[Pristine Clean]

Hi Gents,

On Chem Dri website it reads this:

For deep, healthy carpet cleaning, the power of Hot Carbonating Extraction is used by Chem-Dry's national network of locally based professional upholstery & carpet cleaning technicians.

The question here is

What is Carbonating?

Is it carbonating water from schweppes? If it could work out costly. Is there a way of making carbonating water for CC?

Is this a special chemical or are they just baffling there customers? Its no longer Hot Water Extraction.

Cheers

Dave

[jasonl]

Carbonating, ,,,,,,,,

means that a reaction is actually taking place eg present tense, CD do this by having 2 seperate solutions ,  which travel down 2 seperate hoses and mix just befre they hit the carpet, they carbonate , at this point , the resulting reaction supposedly emulsifies the dirt more effectively than mainstream chemicals. The 2 solutions are hot, hence the Phrase "hot carbonating"

Carbonated  ,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Means that the solution  is full of carbon dioxide , eg fizzy pop,, any carpet cleaner  can easily and cheaply carbonate large amounts of any liquid ,,  you need a co2 cylinder, regulator and a suitable pressure vessel,  carbon dioxide is an acidic gas so high PH chemicals would be possibly neutralised.  If you were to heat a carbonated chemical , the co2 would be driven off. This is why CD  started the A/B  2 part solution and stopped using cold carbonated system in 1997.  It all works , IMO though it is over hyped and used as a selling /marketing point .

[slioch]

Fizzy water!  

They have several systems for producing it (called The Natural) and make claims that it isn't "steam cleaning" or "HWE" but in truth it is as they use slightly modified truckmounts and portables.

However, there was an independent laboratory test in the States about two or three years ago that established there was no evidence that it worked any better than plain water (I will try to find it).

ChemDry make many disingenuous claims such as "no harsh chemicals or sufactants".  This may be true of the extraction solution, but because it doesn't work very well they have to max out on solvent presprays and cleaning techniques that wouldn't meet Woolsafe standards.  They point to the Carpet & Rug Institute ratings but that is based upon a truckmount coupled up with a "Powerhead" (modified Hydramaster RX20).  Ask them why they are not Woolsafe Certified Operators and why they have no Woolsafe Approved solutions and you won't get an answer - the truth is that they wouldn't pass the test.

Bottom line: American marketing of an American sytem for American synthetic carpets.

[Pristine Clean]

Hi Jason,

Thanks for the indepth analasys. I actually knew what carbonated water was and how it was done. But Not how Chem-dri do it.

I was wondering wether it was worth it in actually making it even if marketing hype.

However I have seen a rotary machine they use and its dri within 1 - 2 hours or so they say.

Next step would be if it was possible to purchase such as system

Dave.

[Pristine Clean]

slioch,

Well I fell for the marketing. So, how on earth are they so busy. The marketing must be working.

So I was intersted in if the system was purchasable.

Dave

[jasonl]

Hi Jason,

Thanks for the indepth analasys. I actually knew what carbonated water was and how it was done. But Not how Chem-dri do it.

I was wondering wether it was worth it in actually making it even if marketing hype.

However I have seen a rotary machine they use and its dri within 1 - 2 hours or so they say.

Next step would be if it was possible to purchase such as system

Dave.

 What I do to clean carpets , looks identical  , but is more effective !

[slioch]

Found this extract from an Industry Journal commenting upon Home Depot buying ChemDry in 2006:

Historically, the basis of Chem-Dry®'s patented cleaning process was carbonated water combined with detergent, applied using an absorbent pad system.  However, there is no science of which I am aware that demonstrates what, if anything, carbonation has to do with cleaning.  It is the detergent that cleans, but carbonation makes the cleaning process patentable.

This patented system is what it is all about - they want a patent more than they want something that works.  With a patent you can claim you have a unique selling point - whether or not it is any good.

[jasonl]

I met Robert Harris... chem dry founder on several occasions , and found him to be  a very charismatic, charming person. He reminded me of those salesmen typres in old wild west films, that sold lotions and potions out of the back of a wagon , then rolled down the covers and moved on to the next town.

Only Robert Harris sold his company for well over $100 million, and had a private jet.  Fair play to him.

[Daria Taylor]

I met Robert Harris... chem dry founder on several occasions , and found him to be  a very charismatic, charming person. He reminded me of those salesmen typres in old wild west films, that sold lotions and potions out of the back of a wagon , then rolled down the covers and moved on to the next town.

Only Robert Harris sold his company for well over $100 million, and had a private jet.  Fair play to him.

i respect the man too, you can truly say he's achieved alot.

[Neil Williams]

So I was intersted in if the system was purchasable.

Oh yes, it's puchasable alright.
About £50k will get you one of these machines....
albeit you'll have to take the compulsary free van, training course, equipment and a few logo's with it.