[Ken Wainwright]

Les

The appearance of the stains in the photograph are consistent with the resoiling of an "invisible" residue. This could, for example, be something like a detergent, sugar, fat or oil.  I gather that you have wet a sample and failed to produce a "foaming ball". This would eliminate a conventional high foaming shampoo residue, but not necessarily other types of detergent.

First
Do a pH test on a few spots, but be careful not to remove all of the spot. If the reading is heavily acidic or alkaline, treat accordingly.

If you have a pH reading in the neutral range, you will have little indication as to the nature of the soiling, so first pre-treat stains with a volatile solvent and towel/pad dry. Don't rub. This will help with any potential oily residue from non-volatile spotters, or white spirit or walked in fats, grease or oil.  Then wet spot clean.

Clean carpets again with a detergent free formula, eg One Step Fineline to be Woolsafe, otherwise something like Pure Clean, Eco Gent, DFC, Solution 4(?), M Power Craftex M/S etc. etc. Then freshwater rinse. Agitate pre-spray carefully with a hand brush so that you can more easily detect if any spots are "foamy" or otherwise different to the others.

Other than this, I could not advise without an inspection.

Good luck.

Safe and happy cleaning
Ken

[Les]

Thanks Ken.

I take your advice seriously and will probably use some 'Solutions' microsplitter that I have on board.

The point about the invisible residue only concerns me because the original stains that  I removed have never returned.

Thanks again for the very useful advice which I appreciate.

Les

[Doctor Carpet (Ret'd)]

I think we're all agreed that the dog isn't the main problem, but I assume you have had a sniff at the carpet at some time to see if that gives any clues.

I notice that the hall seems to be a hard floor and with the carpet not going the full width of the stair I guess these factors are likely to concentrate the attraction or airborne dirt into the smaller than average soft fabric area.

Having said that I would presume it was drink spills coupled with dirt landing on the sticky residue.

As Paul said a regular "nice little earner". I've got a few like that, but to start with you do question your own competence a little bit on the first few occasions you go back to discuss with the client.

Hope that helps.

Roger

[Mike Roper]

Those photos look like a crime scene- are people mysteriously dissappearing from these homes, are there strange goings on and things going bump in the night .You maybe are cleaning up the evidence and so implicated in the crime.Be very careful or you may find a horses head next to you in bed.
If I am totally off course on this one then I agree with everyone else - their just messy so & so's.
Mike

[*paul_moss]

Mike you must have some really strange customers. Hope none are Italian

[will01]

Flash spray with bleach as a pre spray with some zflora in the xtraction tank.
Works a treat. Honest guv....

will

[Jason Hedges]

Les,

After looking at this post several times with interest I've come to 2 conclusions:

1). She's got really messy kids and pets = Keep going back for repeat business.

2). She's making the mess on purpose wanting you back =  =  =  =  =  =  !

All the best,
Jason.

[M.Acorn]

Jesus ! have only seen stairs that bad on a commercial job .Did have one customer where i cleaned her lounge that had a 6 foot by 2 foot oil stain where her son had decided to strip down his motorbike in the lounge !
So bad i put the pics on my website...

[Les]

Well,

thank you all for your helpful and.......varied  : responses to my post.

I'm contacting the lady today to.......go back again 

I will of course take more photo's of what I find, ( I'll pass them onto the Forensics team Mike ),

and let you see for yourselves.

Very busy thankfully so it's likely to be at the end of the month.

Keep well all

Les   

[richie]

Hi Les,

Have studied the photos and they do look like fresh stains/marks.  As for cleaning chemicals try using Prochem Pure Clean as a pre-spray then rinse with just plain hot water.  This im sure will clean the carpets plus it will NOT leave any trace of residue. 

Richie.

[Les]

Thanks Richie, that sounds like good advice.

I think the number and quality of replies go to show what a helpful site this is.

It's nice to get a second opinion....and a third.....and a fourth......

Les