Clean It Up

UK Floor Cleaning Forum => Carpet Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Doug Holloway on August 12, 2013, 07:42:56 am

Title: Lingering Smell
Post by: Doug Holloway on August 12, 2013, 07:42:56 am
Hi Guys

I am having problems getting rid of the smell in a rental.

I cleaned the carpets a few weeks ago after the tenant had tried previously. They look great but the smell is persistent.

we initially thought it was dog but have found out they were heavy cannabis users.

So far have tried Clensan, Microsan and a very smelly bubble gum deodoriser with limited success.

Any ideas?

Cheers

Doug
Title: Re: Lingering Smell
Post by: Simon Gerrard on August 12, 2013, 07:52:59 am
Doug,
The smell is probably in the walls and ceiling as well and might have nothing to do with the carpets, especially as you have treated them so heavily.

Simon
Title: Re: Lingering Smell
Post by: John Kelly on August 12, 2013, 08:13:06 am
Simons right. Latex paint (emulsion) and gloss paint will readily absorb odours and hold on to them. Cannabis and tobacco smoke are some of the worst. An Ozone machine may do the job otherwise all surfaces will need to be washed down with a high alkaline cleaner such as Champion or Ultrapac then painted.
Manmade carpet fibres especially Polyprop can also absorb the odours making it difficult to remove.
Title: Re: Lingering Smell
Post by: Alby on August 12, 2013, 08:53:27 am
Did an eot a couple of weeks ago, carpets only, tenant had a cannabis factory going. Landlord said he could still smell the cannabis, The carpets were fine, but the smell came from the curtains and suite. He removed them and problem was solved.

Alby.
Title: Re: Lingering Smell
Post by: Luc on August 12, 2013, 09:07:22 am
Doug I had a similar job in westcliff a few weeks ago, I swear I wAs high myself cos it smelt so bad. I presprayed everything using craftex lavender fresh then cleaned and sprayed a light mist of lavender fresh at the end. I advised the landlord to repaint eveything and replace the curtains and leave the windows open to allow as much fresh air to circulate and hey presto the smell went.
Luc
Title: Re: Lingering Smell
Post by: Paul Moss on August 12, 2013, 09:09:09 am
Ozone it, but with a proper machine, or thermal fogg it.
Title: Re: Lingering Smell
Post by: Griffus on August 12, 2013, 09:15:27 am
Already been said, but sounds like you need a deodorising fogger: -

http://www.spraysystems.co.uk/ff_foggers.htm
Title: Re: Lingering Smell
Post by: John Kelly on August 12, 2013, 09:45:26 am
Foggers will only mask the smell not totally remove it. They are used as part of a process.
Title: Re: Lingering Smell
Post by: Paul Moss on August 12, 2013, 12:09:14 pm
If its surface contamination due to canabis smoke/ growing then a thermal fogging will be surfice  ;)
Title: Re: Lingering Smell
Post by: Doug Holloway on August 12, 2013, 01:22:54 pm
Hi Guys

Thanks for your replies.

I have smelt the carpet and it still smells, probably from the underlay.

Do you think fogging or ozone is the best way to go, I have been thinking of buying a good quality machine but am unlikely to want both.

Cheers

Doug
Title: Re: Lingering Smell
Post by: dawsons on August 12, 2013, 01:24:56 pm
If its surface contamination due to canabis smoke/ growing then a thermal fogging will be surfice  ;)

No, you're wrong, John is right. Fogging would not cure the problem..
Title: Re: Lingering Smell
Post by: dawsons on August 12, 2013, 01:27:05 pm
Hi Guys

Thanks for your replies.

I have smelt the carpet and it still smells, probably from the underlay.

Do you think fogging or ozone is the best way to go, I have been thinking of buying a good quality machine but am unlikely to want both.

Cheers

Doug


If its that bad of a smell coming from the underlay then the underlay needs replacing and probably the sub-floor cleaned.
Title: Re: Lingering Smell
Post by: peter maybury on August 12, 2013, 07:21:26 pm
If it was a liquid that had penetrated the underlay then that would be the case. Even on floorboards with convection the draught would be upwards. On a concrete floor there will be no airflow through the carpet.

Peter
www.carpetcleanercardiff.comhttp://
Title: Re: Lingering Smell
Post by: Paul Moss on August 12, 2013, 07:47:30 pm
If its surface contamination due to canabis smoke/ growing then a thermal fogging will be surfice  ;)

No, you're wrong, John is right. Fogging would not cure the problem..

Well thats really strange as i have cured a number of these problems this way.  8)
Title: Re: Lingering Smell
Post by: Billy Russell on August 12, 2013, 08:14:35 pm
If its surface contamination due to canabis smoke/ growing then a thermal fogging will be surfice  ;)

No, you're wrong, John is right. Fogging would not cure the problem..

Well thats really strange as i have cured a number of these problems this way.  8)

You must of fogged it with Soya Sauce
Title: Re: Lingering Smell
Post by: Paul Moss on August 12, 2013, 09:28:28 pm
Yep it was actually  ;D
Title: Re: Lingering Smell
Post by: Carpet Dawg on August 12, 2013, 09:36:31 pm
Is an Ozone machine better/cures more odour issues than thermal fogging?

I know fogging is great for sanatising/disinfecting, but wont Ozone beat it on the majority of bad odours?

thanks
Title: Re: Lingering Smell
Post by: ian harper on August 13, 2013, 07:30:30 am
Refund them, you done your best. no issue on your part.
Title: Re: Lingering Smell
Post by: John Kelly on August 13, 2013, 08:14:42 am
Ozone produces an oxidising gas which breaks down organic molecules and will destroy these and the odour permanently.
Fogging comes in 2 forms, Wet and Thermal. Wet fogging creates a fine mist of usually water based products. These can be anti microbials, sealers or perfumes.
Thermal fogging creates a fine perfumed smoke which penetrates every nook and cranny. This puts a very fine film of product over every surface it comes into contact with. Thermal foggers don't put out enough product to enable adequate disinfection so in my opinion are useless for this application.
The only 100% sure way of removing an odour is to, as far as possible, remove as much of the contaminant as possible. Then you can fog as a final stage in the process.
Ozone can be used as a standalone and will get rid of the odour but the crap will still be on the surface.
Title: Re: Lingering Smell
Post by: Doug Holloway on August 13, 2013, 08:22:30 am
Hi Guys

They have decided to replace the carpet and underlay, the old tenant is paying and are happy to pay my £200 bill so all ends well but still would have liked to have removed it.

Ozone is strongly oxidising being an o3 molecule, whereas the oxygen we breathe is o2. Oxygen the atom is just o.

Basically that means ozone will react with most things.

Cheers

Doug
Title: Re: Lingering Smell
Post by: dawsons on August 13, 2013, 02:14:34 pm
The old tenant is paying the price for a carpet/underlay that probably needed replacing years before they moved in?? The LANDLORD should foot the bill!!!

Was 'over-wetting' not a part issue here?
Title: Re: Lingering Smell
Post by: Doug Holloway on August 13, 2013, 03:29:43 pm
Hi Guys

The tenant abused the house by smoking loads of cannabis and having a dog when not allowed.

the carpet was relatively new and not over wet ;)

It is a very different smell, I can give you more information if you require how to spot the difference.

Cheers

Doug
Title: Re: Lingering Smell
Post by: Kinver_Clean on August 14, 2013, 02:11:24 pm
The smell is probably all over the flat.
I cleaned an EOT where the tenant had moved out because of the smell of junk coming from the flat across the landing, it still smelt in the 'clean' flat 2 weeks later.
Title: Re: Lingering Smell
Post by: Paul Moss on August 14, 2013, 09:18:57 pm
Lol, just sussed who Dawsons is.
Title: Re: Lingering Smell
Post by: dan paton on August 14, 2013, 09:36:15 pm
WHO ?
Title: Re: Lingering Smell
Post by: Carpet Dawg on August 14, 2013, 09:37:58 pm
You mean someone created a logo just to hide the trolling? that's pretty sad
Title: Re: Lingering Smell
Post by: dawsons on August 14, 2013, 09:54:41 pm
You mean someone created a logo just to hide the trolling? that's pretty sad

Tony, like you can talk lol "carpet Dawg"
Title: Re: Lingering Smell
Post by: Carpet Dawg on August 14, 2013, 10:01:34 pm
Your quick.

I didn't make up a logo.
Title: Re: Lingering Smell
Post by: ian harper on August 26, 2013, 03:10:43 pm
Doug this is where i would started my resurch being plant based and the odour is just the plant perfume maybe not as nice as some


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incense
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perfume

masking would be one way. or, as it would have positive charge any smoke surfactant that would absorb that charge.

your real issue is the walls so fogging would also be an option.

I think this issue shows the difference between when you price to clean or restore any carpet. a good reason for having two price levels or specs.

anyway great you got paid

http://www.cleaning-carpet.co.uk/essex/what-is-in-carpet-cleaning-detergents/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surfactant