WICKING
Wicking is blamed for a variety of problems. Knowing what wicking is, what causes it and ways to prevent it are extremely important for a professional carpet cleaner.
As carpets dry after cleaning, the fibers dry from the tips. As the moisture evaporates from the tips, any foreign material in the pad, backing and fibers rises vertically along with the water until it reaches the surface. If this material dries on the tips, the result is the appearance of stains or dark areas that were not there before cleaning. These stains are commonly referred to as browning.
If spills and or residue from previous cleanings has been detected during the cleaning process, then browning may be prevented by treating the affected area with Brown Out®. Always use proper application techniques. If a problem occurs after cleaning, then Brown Out can be used to neutralize the browning. After removing the browning, thoroughly rinse the affected area and reapply the Brown Out according to instructions.
To minimize wicking problems, avoid over wetting the carpet during cleaning. The use of Preface® as a pre-spray will help avoid over wetting. Most spots and stains are removed during the regular cleaning process when good techniques, equipment and chemicals are employed.
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