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UK Floor Cleaning Forum => Carpet Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Aquakleen Restoration Services on April 14, 2007, 05:21:18 pm

Title: Possible browning problem
Post by: Aquakleen Restoration Services on April 14, 2007, 05:21:18 pm: Hi all

I was rung today from a woman I did a job for midweek. It seems a meter section of her carpet I cleaned successfully had developed a brown like stain.

Although I am going to see it on Wednesday it was definitely not there when I cleaned the carpet. I have some Debrowning in the van but have never used it before.

Does it sound like that? If it is browning I would have thought that would have effected the whole carpet? Right or wrong?

Please let me hear your comments on this as in over 3 years I have never had this problem :-\

Thanks

Sky
Title: Re: Possible browning problem
Post by: *paul_moss on April 14, 2007, 05:31:51 pm: Sky need more info such as

carpet fibre type

cleaning method used eg pre vac

chemicals etc

Could just be wick back.
Title: Re: Possible browning problem
Post by: Aquakleen Restoration Services on April 14, 2007, 06:04:38 pm: Hi

Yes pre vaced and used hot water extraction (Extracta Excell). Not sure of carpet type but was a light cream colour.

Hope that helps

Sky
Title: Re: Possible browning problem
Post by: Cloverleaf on April 14, 2007, 09:09:58 pm: If your cleaning a light cream wool carpet, keep the ph to mid range or lower.
If it needs degreasing or it's heavily soiled, there are many wool safe products on the market.
Could be you used a high ph prespray which could have caused the browning.

Try recleaning and use your debrowning as instructions.

John
Title: Re: Possible browning problem
Post by: Aquakleen Restoration Services on April 14, 2007, 09:24:27 pm: Yes thx for the comments. Ill sure use the debrowning powder at a lowish temperature (as the container instructs). Hopefully that will sort her problem out.

Ill also take some pics to be sure to show you guys if there are any further probs. Thanks for the help

Sky
Title: Re: Possible browning problem
Post by: *paul_moss on April 15, 2007, 11:17:12 am: Sky you need to do a fibre test and check construction before completion this time as it may no be CB but just wick back and a low moisture acidic rinse extraction or bonnet may be suffice.
Title: Re: Possible browning problem
Post by: Aquakleen Restoration Services on April 15, 2007, 11:27:06 am: What are the principles of doing a fibre test? What should I do? Ive never needed to do any of this before? Thanks
Title: Re: Possible browning problem
Post by: *paul_moss on April 15, 2007, 11:50:30 am: Sky
If your not sure to what the yarn is of the carpet your about to clean you need to do a burn test ( basic trainning courses teach you this). The Cel browning will only have happened if it is wool or has a wool mix and this would have been done by you over wetting or using a chem with high ph.
If it is a synthetic yarn eg nylon,polyprop etc it will not be Celbrowning but just wick back, this could be due to not enough prevaccing or not enough rinising on final extraction.
Title: Re: Possible browning problem
Post by: Aquakleen Restoration Services on April 15, 2007, 12:16:58 pm: Thanks Paul. So when I go back would you recommend I do a thorough vac, debrowning solution + cleaning powder and warm water & rinse the problem area of the carpet? Do you think that should do the trick?

Im pretty sure it is wool due to the sheep smell that came out of it (even though I put some Flourosan in to compensate the smell).

Thanks for the advice
Sky
Title: Re: Possible browning problem
Post by: *paul_moss on April 15, 2007, 01:44:33 pm: Sky
Thorough pre vac
Spray be browning solution
give it the relevent dwell time
extract with warm water with an acidic rinse /or a weak solution of debrown in rinse tank.
do plenty of dry passes and use turbo if you have one.

Dont add a bacterial deodoriser when you have finished.

Most wool carpets give off a musty smell when wet it is Lanolin which is naturally present in wool and sometimes can be very strong smelling,this will go when the carpet dries,just qualify this to the customer before the clean so she knows what the smell is.

If it is a heavy gramme wool it will take several hours to fully dry
Title: Re: Possible browning problem
Post by: Aquakleen Restoration Services on April 15, 2007, 02:32:53 pm: Thats great advice thanks very much Paul I shall let you know how I get on on Wednesday.
Sky
Title: Re: Possible browning problem
Post by: John Kelly on April 16, 2007, 09:35:39 am: Have a look at this http://www.ditzyprints.com/dpburnchart.html

This will give you the info to help distinquish different fibres. This should be carried out before cleaning anything if you aren't sure what it is. In time you can tell just by looking, sometimes.
For testing carpets, take a few tufts from the edge, around radiators is a good place.
Carry a lighter, small pair of scissors and a pair of tweezers in a small tin along with a copy of the burn chart.
Title: Re: Possible browning problem
Post by: Aquakleen Restoration Services on April 18, 2007, 11:30:22 am: Did job this morning, carpet seemed ok but hard to tell when it was damp. Hopefully that will be the end of it :-\
Title: Re: Possible browning problem
Post by: conallon on April 18, 2007, 09:25:34 pm: The problem youve had as been caused by the application of clensan,(which is a animicrobial not a de-odoriser) it as soaked through to the backing
There is no need to mask the damp dog smell of wool
Tell the customer the smell is a sign of an exspensive carpet and will disappear as it drys
Title: Re: Possible browning problem
Post by: Sir Squeaky on April 20, 2007, 01:31:09 pm: I'm impressed by how "grown up" carpet cleaners are.

If you mentioned "browning" someone's carpet to the window cleaners you'd never get a serious reply. ;D
Title: Re: Possible browning problem
Post by: Aquakleen Restoration Services on April 20, 2007, 02:15:43 pm: Yes I used to play snooker and was always leaving brown on the bottom cushion!