[Griffus]

We have a number of regular customers, and a couple of potential new customers asking for quotes on cleaning their office carpets. All but one so far are low profile carpet tiles and so we are going to have to bite the bullet and buy a decent number of bonnet pads.

I have looked on here and also on other forums to see which pads get rated the best. Thus far I am not really any wiser. We have a week or so before things will get tight on time so I better pull my finger out.

I would say that my short list is as follows: -

1)    Dry Fusion Standard Pad
2)    Prochem Soil-Sorb Bonnet Pad
3)    Tuway Thin One™ Bonnet - Spoke to the guy selling these. He swears by them and stated that a lot are sold to 'Dry Fusion' users.
4)    Charly Pads

Whichever pads we opt for they will be used on a Standard Speed, Victor Sprite 450.

I welcome all thoughts and even better; recommendations.

Thanks in advance

Ian


 

[richie]

Im sure you can only purchase Dry Fusion pads if you have theDry Fusion system.  Personally like many others i highly rate Charly pads,  yes they are expensive but the really do last years.

Richie.
PS
Chemical wise try Fusion Clean by Solutions UK, 

[Graeme@Access]

Hi,

Isn't the sprite the incredibly small buffer? AFAIK you get pads in 17 and 15 inch, possibly too big for a sprite?

We have Charlys and Prochem cotton bonnets, always turning to the latter if we can.

Graeme
Access Cleaning Solutions

[Joe H]

Access
Here is a 400mm Sprite, thats 16" so will take a 17" pad. Speed possiblt too fast for carpets, but just showing the Sprite is done in larger sizes.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Victor-Sprite-400-Commercial-Floor-Scrubber-Polisher-/290455434717?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_Home_Garden_PowerTools_SM&hash=item43a07e35dd#ht_3587wt_929

[clinton]

I myself use texatherm cotton pads and even after many years of use there still going strong..

[David Rogers]

You can use any pads with Dry Fusion, and DF will also sell any products, pads etc to anyone, not just licensensed DF users.

The 'tie in' bit is that DF users must use only the DF kit to maintain the warranty on their machines.

I too have heard very good things about Tuway Thin One bonnets.

[Joe H]

David, have you found personally that DF will sell anyone anything from their range.
If so, then I think they have mellowed.
I bought a 2nd hand DF machine off a registered fusioneer, but I had a problem buying the cleaning fluid to go with it. I got it,but many questions asked.

[David Rogers]

I think you're absolutely right Joe - they've had to mellow (in the current climate). I think they're finally accepting that as well as the 'licensed' operators (which really just means they bought their machine from DF and sat the day's training), there are others who have just bought a 2nd machine and are using 'sans' DF training. 

I'm in the latter category as of this morning!  Just bought a beat up old DF machine for £280 including 10 bonnets.  Works perfectly, just needs some respraying of all the red bits!

I have found (with my regular numatic rotary) in the past that 'Activator' and 'Catalyst' perform almost identically.  This is probably another reason DF have mellowed; otherwise their just driving people to give their money to craftex (catlyst) and chemspec (rotobrite) otherwise!

[clinton]

Spec with a good product like fusion clean on the market they prob have had to do

[Neil Williams]

I myself use texatherm cotton pads and even after many years of use there still going strong..

Same here, although a few have got a bit thin.

[Griffus]

Thanks to all of you that have replied.

Richie, I am wary of the large outlay for just two pads. I have seen them demonstrated at Alltec and they looked good, but I think I prefer to go with cotton pads and plenty of them, just for strength in numbers and peace of mind.

Access, I have looked for the Prochem cotton pads but could only see the soil sorb. Where do you buy yours from? I will search again in case I am being a bit dumb. Incidentally the Sprite 450 IS 450mm (17") and our model is standard speed (175 ish RPM). They come in all sizes and speeds though, we do have a 300mm (12"), and a little beats it is too!

Clinton, Are the Texatherm the same as Dry Fusion? Where did you buy yours from? There is a guy on line selling 20 pads and asking 100. I think these are well used and unwashed but seems a decent price. What do you think?

David, the Tuway are for sale by a Carpet Cleaner who bought a load from the States. I have spoke to him and he raves about these, he has 200 or so still left to sell. My only concern is they are a similar price to the Dry Fusion Pads, which have a proven track record.

Joe, Cleaners Warehouse seems to sell DF pads to anyone.



Following on from pads. I have 5 litres of Prochem Bonnet and Buff. Is this OK to use on Dirty Commercials or is it best to go with Solutions' Fusion Clean, which seems to get consistently great reviews. I recall Ken Wainwright mentioning a while back that he had moved on from Bonnet and Buff to 'One Step', Is this Chemspec and has anyone else used it?

As always, thanks in advance.

[clinton]

Hi ian

The dry fusion pads were dif mate to the texatherm pads..

I would see what they are made of etc and maybe he has not used them much,i got a dozen years ago and bought them from another carpet cleaner and he never washed them and that was after 6 months lol He didnt know he had to wash them :

[garyfindlay]

Amtech sell onestep, but it now has a new name. I second that it works.
http://www.amtechuk.co.uk/shop/Premium_Carpet___Upholstery_Cleaner__Microsplitter/pid-207.html