers

Doug

[Deep Cleaning Solutions]

"I could delete the bonkers remark"

The BONKERS remark has now been censored in my original post.
I can see why the remark(even though there was a smiley) would be upsetting due to the sensitive nature of a lot posters on here.
I now relise how offensive the word BONKERS is and i can't believe i used this ghastly term.Please forgive me for using the word BONKERS and i apologise to anyone who is BONKERS....as i have said i have censored the original post as not to offend BONKERS people or posters of a sensitive disposition.Again my apologys.

[Hilton]

Hi Guys

Wool will quite often float because of surface tension, treatments etc

You need to put a drop of getergent and make sure the wool is thoroughly wetted and has no air attached, if it still floats it's PP.

To clarify PP floats because it has a lower specific gravity than water.

Cheers

Doug

Quite right, you also have to pinch the tuft with pincers or such like as air gets trapped between the fibres which of course will make it float 

[Colin Day]

"I could delete the bonkers remark"

The BONKERS remark has now been censored in my original post.
I can see why the remark(even though there was a smiley) would be upsetting due to the sensitive nature of a lot posters on here.
I now relise how offensive the word BONKERS is and i can't believe i used this ghastly term.Please forgive me for using the word BONKERS and i apologise to anyone who is BONKERS....as i have said i have censored the original post as not to offend BONKERS people or posters of a sensitive disposition.Again my apologys.

  You Barmy Sod

[james roffey]

Anyone who has spent time on these forums over the years would know that even something as "petty" which is how i described it, has a habit of escalating.

Wayne had a perfectly reasonable question i am sure that the most experienced guys on here get very tired of these questions that newbies like myself ask but still a lot of them them sit down and spend a considerable amount of time responding as Doug said thats the point of the forum, and his response about surface tension and pp being used with wool, proves the point that the original question was a valid one, and not in fact BONKERS

[wayne zabel]

To be honest I didnt find the word bonkers offensive,I just wondered why someone would find a legitimate question to be bonkers.I never asked for it to be censored.

Thanks to the experienced guys for giving me the answers,you learn something every day in this game.

[Phillip Mold]

Rule Zero

There are no stupid questions.

(Zero not one because it never was set up until other rules were invented, but is fundamental it belongs before rule one, whatever the context.)

A personal observation:

I think we are all bonkers.

[John Kelly]

Knowledge is gained by asking questions. How many people sit in training courses and wish someone would ask the question they want the answer too. Just ask it.

[Doctor Carpet (Ret'd)]

I have very fond memories of a pub in Liverpool called "Bonkers"

And it had nothing to do with horizontal jogging

Rog

[Steve. Taylor]

Got a big bag full round the park last night with my son drilled some holes in them put shoe laces through.

OOPS HAVE I MISS READ THE POST

[garyfindlay]

dizie rascul sang about bonkers, and thats got to be more annoying than the questions on here.

[wynne jones]

Are you using pile or small fibres, you need to squeese the air out as that will keep a wool twist afloat otherwise.

[Dave Whittaker]

Shouldn't wool float if it's had a good dose of protector on it?

Doug Holloway - Thanks for the email, did what you suggested and it worked wonders. Much appreciated.