I did this job as a complete "test" to see what the limits of Cimex and ReleasIt were.

This carpet (speckled sculptured berber) was in really bad shape (2 cats and a pit bull) with 6" wide urine spots everywhere.

I just prevacuumed (very slow and thoroughly) and shampooed. Bam! The carpet looked nearly virgin.

The customer was in shock and said that he just wanted an "attempt" made at cleaning it before he replaced it. Now, he's going to keep it a while longer.

I'm so impressed with this that I find myself, once again, considering using the Cimex/ReleaseIt system for all or most of my residential accounts. I really like using ReleasIt at the recommended dilution rate (not half-strength) because my tests have shown better cleaning results at the recommended dilution rate. Now, if I can just figure out how to get the fibers to dry with a "soft hand" without messing up the crystalization, I think I will.

We'll see.....

wow interesting post, thanx Mark

--- Derek.

I would add a word of caution, you may have made the surface look great, however, a lot of the urine deposits will still be in the carpet to cause some problems down the road. Cleaning for appearance or cleaning for health to different things when urine comtaminated carpets are concerned.

Don,

You make an excellent point. And I must say, I was very skeptical that this system would work in this type urine contamination situation. But, it did work.

When I say, "work", I mean it visibly removed the urine stain from the surface as well as down to the base of the fiber (I checked this by spreading the pile and looking - no microscope, though). Now, I know for a fact almost all urine deposits will seep into the carpet backing and pad.

Try disengaging the carpet and looking at the backside. Most times, you will see a stain on the backside that is twice the diameter of the stain that was on the fuzzy side (urine has a lower surface tension than water and will spread out further than you might guess).

Ok. I'm not saying that encapping a urine deposit is preferable to rinsing it out. I understand that. But, do keep in mind that even HWE won't truly get all the urine out (unless you use a water claw, I guess?).

Reality is:

Truly "sanitizing" a urine soaked carpet would involve disengaging and then submersion cleaning it (piece by piece) in a rug pit and reinstalling it. I've heard that Elton John has his wall to wall carpet cleaned this way! LOL

Can a coke spill, a chocolate stain, grease drippings, a blood spot, etc. be encapsulated and then vacuumed out? Why is encapsulating one thing OK and another not OK? And when is too much of anything, too much to encapsulate?

It is my opinion that properly performed encapsulation cleaning with the Cimex and ReleasIt either really cleans down to the base of the fiber or it really doesn't.

Which do you think it does? I know which one I pick.

My experience is the system cleans from the tip of the tuft to the base.

What is below the base of the tuft - as far as I know- is not affected.

So... with a buncha dogs and cats that are still in the house, and you betcher bottom dollar they are gonna go back to where they were before and do it again, so a complete urine treatment is a waste of time under this circumstance.

Gary