Hi tus62,
I understand the chemistry of and ph of carpet and upholstery spot
removal. (It's not a stain until it won't remove, and virtually
everything can be removed.) I owned a Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning
company in Seattle, WA. for 7 years.
The bad news is: Spot removal is not as simple as: "use either THIS or
THAT, then apply a POWDER and wait for it to dry, then VACUUM."
The good news is: Spot removal is not difficult or hard to learn.
I have seen the products you are looking for however. They are sold by
different manufacturers in many carpet and upholstery wholesale
houses. Retail cleaning companies can buy them in quantity and have
their company name added for a nominal fee, thereby "branding" the
package that is sold to their customers. They are used as an UPSALE
product, something that cost the company about $1.00-$3.00, and is
resold for $29.95, increasing profit.
The ingredients in those packages are nothing more than the middle of
the road, meaning nothing strong that can hurt your carpet, chemicals
(one is high ph, the other is a degreaser) --designed to get out MOST
spots, but nothing that would require specialized knowledge. Carpet
cleaners are not going to sell something that puts them out of
business! Stores are not going to sell something that could damage
your carpet, they always refer you to a professional if it doesn't
remove.
I'd guess that you follow instructions very well, and got VERY lucky
in the use of these products.
Carpet technicians would NEVER use these products, and if you were
educated about the chemistry of cleaning, neither would you.
Everything necessary to clean and maintain a carpet, including spot
removal --is in the average household already, although no cleaning
technician would ever tell you while they are there.
You should never use any oil-based products on your carpet or
upholstery --like Resolve --the enemy of professional cleaners. Hot
Water (over 116 degrees) is the best cleaning agent on earth.
"Modern -one step" methods/products/offerings are no better than the
products you are asking about. The old, tried and true methods that
the professionals use are the only 100% effective and safe method to
remove spots completely, leaving no residue, every time.
To illustrate this, I'd like you to look at a web page:
Carpet Care and Stain Removal Guide
http://www.billscarpetfair.com/stain.htm
Note the household products listed, and the 3 different cleaning
methods. If you become versed in how to use these simple household
items, you will almost NEVER have to call a professional (except to
keep your warrant in effect), because this is how WE remove spots.
The only other things you can do to assure a clean carpet are these
three things:
1) Remove shoes in your home.
2) Vacuum daily, weekly at the least.
3) Use walk-off mats at every entrance.
And then read my answers to 2 other Carpet Cleaning questions I have
answered here:
http://answers.google.com/answers/main?cmd=threadview&id=206466
http://answers.google.com/answers/main?cmd=threadview&id=206584
They are about how to hire a good cleaner, but there is valuable
"industry insider" information there. What I'd like to do is for you
to read these pages, then come up with different questions --now that
you are educated. If you still want to know where to purchase the
items you asked about, I'll find them for you, in your city, but I am
hoping you'll ask specific questions about your carpet or problem....
~~Cynthia |
Clarification of Answer by
cynthia-ga
on
07 Jul 2003 17:10 PDT
PS: I'll be back at the computer at 8am PDT, hoping you have asked for
a clarification of my answer!!
Please wait to 'rate me' until our dialog is complete, and it's only
complete when _YOU_ say it is.
~Cynthia
|
Request for Answer Clarification by
tus62-ga
on
08 Jul 2003 14:07 PDT
I wasn't clear. I'm not just considering buying the product, I'm
considering buying the brand, including the rights to the formulation,
name, equipment, etc.
The product has truly been ignored for 10 years. I am trying to
figure out why I (as a consumer) don't see these types of products
anymore and whether they are distinguished from mass market products
today. If so, I may buy it, rebrand, repackage, and see if I can do
anything with it. I can make a case for the use of the cellulose
versus the normal blotting instructions you normally see. But I
wanted to talk to someone who knew the history.
I had seen your past responses and hoped that you would see this one.
You know the science. I could target the product at animal specialty
retailers, carpet retailers (still pretty localized), janitorial
supply houses (it looks to me that they get a lot of attention and go
toward the foaming aerosal for spots), catalog, etc. Each segment
could include unique packaging and branding.
The market is huge. The product works (it did for me, the carpet
institute notwithstanding). The market looks crowded, however. So it
really comes down to is there a marketable and real competitive
advantage. I don't know if I have given you enough information to
tell, but I thought that you would recognize the powder step and
likely know the chemicals that I, as yet, am not able to identify.
Thanks.
|
Clarification of Answer by
cynthia-ga
on
08 Jul 2003 14:27 PDT
Ok, thanks for the clarification. Let me work on it from that angle.
If I'm unable to get anything for you, I'll have my answer removed.
I'll call the local supply house here in Seattle and talk to my
contacts. One thing that would help is knowing the brand you remember
seeing, OR, anything about the packaging that would help me identify
which manufacturer made it. Size, colors, name of the product... I
imagine it was shrinkwrapped or in a box?
~~Cynthia
|
Clarification of Answer by
cynthia-ga
on
08 Jul 2003 14:47 PDT
The first company I thought of when I read your question was HOST. The
spot removal kit they currently sell doesn't have 2 liqueds, unless I
read it wrong. They DO HAVE THE POWDER, they call it "Sponges." If I
remember correctly, the powder is little lumpy stuff, (ground corn
husks) soaked in a solvent...
HostŪ/Racine Industries Inc.
MAIN: http://www.hostcarpetcleaning.com/
ABOUT US: http://www.hostcarpetcleaning.com/about.html (read the
history of their products here)
The HostŪ Spot Removal Kit:
http://www.hostcarpetcleaning.com/accident.html
Please give me some feedback on this.
On The Hunt,
~~Cynthia
|
Clarification of Answer by
cynthia-ga
on
08 Jul 2003 14:49 PDT
Gawd I hate typo's.
liqueds = liquids
There, I feel better.
|
Request for Answer Clarification by
tus62-ga
on
08 Jul 2003 19:20 PDT
The Host product sounds similar. I didn't see any reference to corn
husks. Where did you see that? Using the "sponge" in order to
prevent the staining agent to wick up is an interesting idea. I am
positive that the powder used in the product I am considering is
cellulose (actually two inductrial-type cellulose products mixed
together).
The brand name on the product I am considering is Stave. It comes in
truly ugly boxes with 60's era fonts. I am not kidding. It really
needs a rework and new energy.
If I can convince myself that this two step liquid/powder "technology"
is not completely outdated I may just take it on. I have wonder if
the cellulose could be suspended in aerosal form. It is very very
fine. That may be what I see on some of these supplier websites.
Thanks and I'm sorry for the early misdirection.
|
Clarification of Answer by
cynthia-ga
on
09 Jul 2003 15:34 PDT
This is going to take some time, don't give up on me. I have a phone
call in to my friend, he's been in the retail end of the business for
30 years, but he's busy all day today and I'm busy most of tomorrow. I
have a bit of info to report right now but it's a bit technical and I
need to compose it while I'm not at my job, it's toooo busy today.
Thanks for your patience...
|
Request for Answer Clarification by
tus62-ga
on
09 Jul 2003 18:30 PDT
No problem. Talk to you soon.
|
Clarification of Answer by
cynthia-ga
on
11 Jul 2003 16:23 PDT
No chance to get answers yet, just checking in because I won't be at
the computer till Monday. I will have an opportunity to talk to my
contacts Saturday though, so some information should be forthcoming
early next week.
~Cynthia
|
Request for Answer Clarification by
tus62-ga
on
17 Jul 2003 10:42 PDT
Anything new?
|
Clarification of Answer by
cynthia-ga
on
04 Aug 2003 18:18 PDT
Hi,
I am more than sorry for the long delay. I have developed a problem
with my eyes that required immediate medical attention about 3 weeks
ago, and after getting bandages removed I was told to stay off the
computer, and out of the sun. They won't be healed for another month
at least, and considering it's my eyes, I'm not going to press it. I
had an appointment today and am now allowed 30 minutes a day on the
computer, for the next month.
If you like, I can have my answer removed so you can get a more timely
answer. I know I can get the answer for you, indeed I have some of it
now, but I think you might be better off allowing someone else that is
also familiar with the industry to answer for you. If you are not in a
hurry, I would love to finish, but timely service is of utmost
importance and I have already taken far too long.
I'll check with you tomorrow, please let me know.
~~Cynthia
|
Request for Answer Clarification by
tus62-ga
on
05 Aug 2003 07:53 PDT
That's fine. I am not in a hurry. I have spoken to someone who sold
a carpet cleaning business. He seems to think the two step product is
too complicated in today's marketplace.
I hope your eyes get better.
|
Clarification of Answer by
cynthia-ga
on
05 Aug 2003 17:03 PDT
Indeed, part of what I have learned is that the 2-step process was
abandoned when products were added to cleaning solutions that when
combined, delay activating until combined with oxygen, or simply when
applied to the surface to be cleaned. An excellent excample of this is
the aerosol fabric cleaner, specifically the one made for upholstery,
called Blue Coral (I think), which is sold in Auto Supply stores. It's
an incredible one-step product that not only cleans well, but leaves
virtually no residue. In these types of products, bubbling or some
type of molecular activity is always present, combined with a slightly
elevated PH, loosen the spot and allow it to be removed at the moment
is neutralizes. (Spots are *usually* acidic.)
My eyes are improving. Thanks for your concern and patience. I won't
forget about you...
~~Cynthia
|
