Clean It Up

UK Floor Cleaning Forum => Carpet Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: clive on November 24, 2004, 06:49:10 pm

Title: Sticky Floor
Post by: clive on November 24, 2004, 06:49:10 pm
Hi.
Cleaned some carpets the other day for a chap moving into a house and at the same time he wanted to know if I could get some glue off his kitchen floor which was stone tiling. The previous owner had a capet glued down on top of them and he had pulled it up.
I tried a small patch with Bane clene saf t solv and it looked like it would come off o.k. so I said yes I could do it. What a nightmare!!
I must have picked the patch where there was hardly any glue on because the rest of it is caked in the stuff. I tried panel wipe, saf t solv, a steamer and even a stripping pad but there is still loads on there and I have to go back and have another go on Friday afternoon. Any Ideas as to what would tacklle this nasty sticky floor?

Clive
Title: Re: Sticky Floor
Post by: nick.solution on November 24, 2004, 07:00:07 pm
Hi Clive you could try Drisol from Cleancare International


Best regards Nick
Title: Re: Sticky Floor
Post by: Big_Fish on November 24, 2004, 07:02:38 pm
Had the same kind of thing with paint on a stair carpet once. The trial patch came good with little effort, the rest was a nightmare come true.
Turned out that the trial patch had not been walked in so was on the surface and the rest was deeper.

It was a steep learning curve never to be repeated and after several hours we admitted defeat.

Moral of the story is never promise anything with stain removals and such like then when it does work well (which will be most of the time), the client will think you're the best thing since sliced bread.

Nicky
Title: Re: Sticky Floor
Post by: Michel Roberts on November 24, 2004, 09:59:09 pm
Clive

Its as big fish has just said.

 When testing glued carpet down to see how easily it will come up, non professionals(anyone not a carpet fitter) will usually go to the perimeter of the room and try pulling a piece up there. This will normally come up quite easily as it has had no foot traffic and from this they will assume that the whole piece will come up just as easily.

When they do the whole job they come seriously unstuck.(no pun intended)

Carpet fitters know from bitter expirience that the traffic lanes will be 10 times harder due to footfall impaction.
I know in this case the carpet has already been striped out and only the adhesive remains the the princible is the same.

I have two suggestions. The first is one I read of on one of these board which is to use hydramasters OJ followed by a rotary which the person who posted said worked quite well. Clearly if you knew what type of adhesive(unlikly) it was you could use the most suitable solvent.

The other trick which I Have used in the past(I am a carpet fitter who does a bit of cleaning) and does work well is soft sand(Bricklaying sand) scatter it about by hand and work with a slow speed rotary fitted with an old brush. This will produce a finish good enough to accept a new floorcovering. You need to make sure if using this meathod that the floor is not marble or anything posh.

Hope this helps

Michel
Title: Re: Sticky Floor
Post by: Bob Allen on November 24, 2004, 10:42:07 pm
Clive give us a call I think my brother has done a similuar floor recently he might be able to help
Bob
Title: Re: Sticky Floor
Post by: clive on November 24, 2004, 11:06:07 pm
Thanks for your replies.
I will give you a ring bob.

Regards,

Clive
Title: Re: Sticky Floor
Post by: Doug Holloway on November 25, 2004, 08:14:56 am
Clive,

You could try Toluene , a solvent often used in glues, white spirit, acetone etc

It's a matter of finding the right solvent.

Keep lots of ventillation and don't smoke ;)

Cheers,

Doug
Title: Re: Sticky Floor
Post by: cleanmac on November 25, 2004, 03:21:41 pm

If you consider using toluene,wear a respirator,gloves and don,t smoke or eat in your working area!

David