[Nigel_W]

Most of the training and advice in this industry is provided by the suppliers of the machinery and chemicals. This is why there is so much hype and unsubstantiated opinion about.

The suppliers of microsplitters would like you to believe that microsplitters (especially their brand) are the only chemical you can safely use.

The suppliers of detergents would like you to purchase the full range of their detergents - especially the more expensive ones for wool.

The suppliers of each type of machine want you to believe that theirs  is the only method and machine to use.

I don't believe any of them.

The only way forward  is to test them for yourself and compare and contrast the results independantly. If you do this you will end up using a wide variety of different methods, chemicals and machines and you can then call yourself a true professional carpet cleaner.

In the market I work in I have found microsplitters to be of little use. In most instances there is an alternative that will produce a better result, more efficiently and with less damage to the carpet.

That is only my opinion but that is good enough for me.

Nigel

[Mike Osbourne]

There's not many supporters for microsplitters at the moment, there's normally nothing but praise.

Maybe they're the type that go to bed early too.

[gwrightson]

3 pages long already, and only posted yesterday.

As i have only just come across this subject this morning Here is my two pennys worth 

Micro-splitters were my first choice when I first started c/c , safe, easy to use and could be used with cold water, However as my confidence grew I tried different chemicals and got to admit that i do have my favs for a number of jobs.
Now here is were I agree with Simon  "for once "     the damadge caused by some of the chemicals we are not supposed to be using on wool  , should give all of us c/c nightmares   but i have used these and results are good and better than m/s on trashed carpets imo. I believe too much bullsh*t about" dont use on wool"  frightens some c/c especialy sombody just starting.   

M/s are good , but better with hot water no matter what others may tell you , with respect Ken . and
All m/s are the same, no one is better than any other , Yet to see any body prove different

somebody mention a duo damadging wool , because wool tufts come up when aggitating , hate to think the damadge I am doing with a roto wash for aggitation   as for my fav chems, Enzall a brilliant answer, and , sorry simon    formula 90.

geoff

[Doug Holloway]

Hi Guys

Prochem Pureclean is a good product and will clean the vast majority of carpets very well.

It's major advantage over the dissolved(in water) MS is that you can easily vary the concentration, you don't need 5  different dilutions masquerading as different products.

Be careful of enzyme based products , they can cause health and safety issues, proteases are know asthma sensitisers.

Cheers

Doug

[Doctor Carpet (Ret'd)]

Not that I'm a member but I wonder what The Woolsafe Organisation would make of this thread?

[gwrightson]

not a lot i would think  Dr carpet,

they are an organisation to make money, they charge a fair amount , I Believe to allow woolsafe on a product, and lots are perfectly woolsafe , just dont have the logo.

Geoff

[stevegunn]

Not that I'm a member but I wonder what The Woolsafe Organisation would make of this thread?

Woolsafe are just another money making organisation,3 years of membership never brought me any more work.
When working with wool carpets you use what you have to as the customer has rang you to do a specific job the carpet is usually trashed or badly stained and some of the woolsafe products just don't cut the mustard.Some people have used blitz rinsed with hydradri on wool carpets for 10 years or more and have never had a problem.

It was very clever marketing about m/s by a certain company frightening a lot of cleaners into taking the m/s route.

[gwrightson]

 

 

hmmm now who would that be ?

Geoff

[*paul_moss]

They all have their uses. I dont use m/s no were nearly as much these days. They are good for certain upholstery and some carpets and are great for customers to use as spotters.

[Steve Chapman]

Steve

I'm confused. How can you say that and have NCCA as your footer?

Mike i say that because although trained by ncca, i believe that experience and real customer need are the best guides to go by once you've recieved some training.

The ncca provide the ideal scenario, but in reality you have to adapt it to produce the right results in different situations

If all you're looking for is be safe as possible then might as well just use water to clean with and not use any detergents at all

All i can say is that i've not damaged any wool carpets in 13 years of cleaning  so my sense tells me to carry on doing what i do!

I have tried m/s a few times but for me they really dont cut it, must admit i clean alot of really dirty carpets, so need something pretty heavy duty much of the time

regards
steve

[Mike Osbourne]

steve

 see what you and others are saying. I gues it comes down to good judgement, which comes with experience.

Once you know the rules, you can start to break thoem.

[Luc]

Very good thread and some good points raised, Personally i have 3 hydroforce sprayers all mixed up, one has pure clean, once had powerburst and the other had the prochem wool prespray. i usally always rinse in pure water, or a acid rinse. This way i tend to use whatever the carpets needs.
If its an expensive wool rug or carpet i use pureclean if its not bad if its bad i use the procehm wool spray( i thin its prespray gold)
If i come a a trashed carpet then its powerburst. Have great results with this. Just one little queston tho, if im using say powerburst and having fibre and fabric rinse in the stock solution for my tm, will the acid not neutrilse the ph of powerburst. Dose everyone spray first with the chemical flow off?? or do u alway runb the acid rinse while spraying the powerburst??
Thanks

[john rees]

Hi Luc,
          I usually use pure r/o water but if I have to use an acid rinse I always switch off the chemical flow and purge the solution pipes until they are empty of any acid rinse before prespraying.

                  All the best
                                    John

                                       

[Susan Dean (1stclean)]

in all the years susan and her farthers company as been going 30 + years we had never heard of ph levels until we found this site a year ago

and we have never damaged a carpet yet and some have been getting clean yearly for over 20 years !

[Mike Osbourne]

Susan

What do you use?

Carpet cleaning wise I mean.

[Susan Dean (1stclean)]

for years we used extractas lift off (pre spray) and extra chem both have no ph levles on , then we went off that and went on to prochems cris, green for carpet and suites

now we use power bust (per spay) , and hydro dri (chem) on everything apart from suites and there not a acid rince in sight

thanks julian

[Fred Gullan]

I use whatever chemical suits the job in hand and never had any problems with damage to carpets in 15 years . However this is an interesting document from a chem manufacturer which touches on some of the issues in this thread. For the chemicaly minded.

Fred

[colin thomas]

to add further, i have 2 pals who are in this industry and neither of them uses an acidic rinse, ever, just a water rinse. one ONLY uses a high ph powdered enzyme as a pre-spray on carpets and upholstery because it is good value he says. i wouldn't feel safe to follow their lead BUT both of them swear that they have never had a problem even though a lot of their customers are many times repeat customers

colin

[mark shannon]

Powerburst and HM clearwater acidic rinse a great combination Thanks Simon

Use SPLITTERS on  nearly all upholstery.

Prespray Gold great on delicate wools and rugs

Mark

[Len Gribble]

First started with multipro XL in tank changed to MS then on to blitz for a few years never had a problem with any now use pure-clean. Am very careful on the rugs that I do worth a few bob.

Bit surprised WS don’t recommend what type of vacuum cleaner are they all the same?


Luc

Three Hydroforce sprayers I’ve only got one but two containers. I turn my chemical flow off don’t see the point in wasting chemical.

Mark

What method do you use on delicate rugs?

Len