[wayne zabel]

Can you guys explain in laymans term what is meant by the term "wick back"

Am I right in thinking that its when a stain has been cleaned only the stain in the pile is removed and due to moisture the stain that has lay in the base/backing of the carpet shows through once again?

Don't want to appear a numpty but trying to do as much research as possible.

[gwrightson]

In a nutshell , you are correct.

Normaly you will find that a spill of a larger proportion that has soaked into the backing can once cleaned simply wick back to the surface pile, in other words as the carpet drys the hiden stain tranfers via the drying carpet fibres, imagine a wick used in a parrafin heater or similar, the base is in the liquid and the liquid transfers to the top.
Some stains do how ever react with more vigour than other, blood been a prime example.
the answer if you have a problem with wick back is to clean the area with a bonnet or similar.

Geoff

[Doctor Carpet (Ret'd)]

And/or use stain absorbing powder as a "belt & brush" approach.

[Joe H]

Did a job 16 months ago - office carpet with large water stain where roof leaked - it was very dirty water stain that needed to come out.
So I used the HWE but I expalined I will charge them X amount for that day but there is a good chance it will wick back - took the time to explain what wick back was - and if it did and they wanted it treated again I would charge them 50% o fthe first visit price and told them I would use a rotary machine. They were ok with what I explained (and that is the key point).
I went back couple days later just to see what it was like.
Just a small shadow could be seen, but they were made up with the job so they declined the 50% price to get rid completely.
They were happy, I was happy, everybody was happy.
We're a happy lot in Warrington 

[wayne zabel]

What do you do if you dont pocess any bonnet equipment

also can you elaborate what you mean by belt and brush approach please Roger

[Joe H]

What do you do if you dont pocess any bonnet equipment

also can you elaborate what you mean by belt and brush approach please Roger

In answer to the first question - save up. Can get low speed rotarys on Ebay for £150 or there about.

[Doctor Carpet (Ret'd)]

What do you do if you dont pocess any bonnet equipment

also can you elaborate what you mean by belt and brush approach please Roger

Woops!

Meant "Belt and Braces." As in "To be absolutely sure"

Absolutely no idea what I was doing typing "brush" apart from the fact it starts with a "b".

Call it a Senior moment.