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Cleaning Solutions/Preference

I'd like to get some thoughts on different cleaning solutions.

I opted for the Naturell product when I purchased the system. I liked the idea of an organic product,but in my limited experience I find myself using the Encap spotter (Shipped in the spray bottle) for some stains.

I'm considering the Outsolve cleaner but would like any opinions from those who have used both.Basically,any preference and why.

Thanks
Bill

Re: Cleaning Solutions/Preference

Bill,
I have used both, but opted on going with Naturell. To me it is a better cleaner and being organic is just a plus. Outsolv is an ok product. I also use an Encap spotter (50% Dynachem Encap and 50% water). I also use Unbelievable.

Re: Cleaning Solutions/Preference

welp, i use a good slew of products. it seems i am always trying new stuff looking for the "silver bullet". the solutions i use perform pretty comparably. but there are definitely "Weaker" products out there. i usually only try stuff that alot of ppl are already raving about. here are the products i use on residential and i like, in no particular order:

- Vacaway or CCS Whamm (Encap product that also has good deodorizing properties).

- Releasit Punch (same as above and i also add 40 drops per gallon of pure TeaTree oil for urine odor problems).

- CCS Abstraction (UR Out for Urine problems ; VLM mixed with TLC 50/50 @ 2 oz each per gallon of water. these products REQUIRE at least 10 minutes dwell time).

- Liquid Procyon (cleaning solution with excellent water softening properties. requires at LEAST 10 minutes dwell time).

- Dynachem Liquid Brightener (recently tried this. it is a Hydrogen Peroxide based product, so it is not to be used on darker colored carpets! [ie: Red's, Blue's, etc...] i've used it on trashed rentals with light / off white - tan colored carpet. works AWESOME!! i add 2-6 oz per gallon to Dynachem Encapsulate).

- Dynachem Encapsulate (besides using it as stated above, i have NOT used this on a normal OP job but really look forward to trying it! this stuff rocks for Encap'ing, as does Releasit EncapClean).



BOOSTERS (these are products i add to BOOST the cleaning power of my cleaning solution):

- Non-Sudsing Ammonia (have only used it for Encap'ing commercial so i guess i shouldn't have mentioned it here lol).

- VacAway or CCS Z-Bomb (i add 2 oz or so per gallon of RTU products like Liquid Procyon or Releasit EncapClean).


Mark Stanley (aka VLMCentral) from the VLM forum has encouraged me to mix and try different cleaning solutions....yeah he's nuts lol

never tried Naturell yet...i'll order another un-exploding sample someday

thanx --- Derek

Re: Cleaning Solutions/Preference

Derek,

Would you use Z-Bomb to boost Releasit products? If not do you find Releasit needs a booster?

Re: Cleaning Solutions/Preference

John, i have used Z to boost EncapClean ONCE...that was Sunday night. i think that cleaning i got the best results yet out of that carpet. i also boosted it with ammonia.

i like boosting things to get the BEST i can out of my time. if a carpet is only lightly soiled, then i wouldn't waste my $$ on boosters.

thanx --- Derek

Re: Cleaning Solutions/Preference

So far I've used only about 4 products,

Hydroxi Carpet Cleaning Crystal: Encap product which works well, but mixes at 10+ oz per gallon so makes it more expensive than alternatives. I used this prior to getting the Challenger or knowing about the releaseit encap products. I used it with an oreck orbiter. Worked pretty well though. Since then I've been using my last 2 gallons for some upholstery jobs, and mixed 1-2 as a spotter.

Outsolv: Seemed to yield amazing results on a couple of homes, and seemed not to do much on a couple of other difficult situations. Mixed at double strength it still got the job done.

Naturell: Worked very well most of the time, but again on a couple of homes it seemed to have trouble. Mixing at higher strengths with this one didn't seem to change anything. My theory was that as this is an enzyme based cleaner the enzyme either worked or it didn't.

I had one trashed glue down where I divided the living room in half (I have a previous post about this) and used the last of my outsolv on half and naturell on the other half. The visual result while I was there was that the outsolv half looked a bit better. However both had dark spots return and I was called back 3 weeks later for returning spots. Both sides of the room had done this, and at that point neither looked better than the other. I re-cleaned the room with the above Hydroxi encap product with the challenger and this seemed to work great.

Orbit-Natural: I've used about a gallon of this so far, and it works pretty well. Not any better than Outsolv or Naturell, but not worse either. The product labelling notes it is "readily biodegradeable" which is a regulated term, meaning that any residue has a half life of 4 weeks or less. Anything that says it's biodegradeble without "readily" in front of it is not regulated, and could mean anything. Simple green in fact says biodegradeable, but it's half life is 2 years I've been told. Orbit natural costs a bit less than the others, I think I was charged $107 for 4 gallons by the time you include shipping, whereas naturell is $29/gallon with shipping.

I've ordered a case of encap-punch, but it hasn't arrived yet. I plan to use it on commercial situations, and to occasionally recommend it to some residential customers.

I think it's a good idea to at least keep an encap product around as a spotter. For instance spray it on your pet stains, coffee stains while you are cleaning to lessen the chances of the stains coming back.

I haven't tried any boosters yet. I was under the impression that adding a booster could upset the chemical balance... causing havoc, but Z-bomb appears to be different. I'll have to get some. Ammonia though Derek... lol... you are much braver than I to try that one!

Re: Cleaning Solutions/Preference

I like the vacaway products, especially Whamm or tsunami, boosted with z-bomb, mixed 3 ounces per gallon. They seem to clean as good as anything I have tried. Jim England

Re: Cleaning Solutions/Preference

Grant, thanx for the info. i have a sample of HydroxiPro's Carpet Cleaning Crystal sitting right in front of me and i haven't tried it yet.

i've only added Ammonia to Encap products that don't need to be extracted. is there a concern in using it i am not thinking of Grant?

now using H.P. is something i AM careful of. it makes me nervous with it's bleaching action but i only have used it on light colored trashed rentals thus far. i'll use it on light colored commercial in the future. is the HydroxiPro safe for all colors?? any concerns using it??

thanx --- D.

Re: Cleaning Solutions/Preference

I've HP on several brown carpets, on my own turkish rug, and even on my mom's wool oriental rug (on those I pre-sprayed a tiny area and made sure they didn't run first) with no problems. The only warning on the hydroxi product I'm aware of is that it can discolor darker colors of paint, so beware of dark painted baseboards when using.

Regarding ammonia, I just know it's a very strong chemical, with a distinctive/strong odor, and that I don't know what other chemicals it reacts with. I know that if combined with bleach it produces a vapor that can cause death if too much is breathed in, but I have no idea what else it might react with. Apparently every year several of these incidents happen, usually at home in the laundry room.

Be sure to update me on whether you prefer it to other encap products after you use it. I really like your usage of tea tree oil. That's a great way to attack odor. Do you add the 40 drops to a 2 gallon sprayer or is that per gallon?

Re: Cleaning Solutions/Preference

yea i've heard of the mustard gas issue mixing it with bleach and i never do...don't use bleach for anything other than washing my cotton pads.

i use the ammonia only in my Cimex (i should have specified that!) solution tank. i only have used it with Releasit EncapClean, Dynachem Encapsulate and Vacaway ENC.

those are the Encap products i use the most on commercial glue down (CGD).

i'll make sure to be careful of the HydroxiPro near painted surfaces...thanx! --- Derek.

Re: Cleaning Solutions/Preference

Bill, I have noticed that outsolve is better at pulling out soil than other natural cleaners I have tried, but is not so great with stains, procyon works better for stains , but dosn't seem to pull soil out as well. so I have been using bolth , when one isn't working well, I'll use the other. But keep in mind that I have only cleaned about 10 carpets so far,I may not know what I am talking about :)