The road to a better stain kit

by Jeff Cross Carpet and furniture cleaners need the best in tools and chemistry, and that statement is especially true when it comes to your stain kit. With the chemicals available today, you can be tremendously successful in removing what used to be the "unremovable" stain.Of course, knowing how to use those chemicals is important - what's nice is that most stain kits come with extensive "how-to" manuals.

Click here for the CleanPros listing of available online spot and stain removal guides. (Attention manufacturers: If you have an online guide and would like it placed here, e-mail jcross@cleanprosonline.com ). Also, most stain kits from manufacturers are complete within themselves, but cleaners often add one or two items to complete the kit for their own preferences. Some of the best kits include some of the following: · Flip-top bottles (for applying spot or stain solution) · Trigger sprayers (for larger spots or stains) · Ultraviolet light (for inspections and accelerating certain chemistry) · Tamping brush (for safe agitation of spotting solution agitation) and s crapers (bone or plastic, for agitation of fibers) · Iron or steamer for color stain removal · White cotton towels (application of cleaning solution and absorption of spots, and to protect fibers if applying high heat from your iron) · Duckbill napping shears (to remove small bits of paint, other contaminants, clip fibers for fiber ID test, remove loose fibers from seams, etc.) · Pipettes, eyedroppers (to better control application of spotting solution) · Measuring cups (control what you use, dilute accordingly) · pH test kit (great tool for spot identification and to determine safe chemistry for fibers) · Butane lighter and tweezers (for fiber ID test) · Fiber ID chart (to determine fiber type) These are just some of the tools that you need. More important is having the chemicals to react with the stain in the fiber.The following is a list of the types of cleaning solutions and chemistry to consider adding to your kit. Contact your cleaning solution distributor or manufacturer for specific products available. Today's manufacturers concentrate on building stain kits that have everything you might need.Dry solventsDry solvents contain no or very little water, and come in many forms. A volatile dry solvent evaporates completely on its own, while some non-volatile solvents, typically a "paint, oil and grease" remover (POG) may need rinsed with a volatile dry solvent to remove remaining residue.

Many POGs today are citrus-based, and can successfully be rinsed with hot water and detergent. Remember that dry solvents can cause delamination of the carpet (if applied heavily) and residue that can cause resoiling. Gel-type solvents are safer for the backing of the carpet.

Ingredients in many types of solvents can include a variety of alcohols and various petroleum products, too. Wet solventsThese can be alkaline (such as an ammonia), acid (such as acetic or citric), or neutral (typically the type of spotter used for minor spots and very safe to use).Other wet solvents to consider for your spot or stain kit include protein spotters, enzyme digesters (formulated to attack specific types of spotting material), and rust removers.Reducing agentsReducing agents are helpful in removing very difficult stains.Professionally formulated reducing agents remove oxygen from stains, and are best for synthetic type stains (Kool-Aid, many food dyes, dyes found in medicines, etc).These reducing agents typically contain the classes of chemistry such as sodium bisulfite, metabisulfite, among others.Acids and heat will act as a catalyst to a reducing agentOxidizing agentsOxidizing agents are also helpful in removing very difficult stains.

Oxidizing agents work best on organic type stains (mustard, coffee, tea, colas, condiments, etc). Hydrogen peroxide (a liquid), typically stronger than the 3 percent drug store variety, is used, although sodium percarbonate (a powder) works well.

Alkalines and heat will act as a catalyst to an oxidizing agent. Remember: These guidelines for chemistry are just that - guidelines. If one type of chemistry doesn't work for the stain you are trying to remove, move to another chemical. After collecting all you need for your perfect spot and stain kit, it's time to get to work. Click here for spot and stain removal procedures.

Parting thoughts...

Remember that the customer or facility owns the spot or stain... and you own the "hole" in the carpet - if you use too aggressive techniques and chemistry.

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