When I was doing a job I noticed the pads were shredding little pieces on the gluedown carpet. The fp pads still looked like they had a little life left in them. When do you know when it's time to change the pads? Is the shredding normal?

Ralph

Run them till they're worn down to 1/4" or less (about as thick as a piece of thick corrugated cardboard). Get as much life out of them as you can, no need to waste 'em. They will look a little tattered and tired toward the end of their lifespan, that's normal because it's an aggressive scrubber. You may see a piece of fuzz from the pad every once a while too, not a problem. Sounds like you're right on target. Welcome to the Cimex/Releasit Club - yer gonna like it




Rick Gelinas
encapman

I like to wash my pads before I start a job, looks better in my opinion. The grey pads don't take to washing as well, they fall apart. had the same problem with grey burnisher pads. Why is it they don't hold up as well as any other ones?

Brian

Brain you wash them when they are brand new?

I use a rotary and beige pads for scrubbing.

after 3000 sq ft or there abouts I flip the pad and then toss it after another 3000 sq ft or there abouts.


Anyone know if I am tossing them away too soon?

Not when their new, between jobs. I usually run 1500-2000'per side, than wash them. white ones, blue ones, all wash great except any grey pad I've seen, sheds and starts to fall apart in the washer.
Problly don't help, but sure looks better when you get to a job, to put clean pads on the machine instead if starten off with sombody elses dirt.

Brian

I don't understand. Why flip the pads in the middle of a job? Pads are not like bonnets, and encap is not bonnet cleaning which relies on absorption of soil into the pad as part of the cleaning process. Encap relies on the agitation provided by the pad, so I don't think flipping the pad does anything but make us feel better.
About washing the pads between jobs. I make sure to hose them off right after each job. Brian's right. The customer likes to see you use clean equipment to clean his place. Also, the old customer likes to get an idea of how soiled his carpet was when he see what comes out of the pad.
As far as when to toss the pads. When they are no longer useful.

So you don't get that long hairy hard crap on the pads? Maybe the ones I'm cleaning are crappyer?.

Brian

My pads get full of dirt and crud and look awful after about 3000 sq ft on one side. I realized the theroy behind Encaps but I see lots of dirt and crud get trapped in my pads. I figure at $18 for five pads changing one out after 6000 sq ft is a small price to pay.

I also get about about two times the sq ft using Releasit as stated. I get from
600 to 1000 sq ft out of a gallon of RTU using the Beige pads and my Rotary.
This my be why I get more dirt trapped into my pads.