June 8, 2010

The 4 Elements of Cleaning – Anything

The 4 Elements of Cleaning

Known as: The Four Fundamentals of Soil Suspension

There are 4 elements involved in cleaning, whether you’re cleaning your clothes, the dishes, the car or carpets.  These elements are necessary to lift the soil from the surface which you are trying to clean – suspending it – allowing it to be rinsed away or removed.

Understanding how this applies to carpet cleaning is an important piece of knowledge.  It is a part of each technician’s certification.  The description of these elements in the following excerpt is taken from the IICRC certified Carpet Cleaners Handbook, from ESTEAM.

4 Fundamentals of Soil Suspension:

They are: temperature, agitation, cleaning agents, and time.

If one of the fundamentals is decreased then one of the others must increase.

Temperature.

A recognized law of physics, Arrhenius’ Law, states: For every 18 degrees over 118 degrees (Fahrenheit) that the temperature of a cleaning solution is increased, the effectiveness of that solution will increase by a factor of 2.

Hot water is an extremely valuable tool in carpet cleaning and should not be viewed as harmful to the fiber or the carpet.

Agitation or Mechanical Action

May be accomplished with brush and elbow action, psi from the spray wand, or with the scrubbing action of a rotary or cylindrical machine.  The functions of agitation include the following:

1)    Aid in distribution of preconditioning agents

2)    Assist in soil suspension

3)    Lift matted and crushed face fibers.

Cleaning Agents

Cleaning agents or solutions are present in the pre-spray solutions and spot removers used during carpet cleaning.  They are chosen based on what type of soil is present in the carpet, and what the carpet is made of.

Time

Time is required for the cleaning agents to perform their function of releasing the soils from the fibers.  This contact time is referred to as dwell time, and is generally felt that 5 – 10 minutes dwell time is ideal.

If one of the fundamentals is decreased, one of the others must increase.  This is important to keep in mind when considering our next article, and the differences in cleaning methods.

June 7, 2010

Reoccuring Spots – Wicking Explained

I’ve visited  strata buildings and homes and spoken with frustrated managers or owners regarding unusually stubborn spots and stains.   The spots seem better or to even have disappeared when the carpet is freshly cleaned, then reappear a day or so later.  Here is some information regarding why that can happen, and what to do about it when it does.

The first step: don’t panic.

The second step: call ServiceMaster Residential (604-435-1135).  We’ll take care of it –  if it can be taken care of.

Here’s what we’re dealing with.

Spots may reappear on carpet for several reasons.  The most immediate reason involves a process called wicking.   Soil wicking can be caused by a heavy accumulation of residue at the base of the carpet yarns.  As the carpet dries, the soil hidden at the base of the fibers is drawn back upward toward the surface.  In this case the best way to combat the stain is:

  1. Extra vacuuming in the area before hand to remove as much of that soil as possible
  2. After steam cleaning, make extra drying passes over the stain with carpet cleaning wand, or through use of a post bonnet clean
  3. Use a weighted towel or other absorbent material to collect the residue as it wicks to the surface.

This can also be an issue if whatever soil was embedded in the carpet, soaked through the fibers and into the backing or underlay.  The surface may appear clean after the servicing, but that residual soil which can’t be attacked from above may wick its way back up afterward as the carpet dries.  Repeat attacking of the stain is necessary in this case.

Other approaches may be necessary as well.  Our technicians may need to identify what type of soil has become embedded in the carpet.  Then the appropriate spotting agents can be utilized.  It is advised not to use bleaches or strong chemicals on site if the soil hasn’t been identified – this can bleach the carpet fibers, or, if the wrong PH level product is used, further adhere the soil to the fibers, making it a permanent stain.

The other unfortunate issue may be uncorrectable: it isn’t really a stain.  In the past few months I’ve seen the following uncorrectable issues, some of which could have been avoided:

  • Tenant cut the carpet fibers to remove a wax spill.  The resulting divot in the carpet disrupts the reflection of light, making a small shadowy patch that appears to be a stain
  • Burned carpet fibers.  Did someone drop a cigarette inside?
  • Lighter spots.  Bleaching of carpet fibers.  A tenant used a ‘mystery cleaning agent’ in an attempt to remove the stain.  When the carpet was cleaned, the water reacted to the residue of the ‘mystery cleaning agent’, activating bleaching agents.  As the carpet dried, light scrubbing spots appeared.

So, in conclusion, if a stain on your carpet seems to disappear when your carpet is professionally cleaned, then reappears, call our office.  We can always identify the problem.   We are often able to combat the stain and correct the situation.