[Tony Stewart]

I cleaned a shop carpet about two weeks ago and have been chasing for payment after the month end. Customer complained that the oil that a postman trod in about three years has not been removed. The carpet had never been cleaned before and the amount of muck that was removed was phenomenal. I did the area twice to be absolutely sure that it was clean.
Customer says that different colours are coming through the carpet when it is dry. I have cleaned it again and they are still there. If I get down on my hands and knees there is no oil or residue there at all. I don't see it really being wick back but just thought I would see if you guys could give me an answer. I will do it again (4th time) if needs be but I just need to be positive in front of the customer.

Thanks a lot.

[wynne jones]

I would go back and have a look and a chat.

[Tony Stewart]

Here is the mark

[Tony Stewart]

here is the carpet just after I cleaned it again the other day. It was touch dry when I left

[stuart_clark]

Tony

its a low profile which are prone to wick back, if the oily stain returns , you can do one of two things ! Bonnet the area straight after hwe then speed dry it with an air mover         or

re clean the area and then sprinkle on Chemspecs Absorb a stain and vacume up the next day! both methods will rectify wick back but i normally adopt the 1st

[Neil Jones]

Your original post was exactly the same as a job I had last week. A shop entrance no more than 10 by 10 ft and I cleaned it twice, all in one session, it took a long time to clean, it had never been done in 15 years and had oil marks, tea stains, and to add to it the client had used swarfega 

Soon as i'd finished the second clean I used a soil absorb bonnet on the carpet and two air movers. It was dry as I left, I had no worries that i'd be called back for wick back.

[Phil @ Extreme Clean]

Tony what chems are you using also the pics are far apart if your gonna do before and after take pic from place

Phil.

[wynne jones]

I would try encapping it. If it is wickback on the surface thats a quick and sure way.

 

[AshWhite]

I would try encapping it. If it is wickback on the surface thats a quick and sure way.

 

+1

[Tony Stewart]

Thanks for that guys
Phil used Blitz, greasebreaker and a truckmount so I know it was clean.

So I think my cunning plan would be to take the rotary, and put down some resolve on a red pad then bonnet off whilst using an air mover?
It's a real hassle getting the truckmount parked and run up if I can do it that way.
Agreed?

[John Kelly]

That looks like remaining oil residue or discolouration due to the oil. Standard pre-sprays are not that effective at removing oils stains. I would mix some citrus gel up with hot water in a sprayer and treat those areas, dwell time and light agitation then rinse out. Post bonnet to dry or stick an airmover on it.

[Simon Gerrard]

Sometimes a carpet can be completely choked with dust which has gone right through the carpet and into the underlay. When you clean it it can look ok, but the dust that you have sucked up through the carpet, isn't and probably can't be completely removed and therefore the remnants that are just off the surface but isn't apparent just after cleaning then surfaces as the carpet dries. That's one explanation, the other is that the soil has discoloured the carpet in that area and I think that is far more likely than it being wick back.
I don't think I'd HWSE this anymore but rather deal with the surface issue with encap, or Oxibrite mixed with Fibrebuff in a shampoo.

Simon

[Paul Moss]

Tony, they dont look like grease/ oil stains to me. They are tannin stains from coffe or tea spillages, by the slight lightening of some of the areas i would also say they have been tackled with an oxiderser before you got to them. This is why i believe they are showing more on drying.
My  ;)approach would have been treat the stained area with a red hot mix of strong sod met solution, misted and aggitated quickly, let dwell for just a few mins then extract.

Clean rest of carpet as normal ( there is alot of dry soil in there which is also clear in the photos)
then i would have sprayed a milder solution of the  sod met over the stained areas ( do not extract out)and leave to dry with air movers if you like or just natural dry over night.

Return the next morning for visual and if ness bonnet with encap on with a white bonnet with vlm and if necc another spray of sod met on the stained areas if they had not reduced enough, airmovers on it for 20 mins to dry it ready for opening. Then air spray a deodoriser to get rid of sod met smell, and the shop is now ready for opening 

[Paul Moss]

Sometimes a carpet can be completely choked with dust which has gone right through the carpet and into the underlay. When you clean it it can look ok, but the dust that you have sucked up through the carpet, isn't and probably can't be completely removed and therefore the remnants that are just off the surface but isn't apparent just after cleaning then surfaces as the carpet dries. That's one explanation, the other is that the soil has discoloured the carpet in that area and I think that is far more likely than it being wick back.
I don't think I'd HWSE this anymore but rather deal with the surface issue with encap, or Oxibrite mixed with Fibrebuff in a shampoo.

Simon

These carpets are usually glued down striaght onto the hard floor in shops like this and i can see some ripples along it so it may have a bit of delamination or losening.

Like Simon says if they need hwe then you have to go back when dry and bonnet the top. To be honest these are always going to be hard work and i would just vac it to death and then encap with cimex or hbot.

[Tony Stewart]

Been mulling this one over.....I went in and that carpet is clean. This is another photo from yesterday. It looks to me as though the carpet fibre itself has changed colour.
I know that these carpets are a pain in the but to clean so I gave it two thorough cleans at the time just to make sure. I then cleaned it again and if you get down on your hands and knees it "feels" clean and there is no residue. No transfer of anything on to a white terry towel...........POG is clear.
It's not a bitumen backed carpet, it's as you say just glued down to the floorboards...........but just a knackered carpet that has had a load of wear.

I called the lady today and explained that I had cleaned it and she said that it was much much better than before and that I had done a good job. I will go and see her later today and as the carpet is dry then look at the encap route...
I am sure the sod med would do also but I am worried about making the thing worse not better.
Added to that no one wants to work late in this shop not even the owner so I have people in and out of the shop.
So plan B...............minitex, red pad, encap hairdryer and if it shifts it Eurika!!! If not I plan to use my "The best carpet clean you've ever seen or it's free!!" and have a chat at the TACCA day!!

[pro-fresh]

That looks like remaining oil residue or discolouration due to the oil. Standard pre-sprays are not that effective at removing oils stains. I would mix some citrus gel up with hot water in a sprayer and treat those areas, dwell time and light agitation then rinse out. Post bonnet to dry or stick an airmover on it.

John, how much citrus gel per litre would you recommend?

[Tony Stewart]

Hi John
That was hit with POG, Greasebreaker and Blitz in the first cleans combined with TM4 with brown brushes and a truckmount clean.
The second clean had neat greasebreaker scrubbed in by hand and again Greasebraker and Blitz sprayed in with a Hydraforce spray.
I don't want to sound clever (as I posted this to learn!!) but that has has some real cleaning power on that carpet............

[Simon Gerrard]

Tony,
If I were you I'd leave this well alone, if you start trying ever more elaborate things you could just make matters worse and end up owning the carpet.
What you're looking at is far more likely the consequence of the carpet not being maintained properly which has caused the discolouration. Encap it by all means but then just tell the customer you've done your best.
Simon

[Paul Moss]

 just a Knackered carpet that has loads of wear.


And through experience Tony you will learn to qualify that on first sight so the customer will know what level of visual clean to expect when the job is done.

Remember mot all carpets can be brought back to like new condition through cleaning alone.

[garybristow]

first rule of spotting
know when to give up!