CARPET CLEANING

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

I am having my bus carpets professionally cleaned and am wondering are there any tips or cautions from those of you that have already done so?

How does the bus do with all that moisture inside and what is the best way to get it dried out?

I am thinking lots of air conditioning and maybe some heat. Let me know what you think.


JIM

[phorner]

Jim,

If (and that's a BIG IF) they do a good job of vacuuming up the water, you should be fine with plenty of air conditioning.

If it's a dry day with real low humidity, you can try opening the windows and turning on the fans instead.

I have found that for the little amount of carpeting in the bus, and the confined spaces, that a Little Green Machine filled with hot water and carpet shampoo does a great job. It's a lot of hands-and-knees crawling but I have found that I like my results better than the "pros".

Good luck....

[merle&louise]

Jim,

I agree with Paul, I prefer to just rent a carpet cleaning machine from my local supermarket and use the hot water and soap to shampoo the carpets.

I go over them from N to S and then E to W. I like to run a pure water only cycle after using the soap just to rinse everything out of the carpet.

We do this twice a year.

[tdelorme]

Jim, somewhere in one of your bays you will find the original, Liberty made, heavy duty, snap in place, clear, space age Lexan type material, custom fit just for your coach, carpet protector that should have never been removed in the first place. Vanity only goes so far and your going to loose what you have with the image of you crawling around on the floor with the grocery store carpet cleaning hose dragging behind you.
Might think about buying your own machine. With this winters sleet and snow only hours away in your part of the world, that carpet cleaning is going to be a daily exercise.
Think about it, no place on earth can a guy get the help he really needs except right here with your buddies on POG.

[Gary & Peggy Stevens]

Jim, when I was up in Prevost having my monthly maintenance ( slide work ) done , I had a company called Colors Carpet Cleaning and Dyeing come out with their truck and clean my carpets. They did a fantastic job. Only $ 85.00 and he was there almost 2 hours.

Then I had another lady come out and measure and install the plastic shield over all carpet in the bus, till I can afford to have wood floors put in, which according to Santa Clause, ain't happening this year!

Gary S.

[sawdust_128]

I second the Little Green Machine. The trick with shapooing carpets is to use as little soap as possible. Use a soap that does not leavee and oil residual. And vacume to extract water from the cleaned carpet until your arms want to fall off.

Also, act like a Liberty owner who is polishing, lots of ventilation and circulation.

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

Thanks all for the feedback. The cleaning was already scheduled and will happen tomorrow. I am mostly concerned with the moisture.

Next time I will consider the little green machine and the do it yourself hand job.

I will not give in to the vinyl covers. Most of the dirt and soil of 12 years is in the corners and along the edges where the vinyl does not help.

The previous two owners were very clean and the carpet is in new condition.

P.S. The bus has white carpeting.


JIM

[Pete]

Jim, before I retired, I spent some 30 years in Hotel and commercial office building management. I would never allow soap to be used when cleaning carpet. Soap can not be totally removed after the cleaning, and becomes a "dirt magnet"....carpet cleaners will tell you they get it out, but they don't. If you don't believe me, have it cleaned afterward with no soap and see how much was left in your carpet. I would have it cleaned using hot water and an enzyme used by carpet cleaners and you will be good to go. If you have an area that is extra dirty, let them spot clean it with some soap, but other than that ....no soap.