Clean It Up
UK Floor Cleaning Forum => Carpet Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: kinder clean on October 10, 2008, 11:24:08 pm
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Whats the best / quickest method for removing draught marks from the outer edges of a carpet - what chems works best for you.
Why do some homes have really bad draught markings and others none at all, is it down to poorly fitted carpets?
Paul
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I have found prochem filter out works best for edges and around doorways
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A lot depends on the location. They are usually especially bad near busy roads due to diesel exhaust soot.
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i use zip it and a terry towel, a microsplitter from cleansmart, about £3.50 a bottle includes trigger spray, apply straight from the bottle, aggitate and bang, the dirt is gone.nothing could be simpler.
derek
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I don't think it's down to the fitting of the carpets per se, but definitely if preventive measures are taken during fitting the problem can be greatly reduced. The best safeguard before fitting is to seal the gaps between floor and skirting boards, then lay lining paper down on the floor and tape the joints. The underlay should have the joints taped up too.
I've heard quite a few different theories as to the cause of filtration soiling, ranging through atmospheric situations like John says above, static electricity built up in the carpet making the dirt bond to the fibres, the type of fibre itself, how often the customer vacuums, suspended floors, blah blah..
I think it must be a combination of several things, in my opinion. I know that in some old houses with suspended floors they can be real bad. In these places, the lines aren't just confined to the edges, they clearly mark out the gaps in the floor boards and underlay. It would be logical in these cases to presume that there's a lot of crud underneath due to the age of the house, and the air flows upwards bringing the particles with it.
But could it actually be going downwards? The particles have a lot of work to do to get through the gaps, then penetrate the underlay, then the backing of the carpet and finally get to the top! I don't know how small the particles typically are, perhaps it's possible.
Around the edges of a room with a concrete floor, what's going on there? Air could hit the wall and cool, descending down to the floor and carrying the particles with it. Air could be travelling around the room in a certain direction at floor level.
Airing cupboard doors are the worst when there's a hot water cylinder inside. The hot air escapes quite rapidly from the top, dragging in air under the door. Had one today that was really bad. The same customer had me on my hands and knees spotting marks the size of a ladybird's wrist watch :-\ Gotta be the most neurotic male customer I've ever worked for!
Anyway, as for removal of draught marks. Basically, every supplier will claim that their spotters are wonderful for removing draught marks, I've tried a few and they're all as crap as each other. Filter out is just a diluted Ultrapac renovate, which I've tried at several dilutions, hot and cold, short dwell, long dwell, plenty of agitation... then chucked it on the shelf with the others.
The best results will come on a carpet fibre that's naturally resistant to them, rather than from a certain product, so there is always an opportunity for apparent heroism with little effort :)
It depends how long it's been happening too, if you get to a wool carpet after 5 years of draught marks building up, forget it, you ain't gonna come out the hero! I think polypropylene must stand the most chance for having the marks removed, or at least faded considerably. Hard-wearing lop piles such as the stuff you get in rentals is probably where I've had the most profound results. Ironic really, considering it's probably the type of job where such a "miracle" would be least appreciated!
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P.S. Grease Soil Lifter from ServiceMaster is the best thing I've got for these, and just about any other spots and marks.
For a nearest equivalent look for an alcohol-based spotter that doesn't contain d-limonene
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I don't think it's down to the fitting of the carpets per se, but definitely if preventive measures are taken during fitting the problem can be greatly reduced. The best safeguard before fitting is to seal the gaps between floor and skirting boards, then lay lining paper down on the floor and tape the joints. The underlay should have the joints taped up too.
I've heard quite a few different theories as to the cause of filtration soiling, ranging through atmospheric situations like John says above, static electricity built up in the carpet making the dirt bond to the fibres, the type of fibre itself, how often the customer vacuums, suspended floors, blah blah..
I think it must be a combination of several things, in my opinion. I know that in some old houses with suspended floors they can be real bad. In these places, the lines aren't just confined to the edges, they clearly mark out the gaps in the floor boards and underlay. It would be logical in these cases to presume that there's a lot of crud underneath due to the age of the house, and the air flows upwards bringing the particles with it.
But could it actually be going downwards? The particles have a lot of work to do to get through the gaps, then penetrate the underlay, then the backing of the carpet and finally get to the top! I don't know how small the particles typically are, perhaps it's possible.
Around the edges of a room with a concrete floor, what's going on there? Air could hit the wall and cool, descending down to the floor and carrying the particles with it. Air could be travelling around the room in a certain direction at floor level.
Airing cupboard doors are the worst when there's a hot water cylinder inside. The hot air escapes quite rapidly from the top, dragging in air under the door. Had one today that was really bad. The same customer had me on my hands and knees spotting marks the size of a ladybird's wrist watch :-\ Gotta be the most neurotic male customer I've ever worked for!
Anyway, as for removal of draught marks. Basically, every supplier will claim that their spotters are wonderful for removing draught marks, I've tried a few and they're all as crap as each other. Filter out is just a diluted Ultrapac renovate, which I've tried at several dilutions, hot and cold, short dwell, long dwell, plenty of agitation... then chucked it on the shelf with the others.
The best results will come on a carpet fibre that's naturally resistant to them, rather than from a certain product, so there is always an opportunity for apparent heroism with little effort :)
It depends how long it's been happening too, if you get to a wool carpet after 5 years of draught marks building up, forget it, you ain't gonna come out the hero! I think polypropylene must stand the most chance for having the marks removed, or at least faded considerably. Hard-wearing lop piles such as the stuff you get in rentals is probably where I've had the most profound results. Ironic really, considering it's probably the type of job where such a "miracle" would be least appreciated!
Filter out is used in the neat form ,sprayed straight from bottle why dilute to make it weaker if it doesn't work.
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Filter out is just a diluted Ultrapac renovate
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Filter out is just a diluted Ultrapac renovate, which I've tried at several dilutions, hot and cold,
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i was just curious why you had diluted it.
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People burning candles which are parrafin wax can also be a major contributor. Sometimes the residues are so bad it is hard to distinquish them when we deal with minor fire damage.
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The best thing about Ultra pak and Multisolve from Craftex is that you can dilute to suit the stain, solvents like eco spotter are sometime needed but I'd go for water based first.
Shaun
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Ultrapac renovate always gets me good results on draught marks, i have tried filter out and imo its no where near as effective.
Mark
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Ultrapack renovate always works for me.
Dilute 50ml per litre of warm water in a sprayer and spray the filter mark a few inches away from the carpet so that it foams up and immediately rub with a terry towel, then extract straight away. Hey presto!
Just spray a small section at a time, it seems to work better.
Kev.
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Aways try and use a towel and wipe along the edges after a clean :)
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Today I used Prochem Citrus Gel for the draught marks.
Followed by wiping with a towel then a clean water rinse.
Very easy - easiest way so far.
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One of the things that has really worked for me
is to use Chemspec one clean.
Just rinse with this.
Daryl
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Years ago, I used to use Ultrapac until I once burned a white 100% wool carpet (it is quite a way off being Woolsafe, but is a great problem solver)
I then used Spitfire Advanced (Woolsafe Approved) and achieved great, easy results.
I now use DFC 105. The ordinary mix for carpet prespray usually works on doorway filter soiling, but for more stubborn marks I mix @15:1 for spotting and edges. Ecogent works really well too and can even be used neat for the most stubborn.
I little note about Ecogent. Although it can be used to great effect as a general pre-spray on carpets, I find it foams a little too much. Brilliant for bonnet cleaning. A very small part of our business is house cleaning and to keep in line with the eco-friendly approach to our carpet and upholstery cleaning, Leigh decided to give Ecogent a try. We bought the twin bottle sprayer with an adjustable metering valve, and she now uses this for EVERYTHING. Kitchen, bathroom, mirrors, windows, floors. One product has replaced every other cleaner she has. And it works better than brilliantly 8) She doesn't even carry a carpet spotter now as she can use Ecogent. Fully biodegradeable, independant green certification and Woolsafe Approved. It truly is a "one product cleans all" type of solution.
Safe and happy cleaning :)
Ken
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Hi Ken! ;D your thoughts on my post plz?
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Hi Terry
Which post is that then?
Safe and happy cleaning :)
Ken
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sorry mate Rhino just underneath ;D fink
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Where can you get Ecogent.
I use excclusively Prochem so never thought to look at other chemicals.
John
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Ecogent, and DFC 105, are both Chemspec products
Safe and happy cleaning :)
Ken
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Eco and Green cleaning has been around here for a few years but Ecogent has been around for alot of years well before any Solutions products and Promite etc etc, albeit that as a cleaner for trashed carpets it doesn't cut the mustard for me.
Shaun
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One Clean by Chemspec works a treat or DFC 105
I swear by them.
Tom
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By far the easiest and quickest is Solution RX Spotter - spray on rub with towel and extract.
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Tom I take it you like Chemspec products then?
Shaun
PS I have a mixture of everything so am not tied to one manufacturer, I like Chemspec and the way they do business, I was in Filey earlier this year and out of all of the people I bumped into Richard Sudall the MD it's a small world.
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Hi Paul
Without a shadow of a doubt the best chemical I have come across for removing draught marks is Alltec's "Traffic Lane Cleaner" (TLC) It actually says on the 5 litre bottle that it is good on draught marks but that is an understatement!!
Spray on diluted solution, a quick brush with a nail brush or soft scrubbing brush and extract with your hand tool and "Voila" gone.
Try it
Neo
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White spirit
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Shaun, I don't know which is more unlikely, you or Richard being in Filey!