What to do when your customer desperately calls you that he or she has spilled a bunch of laundry detergent on the carpet and not even their Super-Duper “Hoover® Power Scrub Carpet Washer” could begin to get it out because it’s so thick and foamy. In fact, all the foam nearly ruined their extractor! HELP!!
VIDEO on Removing foamy, thick, soapy residue from carpet is from a Spot & Stain Removal Training Seminar for Professional Carpet Cleaners by Bane-Clene’s Chemist at the Bane-Clene Indianapolis Training Center.
Just water extraction will not work well because this residue will be very thick, sticky and very foamy.
Foam is the enemy of extraction carpet cleaning. Foam in the vacuum hose can increase drying time and greatly reduce cleaning effectiveness because it has, in effect, reduced the vacuum hose to 1/2 inch in diameter! Additionally, excessive foam can cause damage to the vacuum pump and other equipment.
Foam is usually caused by residues from carpet shampoo, spotters and detergents in the carpet. These foamy residues result in the rapid filling of the recovery tank and air movement restriction as the vacuum hose fills up with foam, which results in poor cleaning, wicking problems, streaking, resoiling and poor drying time.
Such foamy, sticky detergent and soap spills on carpets and rugs would include, among other things:
- Laundry detergents.
- Cleaners.
- Detergents.
- Dishwash detergents.
- Hair shampoos.
- Rug shampoo.
- Spotters.
- Starch.
Follow the Steps to Remove Laundry Detergent and Other Soapy Residues and Spills from Carpets and Rugs:
- Blot thoroughly with alcohol to thin out the detergent and help dissolve it.
- Because laundry detergents are extremely foamy, sprinkle Crystal Defoamer on the spill area to kill any foam and make it possible to extract out the spilled laundry detergent from the carpet or rug.
- Thoroughly extract.
- If the spill of laundry detergent is extremely heavy, use the Water Claw® Sub-Surface Spot Lifter to more thoroughly flush out the laundry detergent.
- Get as dry as possible.
- To prevent wicking, heavily sprinkle Stain Blotter absorbent powder on area to absorb any material that wicks up.
- The customer can vacuum up the Stain Blotter the next day.
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