Clean It Up

UK Floor Cleaning Forum => Carpet Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: jamesjames on July 24, 2008, 09:30:51 am

Title: Pollen on cream carpet
Post by: jamesjames on July 24, 2008, 09:30:51 am
Can any one sugest any products for geting out pollen, the lady knocked over a vase with flowers in and there is a stain about 1ftsq, she tried to wipe it up but it just spread.

regards
James
Title: Re: Pollen on cream carpet
Post by: Jim_77 on July 24, 2008, 09:41:45 am
Oh dear oh dear!

Lily pollen by any chance?  Wool carpet?

If either of the above is a "yes", she's probably going to have to contact her insurance company.

I've had partial success with pollen on wool in the past using the same type of products used for cleaning up after fires, leaving a long dwell and rinsing hot.

The problem is that pollen is designed to stick to the legs of insects, so it sticks to carpet fibres, especially wool, like the proverbial to the blanket.  As per usual, the vase of water has gone down with the pollen, which means that the particles have migrated well into the fibres.

By all means have a go at this, but please don't put your customer under any false illusions!

The only possible alternative may be some "advanced" stain removal techniques, which would go way over her insurance excess so probably wouldn't be economically viable.

You can offer to supply a report for her insurance company if they'll accept it (a lot won't, they'll send their own appointed firm out to look).

I treat these jobs as a loss leader, try to make a rapport with the customer and help out any way I can, then mail to them for future work.
Title: Re: Pollen on cream carpet
Post by: tony harrison on July 24, 2008, 12:33:30 pm
Hi james,

I have had  good results from using citrus jel and eco spotter.
 But as Jim says down grade the results with the customer first and if you are manage to remove it you will have a customer for life.

Regards Tony
Title: Re: Pollen on cream carpet
Post by: Robert Watson on July 24, 2008, 12:41:52 pm
I seem to remember having success with White Spirit.
Could be wrong. ::)
Rab
Title: Re: Pollen on cream carpet
Post by: lands on July 24, 2008, 01:48:48 pm
Citrus gel works for me most times
Title: Re: Pollen on cream carpet
Post by: Dave_Lee on July 24, 2008, 02:44:24 pm
Citrus Gel everytime, works better when the pollen has not been wetted.
Dav.
Title: Re: Pollen on cream carpet
Post by: Paul Redden Countryfresh on July 24, 2008, 03:27:53 pm
Chances very slim...Doug told me turps can be effective, but as said the water has probably killed it  :o
Title: Re: Pollen on cream carpet
Post by: Doug Holloway on July 24, 2008, 05:42:54 pm
Hi Guys

Most of the common solventss will remove this if no water has been added, white spirit, isopropanol etc.

In this case it will be much harder but I would still try the solvent approach , it siometimes works on the dye stain.

If a custy rings up always best to tell them to leave it to you, white spirit on a cloth , gently rub in , extract.

Cheers

Doug
Title: Re: Pollen on cream carpet
Post by: *paul_moss on July 24, 2008, 05:48:32 pm
Pollen will remain invisible to you in the carpet fibres until you pre spray/extract ( add moisture) then it will go bright yellow.
If you use the chemicals Doug suggests this will give the best results, but sometimes once wet, they instantly stain and wont budge. And on other occasions they can return to invisible once the carpet is dry.
Title: Re: Pollen on cream carpet
Post by: maxcarpets on July 24, 2008, 05:53:21 pm
Citrus gel, no problem used it today on an 80/20
Title: Re: Pollen on cream carpet
Post by: *paul_moss on July 24, 2008, 05:57:38 pm
Citrus gel, no problem used it today on an 80/20
And the Prochem one is the best ;)
Title: Re: Pollen on cream carpet
Post by: Jim_77 on July 24, 2008, 06:00:55 pm
I must've attempted 20 of these over the last few years.  Fixed one completely (no water), one partially (vase full of water but polyprop carpet).

Good luck!
Title: Re: Pollen on cream carpet
Post by: Bob Allen on July 24, 2008, 09:44:06 pm
Solutions chewing gum remover, better than citrus Gel in my oppinion
Title: Re: Pollen on cream carpet
Post by: John Kelly on July 24, 2008, 10:38:43 pm
Prochem Solvex is quite good as well.
Title: Re: Pollen on cream carpet
Post by: jamesjames on July 25, 2008, 07:45:05 am
Thanks Guys
Title: Re: Pollen on cream carpet
Post by: alan lewis on July 25, 2008, 07:33:33 pm
Dry cleaning solvent...never fails.

Alan