I did a job the other day that had filtration lines all around the house and those came out fine with spot relief. The problem that I had was the ground in dirt that was around the couch area. I got the top fibers clean , but I couldn't for the life of me get the deep down dirt out of the carpet backing. I went over it a couple of times and still no luck. The carpet looked dingy. Any suggestions about how to handle this? Thanks
On heavily used, heavily worn areas of carpet it's not always remaining soil (if there is any) that keeps that area looking different from the less pounded areas nearby. Especially if it's synthetic as opposed to all-wool carpeting, the fibers get severely abraded (worn dull, like scratched plastic sunglasses) and also lose their ability to fully return to their original, standing-up-straight, condition. It's something like metal fatigue. If you keep bending a piece of metal, it will break in two. Keep crunching down with shoe leather on plastic carpet fibers, and they eventually lose their ability to return to their original position. Since they are now kind of leaning down or sideways, AND have had their original sheen badly scratched, they are no longer capable of reflecting light the way they used to, giving them that dingy look.
You could possibly try some hand pre-scrubbing in the damaged area, using your cleaning product at a higher concentration, or use your orbital or rotary stair tool in the affected area, to help loosen any original soil, before your final padding with terrycloth pads. Customers have to remember, though, that carpeting has a limited life, and at some time has to be replaced. The carpet cleaner can't be made to assume the blame for being unable to give everlasting life to heavily used carpeting.
before jumping to any scientific conclusions, and dismissing the fact this carpet cannot be cleaned, have you actually seen dirt/soiling down deep to the backing? you said ground in dirt.
if the top fibers came clean, the bottom should also have come clean, provided you've padded correctly, and gave it a real good pre-vac.
if the "sheen" or "finish" of the fibers are worn to death, and showing as grey and dingy, the tops of the fibers would be affected first!
if you key the hood of your car, what gets damaged first, the paint or the metal under it?
based on your description, sounds like a more thorough vacuuming is needed!
I pre vacuumed with my Dyson DC 07. I picked up a lot of junk out of the carpet. If there is a better vacuum than the dyson someone let me know about it! I also used spot relief with some sodium percarbonate mixed in. Mark,Thanks for the description of how the carpet fibres get worn out you are definitely a "plethora" of information. Thanks fellas
Jerry Holt
Squeeky Kleen
I have been OPing for about 5-6 months. I am always looking for good information to make me a better carpet cleaner and therefore providing better service to my custy's
