Clean It Up

UK General Cleaning Forum => General Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Jamie Pearson on July 31, 2011, 08:13:09 am

Title: Gum Removal from Tarmac
Post by: Jamie Pearson on July 31, 2011, 08:13:09 am
Can anyone recommend a product to be used with a steam machine for gum removal.

Tried the Osprey Deepclean product but not working well enough.

Its all over soft tarmac.
Title: Re: Gum Removal from Tarmac
Post by: drive surgeon on July 31, 2011, 10:26:02 am
had the same problem myself. the heat was melting the tarmac and leaving marks all over it on a test area we did. the college ended up painting over the gum as it was a basketball court. you cant even notice the gum now.  gum on tarmac is not easy.
Title: Re: Gum Removal from Tarmac
Post by: Paul73 on August 02, 2011, 05:19:33 pm
Really, is it that bad??? Yeah i agree with painting over it actually, that a good idea. I think the best thing to do is just scrap it off with a wallpaper scrapper, something that has a flat edge on it then paint over it
Title: Re: Gum Removal from Tarmac
Post by: Jamie Pearson on August 02, 2011, 05:32:10 pm
The Osprey product wont look at it. It has worked well on other surfaces/sites.

This is for a large supermarket chain. Painting really isnt an option.
Title: Re: Gum Removal from Tarmac
Post by: drive surgeon on August 02, 2011, 06:13:57 pm
Really, is it that bad??? Yeah i agree with painting over it actually, that a good idea. I think the best thing to do is just scrap it off with a wallpaper scrapper, something that has a flat edge on it then paint over it

would not fancy trying to scrape off thousands of pieces on 2 basketball courts outdoors>  old black gum wont scrape off. would be dead by time finished.
Title: Re: Gum Removal from Tarmac
Post by: drive surgeon on August 02, 2011, 06:15:30 pm
any super heat will melt tarmac aswell as remove gum. nightmare stuff on tarmac.
Title: Re: Gum Removal from Tarmac
Post by: Rob_Mac on August 02, 2011, 06:29:55 pm
CleaningsystemUK

The Osprey is not really built for prolonged chewing gum removal. I took one onto the Sainsbury's at Islington for a very small area and the lance fell apart.

The Mirage seems to be man enough and I feel (personal opinion) that the combination of steam and chemical keeps the surface damage to a nominal amount.

I have a twin operator and single operator unit and would be happy to assist.

Rob ;D
Title: Re: Gum Removal from Tarmac
Post by: Jamie Pearson on August 02, 2011, 07:05:34 pm
Cheers Rob.

However, we are not doing the work, we are the Osprey Deepclean agents for Scotland.

The machine supplied by us has served the company doing the work well.

They have however had an issue when they are trying to work on this softer tarmac.
Title: Re: Gum Removal from Tarmac
Post by: Rob_Mac on August 02, 2011, 07:10:25 pm
Do they want a test area done with the Mirage machine. Are they using a chemical or just steam.

Rob ;D
Title: Re: Gum Removal from Tarmac
Post by: Blast Away on August 02, 2011, 09:54:20 pm
Rather than pay £50 for 4x5litre 'chewing gum remover' chemical from Osprey, we use a degreaser bought for £3.00 for 5litres. You can see the difference.
Title: Re: Gum Removal from Tarmac
Post by: Ricky M on August 04, 2011, 06:51:15 am
have you thought about freezing it then scraping it off and use something like citrus gel for the remaining residues.
depending on how much there is this will be a right hands on job ( apprentice work )

show the client the process then when they see how long it takes to remove a few pieces then charge per piece removed maybe ??

Im NOT and pressure washer by any means but this method works for us when there is tons of it on a com carpet.
Title: Re: Gum Removal from Tarmac
Post by: drive surgeon on August 04, 2011, 06:33:56 pm
tried and was innefective on tarmac with old gum.
Title: Re: Gum Removal from Tarmac
Post by: Jamie Pearson on August 06, 2011, 10:22:09 am
Do they want a test area done with the Mirage machine. Are they using a chemical or just steam.

Rob ;D

THey are using the Osprey Deepclean products with one of their machines. They have had great success with it on all the surfaces they have worked on so far. Its the soft tarmac that they are struggling with.
Title: Re: Gum Removal from Tarmac
Post by: Rob_Mac on August 11, 2011, 09:18:38 am
Just interested to know what your customer has done to get round the Tarmac issue??

Rob ;D
Title: Re: Gum Removal from Tarmac
Post by: Jamie Pearson on August 11, 2011, 12:56:26 pm
I have managed to source a couple of products for trial.

Will report back when we have them and given them a go.

Wont mention them at the moment in case they are junk. (Sure they wont be)
Title: Re: Gum Removal from Tarmac
Post by: mike roberts on August 13, 2011, 06:12:34 pm
just caught post
asume you are using electric steamer gen powered and not pressure washer with hot box?
Title: Re: Gum Removal from Tarmac
Post by: BDCS on August 13, 2011, 07:29:23 pm
The first post does state that they want an alternative to the osprey gum fluid
Title: Re: Gum Removal from Tarmac
Post by: Jamie Pearson on August 13, 2011, 10:51:47 pm
Mains powered steam machine.