Welcome to KleenKuip.com's Professional Carpet Cleaners Discussion Forum!

  
Carpet Cleaning Forum Homepage
Forum Home Forum Home > Carpet Cleaners Discussion > Portable Carpet Steam Cleaning Machines
  New Posts New Posts RSS Feed - Simple Chemical Question
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Events   Register Register  Login Login


Commercial Floor Cleaning Machines

Simple Chemical Question

 Post Reply Post Reply Page  12>
Author
Message
luvsnow View Drop Down
Groupie
Groupie
Avatar

Joined: 05/October/2008
Location: PA
Status: Offline
Points: 49
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote luvsnow Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Simple Chemical Question
    Posted: 16/October/2008 at 9:16pm
So I've been practicing with the Rotovac and regular wands the past two days here at my house. Obviously when I run the Rotovac I burn through water quickly and have to refill the solution tank. My question is every time I fill up the solution tank with new water, do I have to add chemicals to the new water I'm putting in the tank? Or does the water that's left in the tank still have enough chemicals to add the chemicals to the new water?

I do prespray the carpet so I'm not really sure if I have to keep adding chemicals to the new water. I have been adding chemicals to the refilling water because our capret is BEYOND trashed. It's 22 years old, and dare I say it, hasn't been cleaned in nearly 10 years...
Back to Top
Sponsored Links


Back to Top
duckcountry View Drop Down
Master Carpet Cleaner
Master Carpet Cleaner
Avatar

Joined: 29/October/2005
Location: USA
Status: Offline
Points: 1082
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote duckcountry Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17/October/2008 at 4:49am
The chemical you should be putting into the fresh water is carpet rinse.  Prespray the cleaning chemical, rake it in, let set for 15 minutes, begin extracting with Rotovac.  You need to restore the ph of the carpet fibers or the carpet will re-soil quicker.  To attack the dirt the chemicals alter ph, a rinse chemical restores it.

The Rotovac can do wonders for restoring ignored and mistreated carpet to a clean state but unfortunately nothing you do will make the fibers new.  That dark path may not be dirt at all but it may be badly scratched fibers that can no longer reflect light correctly, making them appear dirty.

Rotovacs are also water hogs and that means higher chemical expenses.  Sold as a labor saver it takes longer to clean with one and so unless it is a really bad area of the house I would keep it in the van truthfully.  Use where needed, a wand does fine on most carpet under most conditions. Avoid Rotovacs on white carpet as you may put too much water into the carpet and end up with a serious wicking problem (which I found VLM methods can erase rather nicely).

I prefer a VLM method but everybody has their own opinion as to which is best.


Edited by duckcountry - 17/October/2008 at 4:53am
Are you in a high paying business or are you just a self employed low paid grunt who thinks this business provides dignity?
Back to Top
Ed Valentine View Drop Down
Carpet Cleaning Specialist
Carpet Cleaning Specialist


Joined: 14/September/2004
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 770
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Ed Valentine Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17/October/2008 at 8:45am
I highly suggest: KWIK-MIX Formulations.  That's your answer...and fast!
 
The very best;
Ed Valentine
www.cross-american.com
Back to Top
Ken_Is_OK View Drop Down
Carpet Cleaning Specialist
Carpet Cleaning Specialist


Joined: 13/February/2007
Location: Canada
Status: Offline
Points: 523
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Ken_Is_OK Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17/October/2008 at 9:12am
you never had your own carpet cleaned so that means you dont really value carpet cleaning. why did you get into the business in the first place?
Back to Top
luvsnow View Drop Down
Groupie
Groupie
Avatar

Joined: 05/October/2008
Location: PA
Status: Offline
Points: 49
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote luvsnow Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17/October/2008 at 9:23am
Ed, thanks for the suggestion. I will definitely look into KWIK-Mix formulations. Do you happen to have a link to any of these chemicals?

Duckcountry, your advice was really helpful. I did buy rinse, but then got confused as to where to use it. From now on I guess I just prespray the carpet with the actual chemical (and don't put it in the solution tank), rake it in and let it set, put rinse in the solution tank, and then extract the carpet. So I guess everytime I have to refill the tank with new water I should add more rinse, correct?

We have a gray carpet at my house and like I said, it's trashed. So it was the perfect candidate for the Rotovac. Even though I didn't do the whole chemical thing right with rinse, the Rotovac did restore the carpet a lot. Like you said, it sucks so much water that it eats up your chemicals. That's why I was thinking about only using it on trashed carpets and then using the regular wand on carpets that aren't as bad.
Back to Top
Ed Valentine View Drop Down
Carpet Cleaning Specialist
Carpet Cleaning Specialist


Joined: 14/September/2004
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 770
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Ed Valentine Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17/October/2008 at 12:54pm
Back to Top
John L View Drop Down
Carpet Cleaning Guru
Carpet Cleaning Guru


Joined: 29/November/2004
Location: I'm Right Here!
Status: Offline
Points: 4013
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote John L Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17/October/2008 at 3:36pm

lovsnow your prespray is the most important.. It has a higher pH and loosens up the grime and slime.. 7 pH is neutral .. Any pH above 7 is Alkaline (presprays/emulsifiers) and anything below are acid rinses..

Some use emulsifiers in the solution tank which are on the alkaline pH side and can leave somewhat of a sticky feeling.. Some do some dont.. it drys to a flake and can be vaced out..

Back to Top
luvsnow View Drop Down
Groupie
Groupie
Avatar

Joined: 05/October/2008
Location: PA
Status: Offline
Points: 49
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote luvsnow Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17/October/2008 at 3:46pm
Thanks for the link, Ed. I will check them out because I'm still looking to try out a bunch of different chemicals to see what I like best.

After reading what John L posted things are starting to make some sense. I just finished up doing all the carpets over again and you can notice a big difference. This time I didn't even bother to use the Rotovac since I got our trashed carpet the best your probably going to get it. The carpet doesn't look brand new (for 22 years old and not being cleaned in 10 years, I wouldn't expect it to anyway) but it looks MUCH better than it did.




Edited by luvsnow - 17/October/2008 at 3:47pm
Back to Top
luvsnow View Drop Down
Groupie
Groupie
Avatar

Joined: 05/October/2008
Location: PA
Status: Offline
Points: 49
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote luvsnow Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17/October/2008 at 9:31pm
Originally posted by Ken_Is_OK Ken_Is_OK wrote:

you never had your own carpet cleaned so that means you dont really value carpet cleaning. why did you get into the business in the first place?


I came back to read something and realized I missed this post. I don't know if you saw my thread in the Introduce yourself forum, but I'm 19. So the choice was never really mine as to when the carpets got cleaned. When I was younger the carpets were cleaned regularly by Stanley Steemer, but my mom swore they didn't use chemicals so she went with someone who did Bonnet Cleaning instead. She liked how the carpet came out and called the guy in twice a year. Then the guy who did it, had a stroke and sold off his business. She called the guy who bought the business and didn't like how he cleaned and for whatever reason, just stopped cleaning the carpet professionally.

Don't ask me, if it was my carpet that I paid for, I'd get it cleaned regularly. No sense in spending all that money on a carpet and not take care of it!
Back to Top
John L View Drop Down
Carpet Cleaning Guru
Carpet Cleaning Guru


Joined: 29/November/2004
Location: I'm Right Here!
Status: Offline
Points: 4013
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote John L Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18/October/2008 at 12:10am
I was 19 a gazillion yrs ago......... Lots%20O%20Coffee
Back to Top
duckcountry View Drop Down
Master Carpet Cleaner
Master Carpet Cleaner
Avatar

Joined: 29/October/2005
Location: USA
Status: Offline
Points: 1082
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote duckcountry Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18/October/2008 at 4:25am
Always happy to help when I can, luvsnow.

Another suggestion is to consider charging more if the carpet needs the extra scrubbing power of the rotovac.  Because of the points we agree on of time and chemical expenses involved in the use of the powerwand and the end results produced - the customer should be willing to pay for what he or she gets.

You are the pro.  That means you prescribe the correct treatment and if the patient will not follow the doctors orders the good doctor informs the patient he will not be able to continue treating the patient.  When writing an estimate, you must be willing to walk away and not look back.  You will find out if they value your judgment or if they are looking for the neighborhood boy who can follow instructions and do their dirty work.
Are you in a high paying business or are you just a self employed low paid grunt who thinks this business provides dignity?
Back to Top
RedStar204 View Drop Down
Newbie
Newbie
Avatar

Joined: 09/November/2008
Location: Winnipeg
Status: Offline
Points: 12
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RedStar204 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02/January/2009 at 5:54pm
Just wanted to say: Good Luck luvsnow! Listen to suggestions of these fine gentleman and you'll be fine. It helped me a lot to sort through bunch of stuff.
 
 


Edited by kkForumAdmin - 12/March/2009 at 12:26am
Back to Top
luvsnow View Drop Down
Groupie
Groupie
Avatar

Joined: 05/October/2008
Location: PA
Status: Offline
Points: 49
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote luvsnow Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06/January/2009 at 11:02pm
Thanks, RedStar.

It's been a tough start for me since I'm a new business and am not yet really known in the area. With the economy the way it is and snow on the ground now it certainly isn't helping matters. I bet once spring comes things will start looking up.

I seem to have an advantage over my competitors since I'm using a portable. My competitors keep trying to get commercial clients but can't because they only have a truck mount. The commercial places I spoke with had to turn my competitors away because their insurance polices prohibited the doors/windows being open after hours to get the hoses inside from the truck mount. There really isn't anybody except for Chem Dry and one other person who does VLM in my area. Everyone else just does hot water extraction with truck mounts.

I anticipated being slow since I was a new company and since winter was near. That's why I made sure I had enough money to pay for all the equipment in full and cover the expenses for insurance etc in case I didn't get customers right away. I'm glad I did, and I'm glad I still have my other business to fall back on. But my other business is only seasonal (during late fall/early winter) so that's why I was looking to get into carpet cleaning.

Being slow has been useful though. When I'm not filling orders for my other business I spend a lot of time reading up on various carpet cleaning forums and practicing at my house on various remnant carpets I bought. Just last night I was bored and wanted to fire up the machine so I practiced getting stains out of the one carpet. I learn a lot from people on here and the various boards. The guy I bought my Rotovac from lives 20 miles away and told me I could contact him if I ever had any questions so that's always helpful as well.

Edit: Can't forget all the investing advice I learn from here too. Although I can't say I always agree with it LOL


Edited by luvsnow - 06/January/2009 at 11:08pm
Back to Top
odd8all View Drop Down
Newbie
Newbie
Avatar

Joined: 11/March/2009
Status: Offline
Points: 5
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote odd8all Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11/March/2009 at 11:16pm
So buying a portable unit has its advantages. Im researching this business and have no idea what to do.
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply Page  12>

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down

Forum Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 12.06
Copyright ©2001-2023 Web Wiz Ltd.

This page was generated in 0.313 seconds.