Carpet shampooing

Chuckmotor · 01-13-02, 05:05

Is a normal carpet shampoo ok to use on carpet mats in the car, or is there some sort of stain repellant in the carpet which will be taken out if shampooed? I have used normal foaming carpet shampoo and the carpets look great (especially compared to Turtle Wax interior thing with Odor-X). So is normal carpet foam safe?

Ron Ketcham · 01-13-02, 05:21

Works fine and won't hurt a thing.

Just that is may not have the surfactant components necessary to remove the more ground in dirt that occurs in a vehicle.

Ketch

Chuckmotor · 01-13-02, 06:58

How about for fabric seats? Is something like Turtle Wax interior foam with Odor-X something to use on seats, or is a thorough vacuum the only thing possible. Would using a foaming product on fabric seats be bad because it would make everything wet?

Ron Ketcham · 01-13-02, 07:06

As long as you do not "soak" the seat fabric, overly wet it you are fine.

What most do is overwet the fabric, the soil soaks down into the foam and then "wicks" back up later.

That and using a really strong cleaner with a butyl cellosolve surfactant component breaks the boron out of the fabric.

The boron is the fire retardant that is applied to the fabric at the mill.

The seats fabric may feel damp, but should be dry to the touch in an hour or so if you do it correctly.

Most "detailers" over soak seats and they can't tell if they actually cleaned it or not.

Same with the carpets, then later, a few days pass and the "spots" return.

They never actually removed the soil, just chased it down into the foam or padding.

Ketch

Chuckmotor · 01-13-02, 07:34

How can I avoid pushing the dirt down in the carpets or seats? What do I have to do to really get it clean? Also, how do I know when the seats are not too wet but properly cleaned?

Ron Ketcham · 01-13-02, 07:48

Not trying to side step, but have never seen it possible to explain all that is required, make sure there is full understanding, what the brush should be etc on the net.

I could write it as good as anyone and there could still be issues.

Our PreExcellence Manual is now 5 years old, been through revision after revison based on the questions from the class, phone calls etc and still, we get questions.

I think you know what I mean, like how do I explain a "velour spotting brush" to you here and then how do you get one and are sure it is the correct one, not some other one a sales person assures you is the same?

Let me think and I will try later, but not now, just too many opportunities to be misunderstood.

Ketch