take the OP challenge!!!!!

Steamer

 

I agree that if you choose to HWE after an OP cleaning, you will get lots of soil that the OP left behind.  What I would prefer is to do the process in reverse and HWE then OP.

 

Reason for this is HWE on heavily soiled carpets just keeps pulling up soil from the backing and leaving it on top. It becomes a matter of dilution depending on how many strokes you make.

 

As General Lee teaches in his IICRC carpet cleaning course, Lee claims that the moisture or water left on the surface of a so called clean carpet is the same color and odor as the water in your soil tank.

 

Therefore; (Cotton OP) after HWE will further reduce this dilution scenario.  Some may say yes it will further reduce surface soil but pound more soil deeper and back into the carpet.

 

What ever your theory is I have proven many times that my theory makes the carpet look cleaner, brighter and dries faster than HWE only.

 

I guess we need to here from the real experts and turn this thread into a scientific discussion.

Edited by Carpetologist - 06/December/2007 at 10:33am

Michael

In theory Steamer is right, but then again only partly.

I have driven all over the US doing this test BOTH ways.

I will tell you that OFTEN carpets look better HWE'd than they do with OP..... no it doens't end there...

They look better until they DRY, then the OP will most often look better than HWE.
All that water makes the carpet refract light beautifully, however that moisture doesn't stay in the carpet, it dries and that luster is GONE.

Customers don't pay for immediate beauty, they want good looking carpets that stay clean longer.

ALL i.e. EVERYONE of my customers USED to use HWE companies to clean, once we have them, we DO NOT lose them as customer.

Now at first we only tested with HWE then OP, the HWE guys couldn't believe how dirty the carpets still were, and the idea that two methods are better than one is a big fat DUH!!!!!!!!!!!!! Of course it is.

HWE + OP does NOT = wickback, but often HWE = wickback, OP can eliminate wickbacks for you.

For YEARS I used OP + HWE both ways, either HWE first or OP first, you can see what I thought about the HWE when you notice I don't even carry an extractor anymore.

Thank you Ted, I do want people to know though, that I am NOT opposed to HWE at all, my point has ALWAYS been that there is more than one way to skin a cat and skin it well.

HWE + OP = no wickback.
Plain and simple.
The elimination of the excess moisture retards the wickback.
We also find that a final OPing of the carpet really wipes down heavily soiled yarns.
Example:
If you go to a do it yourself car wash and use 1000+psi, it comes clean but if you don't wipe it down with a shamy it looks streaky.
I believe trashed carpet fibers need a wiping down by an OP after a HWE cleaning.

I honestly believe the having good flushing and vac power makes a big difference with HWE. Not all HWE is the same.

I recently converted to a high flow high lift system and it has made a remarkable difference in results in the heavily soiled conditions.

I am using a 2" 5 jet wand with 02 jets and a glide and regularly work with 600 psi however on some carpets I do turn it down. Most would think that is a recipe for over wetting and subsequent wicking but in fact I am getting drier and CLEANER carpets.

The reason is the angle of the jets and the closeness to the cleaning surface. With the higher impact and its shearing action on the fibre it is not driving almost perpendicular to the pile like most wands do. The extra psi is not enough to damage the fibre surfaces either.

Because of the higher psi and volume there is an absolute necessity to pick the water up efficiently and that is why the 2.5 hoses are required as well.

Cmaster and I will both attest to the major difference we have in dry times and pick up with 2.5 hoses. But the business end of my Greenhorn wand has made a huge difference.

Having said that post bonneting certain carpets does bring out the best of both.

I also clean with low moisture methods like Steamer and say there is a place and a time for both.

    

Edited by pilediver - 10/December/2007 at 12:39pm

But man do I ever go through water - that part is a pain in the ass.