[Trevor Knight]

Hi there, just wanted to ask some advice please.

I have a fish tank which I was filling up, the phone went and I got sidetracked, yes you know whats coming!!. Anyway, the tank overflowed and I think about 25 litres spilled onto the carpet, a hard wearing cream short pile, hesien backed. So, I towelled up most of the water and place electrice heaters to dry the rest up. The water was fairly clean but since I have noticed a slight staining and a musky smell. Is there a product I can order either direct or from one of you guys that I could use to get rid of this stain and smell using a small Karcher cleaning machine.

Hope you can help, many thanks, Trevor

[Eddie Conroy]

Trevor,
I would suggest that you may have a number of things happening and that maybe you could ask for the help of a carpet cleaner close to you.
As the quantity of water was not measured you can only give a subjective estimate.
Basics such as , penetration to the floor, underfelt if any, browning, wicking, bacterial growth etc, can be normally be dealt with, once the problem/s is identified.
I mean this reply to be helpful and if you are in the Gatwick area give me a call
Regards
eddie

[Jason Hedges]

Hi Trevor,

It's the first I've heard of this so take my advice as it comes!

The staining may be permanent due to the hesian backing. Colour bleed from the backing to the fibres will probably be irreversible. As for the smell I'd treat with prochems microsan back and front of carpet as well as any flooring that might have been affected. Has killed off bad bacterial smells for me in the past.

Kind regards,
Jason.

[Trevor Knight]

Thanks Jason, Eddie for your advice. I will have a go with the Prochem and see what happens. The only concern is the stain being permanent, don't like the sound of that one (  Will post again after tring the Prochem solution, thanks again for your advice and help.

Regards,

Trevor

[Liahona]

For what its worth, you are dealing with what is called a black water situation and under restoration guide lines the carpet should be replaced. Thats the way an insurance company would have to deal with it. Best, Dave,

[Trevor Knight]

Oh well, there goes next years premium increase  Will still try the Prochem stuff as I am sure the insurance company will want to see what action I have taken, Thanks for your advice anyway, Regards, Trev

[John Kelly]

No way would an overflow from a fish tank be classed as a black water claim. The biological load would be very low and would be classed as grey at the most.
We have cleaned and dried numerous carpets affected by fish tank water.
Black water is classed as water ingressing the building interior from an outside source or from an internal toilet system. Water which has a high biological load and contains solids.
Grey water is internal sources of water from say a washing machine, dishwasher, minor leak from a toilet which is fluid only, fish tanks etc. This will have some contaminants but will be easily mitigated by using a suitable microbiocide.

[Trevor Knight]

God I am glad I am a window cleaner, this carpet cleaning seems so technical and complicated 

[*paul_moss]

Trevor
John is absolutly right if you  apply a bacterial treatment ( i find solubac good but needs around 12 hours for the bacterial growth to develop) followed by a thorough clean and an acid rinse will cure this problem as im sure the discolouration is cel browning.

[Trevor Knight]

Got my Prochem so am going to give it a try this weekend, thaks for all your advice guy's

[Liahona]

While I understand what John is saying and I have no reason to doubt if he has or has not cleaned up

in these circumstances it doesnt alter the fact that it is still classified as black water. I got in touch with

the I.I.C.R.C.  the N.C.C.A. and various insurance companies who all stated the same, that it should

be considered a black water situation. Rotting food, rotting skin/flesh and crap for a better word

everywhere, how else could it not be black? Add all this to a hesian backed carpet and it should always

be an instant replacement. What I am now going to say may just be for the states as it is far strictor

there than here..................You can not use an anti-microbial or microbiocide on a textile that is not to

be replaced. Infact you are not allowed to use an anti-microbial anyway in any situation. I know there

are many differences between what you can and cant do between the states and here but surely black

is black. But who knows, maybe not you can still use a dry solvent machine in this country and buy perc

so maybe not. Both of which have been stopped throughout most of the world for many years. Best,

Dave.

[John Kelly]

Black is the new Grey.

I hear what you are saying Dave, however here is a link to the University of Arizona department of risk management & safety.
States clearly that Category 2, Grey water = Broken Aquariums.
http://isanet.org/riskmgmt/SAFETY%20BROCHURE.pdf

[John Kelly]

Where do you get the idea that you can't use an anti microbial anywhere. We all use them all of the time. And someone better tell Prochem who have just spent 10 million dollars perfecting theirs.

[Liahona]

John, it was good to have talked with you on the phone the other day. My

comment on anti-microbials uses was referring to the states where as far as I

know they have been banned for years. In England I am sure they are still used

but like I said so are dry solvent machines and so is the use of perc not only still

legal to purchase but also to be used. Why someone would want to use either

is beyond me, again for most of the world they have long been banned. Best,

Dave. P.S. when or are you going to have a demo for the Prowler?