[C-Thru.]

Hi Guys,
A friend of mine has just taken on a local pub and there is a bit of 'Black Top' around the bar area of the pub, Not much I have seen worse...
Anyway she is skint and can't get in a Pro to do the job due to brewery being too tight and the 'ingoing costs' of taking on new pub, so I mentioned as a window cleaner about this site and said I would ask..
so the question is this...
As a window cleaner we use Virosol a lot and was wondering if it would break down the black top with agitation from scrubbing by hand, then clean carpets with a Rug Doctor?
Do you think this would work?
If not Virosol, is there a product she could get off the shelf to break down the black top before Rug doctor?

http://www.cloverchem.co.uk/uk/products/eng_virosol_uk.htm

Thanks for your help in advance guys, sorry but this has to be a DIY job as I said due to costs.

Many Thanks

Goochie

[stuart_clark]

Forget your virosol it will be like ping in the wind!
What you need is a hot Enzyme pre spray ie Enzall , or M Power mixed at 40/1 but with out a rotary scrubber you will need a lot of elbow greese and a stiff srubbing brush, and only then might your rug doctor rinse out the exess! but a rug doctor without the preperation! Forget it

[stuart_clark]

Should say psssssssing in the wind

[Carpet Dawg]

M-power doesn't have enzymes in it!! m-power would do bugger all with black top.

But yes hot Enz-all or hot power burst boosted with a citrus concentrate as the pre-spray.

A rug doctor? erm, to put it kindly NO, defiantly not! You'll struggle to get a half decent result on a lightly soiled residential carpet, never mind a heavily stained pub carpet!

There's no hire machine that will give you a good result.

I'd recommend leaving it alone and live with the dirt. Or get a pro in. The carpet could be a axminster or belgian wilton and will shrink on her then she'll be screwed. Best case scenario using a hire machine would create an even worse looking carpet that'll smell for weeks on end.

Get a few quotes in. She might be surprised with the costs. Might find a carpet cleaner that's willing to work for beer

[stuart_clark]

Carpet Dawg

Try it mate, it works i woukldnt of posted it if it diddnt ! there again if all you have is micky mouse equipment then maybe it wouldnt work

[Steve Gunn]

Shame your not in the North East guy cleaning whole pubs for £75

[Carpet Dawg]

Carpet Dawg

Try it mate, it works i woukldnt of posted it if it diddnt ! there again if all you have is micky mouse equipment then maybe it wouldnt work

Tried it mate, didn't like it 

[richie]

If you were to use a decent prespray designed for that type of work and applied good agitation followed by hot water extraction (even one from a hire shop) then theres no reason why you cant get a good result.  Yes sure it may involve a good old bit of elbow grease but you will make a huge difference.  

Purchase some Prochem PowerBurst from you local janitorial supplier if not available order it from Restormate.  Have a pump up sprayer (if you dont have one but one from B&Q). Typically Hot Water Extraction machines from hire shops are not the best but get the best one you can find.  Mix the PowerBurst as per instructions. Apply the PowerBurst and allow 5 minutes dwell time, apply again only this time agitate with either a rotary fitted with a brush or with a stiff brush then allow another 5 minutes dwell time.  Fill the machine with hot tap water and begin the extraction process. Remember the hire machine will not be the best so it will be VERY important to do plenty of dry strokes.  If you have access to air movers or fans then use them....if not and if possible open the doors / windows to allow air movemnt as this will dry the carpet quicker.  If you have time do as many dry strokes as you can.  

If you can find someone on here in your area then perhaps you could ask them for  a couple handfuls of PowerBurst.

http://www.restormate.co.uk/epages/15094.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/15094/Products/S789

http://www.brandontoolhire.co.uk/en/128-carpet-cleaners

[AshWhite]

I'd guess that it wouldn't be that difficult to find someone to do it for less than the cost of hiring a rug doctor and buying all the chemicals - even if you just get them to do the worst parts.

[derek west]

false economy. using a rug doctor to suck up black top sludge through a carpet would work for a few weeks before spilling beer and footfall would bring it all back to the top again and you'd be no better off and £40 down. could be wrong though.

[Russ Chadd]

After watching Simon Gerrard's fire breathing monster at the TACCA event, i wouldn't be messing about with crappy hire machines!
Blacktop removal needs heat and lots of it!!!

[richie]

I totally agree.  Ideally this will need cleaning with a truckmount to get the best job possible however it has already been stated that the owner of the pub has just taken over the premises and does not have the funds for a professional.  Providing the person that cleans it with a hire machine puts in the extra effort then there will be no reason why a decent result cannot be achieved.  In saying that......the fact the carpets have black top on them means the damage has already been done due to to the carpet been old or not looked after therefore resoiling regardless of the chemical or machine used may happen.

[gwrightson]

Goocjie,

take a look back at some posts regarding black top ,

Their is a simpler way, not to be reccomended normaly but in the right circumstances you should get the desired results. 
Hence, my reluctance to post the plan of attack on here.

Geoff

[brian willis]

by the time you have purchased all chems needed and hired a  rug doctor. pay a pro to do it, work out cheaper and will be a top job

[C-Thru.]

A MASSIVE thanks guys for all your info and help, will relay it all back to the pub.

I know the Window Cleaning section of this forum is great and helpful, its a pleasure to find you Carpet Guys are just as helpful.

Many Thanks
Goochie.