Sanitizing?
Printed From: Carpet Cleaning Forum
Category: Carpet Cleaners Discussion
Forum Name: Carpet Cleaners Hangout
Forum Description: General discussion on anything related to carpet cleaning
URL: https://www.kleenkuip.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=5102
Printed Date: 24/February/2025 at 5:47am
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Topic: Sanitizing?
Posted By: stevnlevine
Subject: Sanitizing?
Date Posted: 05/June/2008 at 6:23am
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A commercial client called last PM and wants a price on cleaning and "sanitizng" a W>W carpet that has had sewage on it.(It is presently dry) I normally use a pre-spray and an extraction detergent. Is there something else I need to use to kill the bacteria? Do I need to kill bacteria? Any suggestions? I have to go bid in a few hours this AM. so quick responses will be greatly appreciated.
BTW, I'm in upstate NY , not the UK.
Thanks, Steve Levine
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Replies:
Posted By: cmaster
Date Posted: 05/June/2008 at 8:40am
Forget it. You can't save a carpet that is sewage contaminated. They will hold you responsible if someone gets sick later on. Tear it out ------------- 
The STD Meter |
Posted By: Ken_Is_OK
Date Posted: 05/June/2008 at 9:12am
| use Mold Blaster |
Posted By: John L
Date Posted: 05/June/2008 at 12:44pm
| Concur what cmaster said.. |
Posted By: stevnlevine
Date Posted: 05/June/2008 at 1:05pm
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Tearing it out was my first thought too. The "carpet" is actually some old nasty W>W carpeting that's been laid on a concrete cellar floor without benefit of any padding, or wooden sub-flooring. The room is 15' X 40' and is 1/2 filled with file cabinets. So ripping it out would be tough. There wasn't actually a flood of sewage, just a drip of sorts from a backed up line. So only around 50 Sq Ft is actually contaminated.(Stained, it looked like it had been wet at one time). I couldn't see or smell anything offensive this A.M. when I inspected the place. And I have a pretty good nose for smelly carpet.
You guys are probably right. This might even be under the county health dept rules if they knew about it. The bldg houses a publishing venture, and has many offices, and public visitors. The cellar though is strictly dead storage of files.
The job entails 2 other floors upstairs of 600 Sq Ft each, so I don't want to blow the job.
I'm now thinking about using a microbial pre-spray and extract detergent. These products allege that they're for hospitals, and can be used on organic matter and sewage. Is this stuff "snake oil" or will it work? |
Posted By: stevnlevine
Date Posted: 05/June/2008 at 1:09pm
PS can anyone suggest how I can change my location from UK to NYS in the USA? I've never even been to the UK, and certainly haven't ever cleaned carpets there.
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Posted By: cmaster
Date Posted: 05/June/2008 at 4:09pm
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Cover your ass and tell them the contaminated carpet needs to be removed. You live in a country where frivolous lawsuits are a regular occurence.
You should be able to change your location in your profile  -------------
The STD Meter |
Posted By: John L
Date Posted: 05/June/2008 at 4:32pm
| Concur what cmaster said.. |
Posted By: FreshAire
Date Posted: 05/June/2008 at 9:10pm
What sort of sewage was it? Just "grey water" or the real McCoy with lumpy bits? If Grey water, a good anti-microbial will do the trick eg Milgo, but if the water had "floaters" in it, go Cmaster's way. Here in Australia (and yes I am in the right country ), it is actually against Health Department regulations to even attempt restoration, as it is for contamination with body fluids as well, in which case it is rip it out, treat the subfloor with anti-microbial, dry out with dehum if moisture reading is too high and preferably seal it before re-laying new carpet.Don't go the cheap option for the sake of getting the job, if anything goes wrong insurances won't cover you as you'll be deemed "at fault" and you will most likely end up losing a lot of $$$'s. |
Posted By: duckcountry
Date Posted: 07/June/2008 at 2:28am
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The bid should read "Pass", seriously. Surely there is more work in town. ------------- Are you in a high paying business or are you just a self employed low paid grunt who thinks this business provides dignity? |
Posted By: Ken_Is_OK
Date Posted: 09/June/2008 at 9:08am
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suck out the water, get the cash and run. that is what 95% of the toronto "carpet cleaners" would do. |
Posted By: duckcountry
Date Posted: 09/June/2008 at 2:20pm
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Then that 95% are either bold, stupid or bold about being stupid. Any job that has a high potential of follow-ups or potential lawsuits should be passed over to make room for higher profit jobs with chances of re-dos. Let those hungry enough fight over the scraps. Jobs like this sewage one keep you busy any cleaner busy enough for his competition to take the job worth having, the one with cleanings every month on a contract. ------------- Are you in a high paying business or are you just a self employed low paid grunt who thinks this business provides dignity? |
Posted By: Atlantis
Date Posted: 10/June/2008 at 10:53am
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Milgo and Microban. If that doesn't work NOTHING will. I would charge as much as I could get. $1/ sq. foot would be ideal. Of course if it's thousands of SQ Ft. then you'll want to charge a bit less but it's a BIG job. However MAKE SURE you tell the customer that after 72 hours the carpets get what is called "carpet sour" and the I I C R C states to tear it out. Explain that 80% of the cases you run into after the 72 hour period can be restored successfully but you cannot guarantee anything other than to do the best job humanly possible. |
Posted By: duckcountry
Date Posted: 10/June/2008 at 12:56pm
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Put everything you do in writing. Put everything you SAY in writing. Make sure the person you are doing the job for is an authorized spokesman for the company. They should have a stake in the company or if this is a corporation you need a copy of the minutes that says this person has the power to obligate the company. Everything needs to be signed and dated. Never use generalities, only specifics. They get a copy, you get the original. And if they won't sign it without making one or more changes to the verbage, that is one trap that you successfully avoided. ------------- Are you in a high paying business or are you just a self employed low paid grunt who thinks this business provides dignity? |
Posted By: John L
Date Posted: 10/June/2008 at 7:11pm
This one stinks man... >> I passed it up..
 Porty Blower..>>
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 |
Posted By: duckcountry
Date Posted: 11/June/2008 at 2:35am
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smart man!
------------- Are you in a high paying business or are you just a self employed low paid grunt who thinks this business provides dignity? |