HydraMaster Boxxer 423s - Carpet Preparation for Extraction; Rinse and Recover Process

3-3: Cleaning Information Cleaning Information: 3-2
PREPARING THE CARPET FOR EXTRACTION
Pre-Vacuum the Carpet
Whether you instruct the customer to pre-vacuum or you offer it as part of your service,
proper vacuuming will make your job easier with superior end results. The more time
spent removing loose particulate soil, the easier it will be to remove the oily soil stuck to
the bers.
Pretreat the Carpet
This process of applying trafc lane type chemicals to the carpet (whether by sprayer or
rotary scrubber) is essential prior to extraction with your truckmount.
By applying cleaning agents to the carpet and letting them dwell 10-20 minutes prior to
rinsing, you allow the product to dissolve and emulsify the oily, sticky binders holding the
soil to the ber. This will allow more soil to be removed in one or two cleaning passes and
help prevent overwetting.
Remember the solution coming out of your cleaning tool is only in contact with the carpet
ber for a few seconds. Relying on the rinse detergent to do the majority of the cleaning
will result in overly long dry times and excess detergent residue left in the carpet.
HydraMaster recommends the use of our pre-sprays: Fastbreak™ for residential carpet
and Blitz™ for commercial carpet needs.
RINSE AND RECOVER
Whether you are using a wand or a rotary extraction tool, you should clean an area
approximately 3 ft. x 3 ft. with the solution valve open then immediately go over that area
with vacuum only to remove any excess moisture.
Olen ber is becoming more popular, particularly in commercial installations. The
process mentioned above can leave excessive residual moisture because olen
bers will not absorb any of the cleaning solution. You must only apply solution
during the backward stroke of the wand so it can be immediately captured by the
vacuum head. RX-20® users should follow each pass with a dry pass. Failure to
follow this procedure will cause solution to ow to the back of the carpet along
with some of the soil. This, along with any soil imbedded in the backing, will be
wicked to the surface of the bers as the carpet dries.
HydraMaster recommends the following rinse aids: Alkaline - Hydra-Dri Powder™ or
Hydra-CleanLiquid™. Acid - Clear Water Rinse™.
For more information about HydraMaster’s complete chemical product line, visit
this webpage: http://hydramaster.com/Products/Chemicals.aspx
OVERWETTING
Overwetting is an annoyance to all concerned. Extended drying times will leave the
customer with a negative impression of both the cleaning company and the process used.
There are several factors that will cause overwetting:
1. Too few vacuum strokes.
2. Clogged vacuum blower lter or Recovery Tank lid not sealing properly.
3. Recovery Tank drain valve left partially open.
4. Obstructed, cut or kinked vacuum hoses.
5. Obstructed vacuum hoses while cleaning a heavily foam-saturated carpet (it is
recommended to use a crystal type defoamer distributed evenly over the carpet).
STREAKING
Streaks in the carpet can appear in both clean or dirty areas and normally appear in
heavily soiled, light colored carpets.
Possible reasons of streaking may include:
1. Clogged or improperly angled spray nozzles.
2. Spray nozzles that overlap, concentrating the solution.
3. A partially clogged vacuum head.
4. Inconsistent solution temperature.