On Tue, 15 Nov 2005 00:28:33 GMT, in uk.d-i-y "david lang"
wrote:

Carpet Cleaning FAQ (Draft 1 for comment on uk.d-i-y)

[snip]

1.3 Bonded.

Several methods are used to bond either individual yarns or a web of
fibres onto a pre-woven backing. Best-known trade name is Flotex. Found
in domestic kitchens and commercial premises.

Flotex is completely waterproof, highly stain-resistant, incredibly
durable and easy to clean. Carpet tiles are made by a similar process
and for our purposes can be treated in the same way.

Can you give any details of the Flotex construction? What makes it so
good/different? Does it have downsides?

[snip]

4.1 Over-wetting.

Excessive water use can cause two problems when cleaning carpets.

How do you control the wetting? How can you tell if the machine you are
using is over-wetting, or indeed if it is correctly wetting the carpet?

[snip]

4.2 Excess heat.

The use of very hot water can cause or exacerbate shrinkage and dye
bleed. As a rule of thumb, if you can't put your hand in the water it's
too hot for cleaning your carpet.

Do the machines heat the water or do you have to fill it with the
correct temperature. Can you give an actual temperature to use? If the
former what about cooling?

[snip]

5.1 Spray Extraction Cleaning.

Sometimes called hot water extraction or steam cleaning, this is
probably the most popular method of carpet cleaning. It offers the
deepest cleaning and flushes out more dirt than other methods.

In addition, spray extraction machines are able to clean stairs and
upholstery.

A carpet spray extraction machine will have two tanks. One is filled
with a water and detergent solution, which is sprayed into the carpet
pile under pressure, shifting the dirt.

The liquid and dirt is then removed by a vacuum and returned to the
other, the recovery tank.

Can you give few more details of the operation? eg does the water jet
squirt straight down from a spraybar? Is the flow related to how fast
you move it forward? Is there any brushes, or scrubbing action? How is
the vacuum applied to the carpet? Is it a localised suction or is the
whole base under vacuum? A diagram of the layout would probably clear up
these sort of questions.

5.1.1 Spray Extraction Machines.

[snip]

The vacuum doesn't just remove surplus water; it is a vital component of
the cleaning process. The more vacuum power the better. The purpose of
the vacuum is to pull the water through the carpet pile, which of course
removes the dirt.

Again a diagram would help me to understand the water path through the
carpet. Are there adjusters to get the vacuum head close to the carpet -
assuming that is necessary?

Spray Extraction is an integral process.

Still not clear exactly what this process is.

If you were to spray first then
vacuum afterwards the results would be very poor.

[snip]

5.1.2 Spray Extraction Technique.

[snip]

For very dirty carpets a pre-spray, usually called Traffic Lane Cleaner
can be applied. Set up the machines as instructed.

Bear in mind readers of the FAQ are wanting to know about the cleaning
process BEFORE hiring/buying a machine, so these instructions are not
yet available to read. Can you outline the key points.

[snip]

If the carpet is extremely dirty, make a series of passes at right
angles to the first, but don't overlap them.

Why not?

5.4 Carbonated Water Cleaning.

Operated mainly as a franchise, the cleaning method is apparently to
inject fizzy water into the carpet and agitate with an absorbent cotton
pad, fitted to a floor-scrubbing machine. With 30 years in the trade, I
just can't see how this is supposed to work.

Does it work?

[snip]

To give an idea of the products available, Stain Devils offerings
include:

[snip]

I think this SD list should be summarised rather than copied in verbatim
from their site, unless you have Stain Devils permission.

Phil
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