[Chrisjo]

Don't be disheartened , everybody on here has had to learn.

Experience is something you cant buy, there are lots of courses around, some good some not do good.

But youtube is free and there are a few good bits on there,if you can put up with the American accents !!

You'll be fine .

[Paul McHugh]

Hi guys Went back again  some 9 days after I am afraid to say it still smells bad have found by sniffing on hands and knees three or four particular bad areas and I have fine sprayed M power on these areas without HWE but little to no effect.
I think and the customer is asking that I reclean again which I am happy to do but very nervous it could get worse if thats possible  Any advice greatfully accepted IE.
1/ What pressure
2/ Do I pre spray again and if so with what and what dilution
3/ how long should the dwell time be
4/ should I aggitate  if so should it be gentle / thorough
5/ hand hot water / Cold water
6/ Hilton Who supplies Microban Formula X
Hope you people  can help me out in my hour of need
Paul Mc

[Neil Jones]

Where do you live and where's the job Paul?

[Paul McHugh]

High Neil
Selby North Yorks
Job In Brayton, Selby

[james roffey]

As John says check for that. It is often the case when first starting out and even when upgrading to another type of machine, that when it stops unexpectantly, we forget to check the basics first and start to panic.
It's also a matter of opinion, but after using portables for my first 23 years, I think 300psi is too high a pressure for any machine on carpets other than a Truck Mount, I don't care how many vacs theyve got. 150 psi is the max that I would go with. My portables by the way would only go up to 100psi with twin vacs and that combo worked well for me.
Dave.

Dave you have been doing this a lot longer than i, but i have found while experimenting with different psi that if i use about 300psi the clean is far more effective i use an Airflex Turbo and have never noticed the carpets being that wet after just slightly damp, only time i use very low psi is Belgian Wiltons and i up the temp higher to compensate but it's slow going, always make at least four times the amount of dry passes to wet though

[Dave_Lee]

As John says check for that. It is often the case when first starting out and even when upgrading to another type of machine, that when it stops unexpectantly, we forget to check the basics first and start to panic.
It's also a matter of opinion, but after using portables for my first 23 years, I think 300psi is too high a pressure for any machine on carpets other than a Truck Mount, I don't care how many vacs theyve got. 150 psi is the max that I would go with. My portables by the way would only go up to 100psi with twin vacs and that combo worked well for me.
Dave.

Dave you have been doing this a lot longer than i, but i have found while experimenting with different psi that if i use about 300psi the clean is far more effective i use an Airflex Turbo and have never noticed the carpets being that wet after just slightly damp, only time i use very low psi is Belgian Wiltons and i up the temp higher to compensate but it's slow going, always make at least four times the amount of dry passes to wet though

James, that is my opinion based upon my experience with lesser powered than todays machines and is on the very careful side of things.
Of course a big part of the pie lies in the techniques used. Like yourself you are no novice and so will have developed your technique according to the equipment you use and that is probably why you get good results using the higher pressure. You are also quite correct of course, that if by using the higher pressure it reduces the amount of injection passes, then over-wetting is less likely.
It's all about getting used to the equipment we use and getting the best out of it.
Dave.

[Neil Jones]

It's a bit far Paul or I would have offered to come and have a look at the job with you.

[james roffey]

Dave i always agitate using a Host reliant i find this does most of the work the carpet looks a lot better after just this process, i leave to dwell and extract so  i probably do use the same process, i just find with the psi lower then the wet pass must be slower to achieve the same result as a quick pass at a higher psi surely the same amount of water is passing through the carpet, i am not arguing the point i respect your opinion and am just making an observation.
I have found a higher psi will allow the job to be completed quicker and have not noted any difference in drying times

[Paul McHugh]

Cheers Neil anyway
Paul

[Paul McHugh]

James
I used about 300psi and it appears the milk bacteria smell maybe worse as a result of the deeper penetration into the carpet
would I have had the same strong smell at 150 psi
paul 

[Paul McHugh]

Guys after my ongoing issue with continuing smell

Could you answer my original points please again below as she is wanting the the re clean early this week
I think and the customer is asking that I re-clean again which I am happy to do but very nervous it could get worse if thats possible  Any advice greatfully accepted IE.
1/ Machine What PSI pressure is best to use
2/ Do I pre spray again, Mist or good dousing, This time using M Power instead of SPM 
     and what dilution, hot or cold
3/ How long should the dwell time be
4/ Should I agitate,  if so should it be gentle / thorough (Oreck Orbiter) groom brush, scrubbing brush,
5/ At the wand,  Hand hot water / Cold water

Hope you people  can help me out in my hour of need
Paul Mc

[james roffey]

Paul

I would have thought that the only way to remedy this problem is the same method used to neutralise urine contamination, it sounds like a lot of liquid has been spilt and that has gone into the backing of the carpet and possibly underlay, whatever you are using  it needs to be something like cleansan from Prochem or some similar chemical you need to reach those areas that a regular clean will not, ideally pull the carpet up and treat if not then treat the affected areas allowing gravity to allow the chemical to penetrate in the same way the contaminant did.

I do not think just cleaning the carpet fibres will help at all the smell is probably coming from further down it had plenty of time to soak into the backing, a regular clean wont touch this.

[Paul McHugh]

James
Pull the carpet up? do you mean try and clean the underside of the carpet and then the underlay with the wand
The flat is rented and of course the customer / or myself  does not want to be replacing underlay and refitting carpets
any thoughts on that
Paul
 

[Simon Moat]

Hi Paul, i'm only down the road in York, and do work occasionally in Selby, either myself, or i'm sure Andy Hogarth who has Andy's Carpet Cleaning in York would be happy to help you out, i'm fully booked tomorrow but will email you tomorrow night and see if there is anything I could help you out with.

Main thing, don't stress, everything is retrivable, you've not shrunk or stained the carpet, and to replace a section of underlay (worst case scenario for client) costs a few quid only.

[james roffey]

James
Pull the carpet up? do you mean try and clean the underside of the carpet and then the underlay with the wand
The flat is rented and of course the customer / or myself  does not want to be replacing underlay and refitting carpets
any thoughts on that
Paul
 

You do not need to replace anything, it's all about neutralising the bacteria that is causing the odour, the best way is getting directly to the area by raising the carpet, the next best option is spraying the area and letting gravity take it to the affected area, the difficult thing will be locating the area causing the smell.

[Jamie Pearson]

Another option is to soak the area with a sanitizer as suggested then apply Chemspec absorb a Stain. This will allow for the longest contact time with your chosen product. It has odor controlling properties also. Leave it to dry out then vac off the following day or so. You could possibly ask the customer to do this. Chemspec are about an hour from you in Otley.

[Craigp]

Dose of prochem microsan, dont rinse just vac up after ten mins, spray some of JK NR room spray around.

Always bare in mind when cleaning carpets it needs to be dry in max 24 hrs, thats the critical time frame before mildew starts to grow.

Mildew was probabily already there and when you introduced moisture you feed it and it multipiled.

You need antimicrobal (Prochem Microsan)

deodorises have less antimicrobal properties but more perfume which are just masking agents.

masking agents cover up the symptoms not hit the root cause.

[Hilton]

Its a good idea to keep a couple rolls of underlay in your garage or where ever, sometimes you just need to uplift cut out and replace and indeed if the problem is not yours then its a extra service and problem solver that you can charge for.

In this case it may well be you need to remove a sq mt of underlay, you will not know until you pull the carpet back and have a look, when you do ,apply a mist of antimicrobial to the back of the carpet as well.

Its already been cleaned, so no need to clean again, unless you want to as part of the service.