CARPET TALK

There is a lot to be said about residue in carpet, and what effects it can have on the appearance of the carpet, both right after cleaning and much later. The most common residue that we deal with when we clean carpet is soap. That's right, soap. A lot of time this is in the form of that spiffy little bottle of carpet cleaning solution you picked up at the store.

I know, they said it would take the spot out, and it did (usually), but this is what they didn't tell you. These cleaning solutions, whether surfactants, soaps, solvents, or magic dry chemical powders, are a major accumulation of RESIDUE waiting to happen. Here is the scenario.

You notice a spot on the carpet, so you reach for the SOLV-IT Carpet Cleaner. They have told you on all the TV commercials that SOLV-IT will get the stain out quickly, short of a miracle. We like the sound of quickly, because we don't have enought extra time for anything, anymore it seems. So far we are told the truth, or should I say half-truth? The rest of the story is:

Soon the residue from the original stain, mixed with the residue of our cleaner, now begins to gel into a nice mixture of a gummy feeling residue. This is now what we call a DIRT MAGNET. This spot now starts to grow because it now is attracting and keeping new dirt, mixed with the original spot. The original spot re-appears, only now it is bigger than before. So let's grab the SOLV-IT and remove it again. In fact, let's apply SOLV-IT to the entire traffic lane because it is getting pretty soiled too. Now we have residue everywhere, and it keeps soiling rapidly.

Residues can also be caused by the last carpet cleaners you had who left too much residue behind from their cleaning. It doesn't matter whether it is dry or wet cleaned, residue is probably the most mis-understood facet of carpet cleaning, probably because it is mostly invisible. You don't see the start of residue, only the dirt that it attracts and holds. Sometimes the carpet cleaner sees heavily soiled carpet, so he/she assumes more chemical (soap) is needed to clean this heavy soiling. Usually the opposite is true. Less cleaning solution of a cleaning nature and more solution of a neutralizing nature is needed, to return the carpet to a soft, fluffy feeling fiber. Again, education (training) on the part of the technician is the key to a good job.

I know, equipment is important, but even high-tech can get a technician into trouble. I know many times a technician will get the new, shinny super-sucker machine, and just zip over the carpet, thinking the machine can do miracles at high speed. Granted the super-sucker might be better than the other older machine (or maybe not), but the cleaner has to recognize what process is taking place in cleaning either carpet or upholstery. It is always up to the technician to work within the limits of the machine and the surface he/she is cleaning.