[charles911]

Had a call from a lady who's carpet I cleaned the other day. A really think cream wool. I used PB and acid rinse. Prob is she say that is was fine for a day or 2 and then dark shadows started appearing.

Is there somthing I can do or is it a claim?? aaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh 

[Craigp]

Upload some pictures.

Could be browning or wick back.

Maybe the pre sprays not been rinsed out properly. Did you have good water pressure and vacuum? Maybe you have not operated your machine correctly.

Carpet cleanings fun isn't it. 

[alldon]

It's all down. To the ph. Basic carpet cleaning I would go back and clean them again plus give her a refund. It's all down to you. 

[charles911]

yeah looks like im going back at the weekend  Spoke to her husband and he did say the cats go in that room and have been known to pee.

[alldon]

It's brown out do you use brown I always use it stops that problem good luck.

[Neil Williams]

Why are you using PB on a domestic wool carpet?
Are you familiar with the words "Sledge hammer" "crack" and "nut."

[james roffey]

Why are you using PB on a domestic wool carpet?
Are you familiar with the words "Sledge hammer" "crack" and "nut."

I had a 100% wool carpet that was not very dirt at all so i used a safe ph prespray Prochems fibresafe gold loads of agitation, trouble was in the traffic lanes it still looked dirty, so i mixed some hot powerburst and acid rinsed it and this did the trick, but that carpet was not that dirty, sledge hammer and nut maybe but frustrating having to do the job twice with lesser chemicals.

[cleantech]

I have also started out with milder solutions and ended up re - cleaning with Power Burst 

[Jim_77]

There in lies a lesson.  There are plenty of pre-sprays that sit in between wool safe stuff and power burst

SPM for one... anyone's "heavy duty" microsplitter, for another.  Can't remember the last time I used powerburst on a domestic.

[charles911]

True! I did a full house before xsmas think wool carpets and i used prespray gold lqd wools safe n didnt feel as though it was good enough. Looking back its prob cos the carpets were not that bad but i just remember the custys 'thanks very much' tone that did it 4 me.
I though i would go back and use an acid rinse as a browning proscription and a hair dryer or is there somthing else i could do?

[charles911]

funny 

[charles911]

It's all down. To the ph. Basic carpet cleaning I would go back and clean them again plus give her a refund. It's all down to you. 

what fund? If im going back its for free but as 4 the £40.00....... I think she should have told me about the cats n the fact that they had been cleaned b4, by her and her bloody vax she keeps under the stairs. Feel abit better after spkin 2 her husband!

[Jim_77]

First thing is pH test the carpet in several places, as well as on the patches.  Acid rinse is NOT a de-browning treatment... it is a pH corrector that is intended to minimise the risk of browning after cleaning.

If there are actual patches like stains wicked up, first thing would be to give them a good soak in the right product and then very thoroughly rinse out using a hand tool.

Either buy yourself some prochem browning prescription, or get some acetic acid and dilute accordingly.  Spray it all over the carpet, very generously, work it in.. I would use a bonnet (shows remaining soil).. groom the pile and walk away.  Do not speed dry, it needs to have a bit of time damp to do its job.  If it's alkaline browning that should fix it.

If it is indeed alkaline browning, needless to say this should never happen.  Not going to dish out a lecture but bear in mind for the future that you might well have over-done the strength of powerburst and under-done either the rinsing, dose of acid rinse, or a mixture of all three.  On a domestic wool carpet I would use it at half strength.  You simply don't need it that strong and have to remember your extraction process is only capable of removing a certain percentage of it (this even applies to truckmounts)

If it is just patches wicked back up, completely different scenario... s**t happens, you just have to go back in and soak/rinse them to try and deal with it.

Ask them how long it took to dry.  Cellulosic browning from being wet too long is really something that really shouldn't be encountered by a pro

[Jim_77]

You posted while I was typing all that... if you have f**ed her carpet up you should dam well give her a refund as well as correcting the problem

If it's just wicking up of pre-existing stains, as I said this happens time to time and she has no right to a refund IMO, the fact that you come back to attempt to correct is what matters

[Craigp]

Is there any profit in cleaning a carpet for £40?

How far was it from you?

I ask because I've known some carpet cleaners charge £40 at a distance from there base at which a taxis would charge that to drive them there only the taxis driver not got to clean a carpet when they get there.

[charles911]

OK... I'll do that then but 4 GOD SAKE!!!!!!! I was jst feelin like i was gettin good   I dont think its the whole carpet. she said one or 2 patches like a shadow. Not even going to tell u what i did with the PB  

[charles911]

Oh no its down the rd from me. It was about 8ft -10? how much would u have charged?