Clean It Up
UK Floor Cleaning Forum => Carpet Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: C.C.S. on April 07, 2011, 08:17:57 pm
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Hi all .i cleaned a carpet today came up lovely but the carpet was lose on one edge and it shrunk about 1 inch.it's first time when it happens to me in the last 3 years since i'm cleaning carpets.so what do you advice me to do ?probably needs re-stretching but not sure how to do it.Thanks
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You need a knee kicker I would engage a carpet fitter he will charge you but he won't rip it neither.
Shaun
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Type & backing?
May stretch back if left about 72 hours....let the customer know this and the fact it maybe because the carpet was loose at that edge
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HI. sorry,i made a mistake i meant to say it shrunk about 1 inch.the backing is jute and the carpet synthetic
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i also didn't over wet it as it wasn't too bad
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HI. sorry,i made a mistake i meant to say it shrunk about 1 inch.the backing is jute and the carpet synthetic
BELGIAN WILTON ??????????????
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It should go back as long as it does not shrink further. Jute is tight, so you will need a carpet fitter it's always worth knowing a good one. It probably would not of shrunk if it was fitted correctly but i'm sure you realise this, it's the sort of thing to look out for when you do a survey. Customers will appreciate it if you recommend and highlight problems that you can fix yourself or get someone else to do for you. If they do not heed your advice it gives you a chance to walk. Don't forget if it's poly prop it will not absorb moisture as you are cleaning so will go to the backing causing problems, most do tighten particulary when the backing is a natural fibre but if they are secure it's not a problem. The jute can also cause browning so if you are using high PH pre-spray remember to acidic rinse. Handling the customer is the most important thing. Explain why, (it was loose) then explain you will have it fixed and arrange a time for the fitter to go round and chalk it up to experience.
Belgian Wiltons are poly prop and woven, a fibre test (float) and a visual of the backing being the same as the face pile
Good luck.
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Belgian wiltons, the weft shots run in both directions on the backing and polyprop face fibre, there is quite a few plain ones knocking about now, so not just the obvious heavily patterened ones.
Do a float test if floats its polyprop, check the backing if its woven then the chances of shrikage are there.
Mark
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I am glad you guys are confident it will stretch back . I am not.
Best to get a carpet fitter who does not sell carpets, then if he says it will not stretch back you know he is not trying to sell a replacement carpet.
Hope you have a treatments risk insurance,
sleep well
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Dont want to put any dampers on restretching but.................I had a shrinker last summer. Had 2 separate carpet fitters who couldnt stretch a wool axminster quarter of an inch. Also the best carpet fitter in my town with 40years experience wouldnt go near it and forecast to me that it wouldnt stretch. So everytime you hear "a good carpet fitter will stretch it back" dont assume this is true. On the other hand had a bad shrinker 10yrs ago which was well secured but pulled up the gripper from the floor. A carpet fitter sorted it out for me. On the odd occasion I've had slight shrinkage over the years the customers have been happy with replacing door bars with wider ones to cover the shrinkage gap.
Chris
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Belgian wiltons, the weft shots run in both directions on the backing and polyprop face fibre, there is quite a few plain ones knocking about now, so not just the obvious heavily patterened ones.
Do a float test if floats its polyprop, check the backing if its woven then the chances of shrikage are there.
Should look like this..
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Most people make the mistake of getting the carpet fitter in
too quickly. Explain to the customer that it should be left for
about a week before attempting stretching.
The wefts have absorbed moisture and expanded, until all
the moisture is gone and the wefts reduced to their original
size, any carpet fitter will say there's too much tension and
it won't stretch.
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Hello to you all, as you can see this is my first post ,but as a carpet fitter and carpet repairer who cleans carpets, thought I might throw my two peneth in for what it is worth.Most axminster carpets and wiltons will not stretch on the width only on the length .Length is invariably the longest area as most carpets come in 4mtre widths (unless it is the old ax or wiltons which can come in 39 inch widths) if you walk into a room and see a very long carpet over 4mtres one way the chances are it is the other side which is the width this is the side you should pay special attention to for fixings.Because the width is not pliable ie the backing wont bend, most fitters will not tuck one (sometimes both sides) of the widths between the gripper and skirting as they will lay off of it therefore they will just push the backing onto the gripper giving it a tap with the kicker to get it to bite into the gripper pins and sometimes even pin it hence the reason a side may be loose ,but the length will stretch a great deal and will be tucked at the ends.The point I am making (sorry to beat around the bush)is a fitter will find it very difficult to stretch the width when first fitted or if it has been shrunk not only because there is no give because of the backing ,but if the carpet is patterned and it is stretched it can distort the pattern whereas in the length it wont matter so much ,so if the carpet has shrunk find out if it is the length or width as this will make a lot of difference to the fitter ,if all round good luck.One thing I will point out though ,is ax and wiltons should be fitted onto extra wide gripper or even two lots especially at ends where perhaps patio doors etc are , as when originally fitted they should ideally be fitted with a power stretcher , which is a lot of tension and normal gripper could be pulled out especially on a concrete floor,a carpet will then become over time warmer central heating sunshine etc will be walked on therefore making it more pliable and a good fitter should always come back out and restretch it as a matter of course.These carpets edges should always be inspected for fitting and gripper, especially width and if loose tell customer ,run hammer over top of carpet and gripper to get gripper pins to bite into carpet again buy some carpet gimps (pins )tack hammer and pin the carpet onto the gripperods doesnt take long and after a while will become second nature when coming across these carpets.Appologies if I am preaching to the converted and you know already .
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No apologies needed Marc. In fact this is one of the best and most educating posts I have read in a long time.
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Its a good post marc..something to keep,in mind too :)
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Excellent post, very informative. Nice one Mark.
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More than happy to help ,and appreciate kind comments thank you.Carpet shrinkage and restretching is something I come across all the time and would say covers 20% of my work, it is such an immotive and misunderstood subject ,one imo that carpet cleaning courses should cover in a lot more depth.
:)
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Nice one mark. However it's the sort of knowledge that every carpet cleaner should have. We don't only need to know how to clean them, but how they are constructed, manufactured and installed, how they react when wetted, why some may shrink, distort, stretch. There's so much we can learn, seek it out get the training and know what you are dealing with.
Dave.