Rick tells us to vacuum thoroughly before encapsulating. I’m not sure exactly what that means in terms of how many times you should go over the same area of carpeting. Recently I spoke with a vacuum dealer who told me one of the big manufacturers ran tests using vacuums with beater bars. The tests resulted in this observation: Vacuuming from one end of the room to the other in a North South direction with overlapping passes then repeating the vacuuming in an East West direction will remove 90% of the vacuumable (is that a word?) soil. Any further passes will only remove less than 10% of the remaining dirt the vacuum could remove. I have to admit I was doing 3 or more passes. How many passes do you pros think is adequate?

Two on all commercial and residential or until there's nothing much in the plastic cup and HEPA filter; but 4 (N-S, E-W, S-N, W-E) on orientals in-plant.

Bill,

I completely agree with the information that you found...
"Vacuuming from one end of the room to the other in a North South direction with overlapping passes then repeating the vacuuming in an East West direction will remove 90% of the vacuumable soil."

I would add this suggestion too...
Vacuum at a moderately slow pace. Often times people vacuum too quickly. Avoid flying over the carpet. It's best to move the vacuum at a moderately slow pace in order to give it sufficient contact with the carpet. And make additional passes in heavier traffic areas.

One final observation:
I've heard from folks who know more about vacuum cleaners than I do that the horizontal beater bars on some vacuums can actually defeat the vacuums performance on a commercial glue down carpet. You'd assume that the beater bar would beat the debris out of the carpet better, but it's been reported that this causes the head of the vacuum to bounce on the flat commercial carpets which reduces suction. So you may want to consider a good commercial vacuum that doesn't utilize a horizontal beater bar design.




Rick Gelinas
encapman

we use either a vac that only has brushes or no brushes such as a back pack

When we did this with no other ajustments we seen a hug difference in our soil removal.

We also only vac on accounts that are willign to pay us for the extra effort.

Ditto what David said.

Rick is right on target. No beaterbars on commercial glue down, if you have a heavy vac like a Nobles, Advance or Clarke it will not bounce but it will drive the dirt deeper into the carpet if it has a beater bar on it. A beater bar is for carpet over pad. The purpose is to beat the carpet to get the soil airborne so that it is easier to pick up in the air stream. We have really increased our vacuuming since we mostly do encapping. We carry 4 and sometimes 5 vacs on each truck. We vac every job. The biggest problem I see with other cleaners and their vacs is that it is the most neglected tool in their arsnal. Change bags on each job (bought in quanity they only cost 75 cents) change belts frequently, keep the vac clean (inside and out)I used to own a vac store and 80% of the vacs comming in for repair only needed a good cleaning and a new belt.

If your vacuum is bounceing, you are probably going too fast. Slow down like Rick said. On commercial glue downs the bounceing is because you are pulling against the lay of the carpet. When possible that is exactly what you want to do. Simply because you are pull & separating the fiber that has been flatened out to get the particulate soil out from between the fibers. Even berbers in the home are the same way. If your vacuum starts to bounce, slow down. At the same time the bounce lets you know you are vacuuming in the right direction for maximun loose soil removal. Cut pile carpet should also be vacuumed against the lay also for the same reason.

Bob

Personally, I make a quick up and back with my vac.
I then use the cimex/encapsulation and do my thing.

I then post vac quickly.. listening to what I am bringing out..
the cimex works some stuff that is deeper down.. and yes, even though damp, it will vac out.

I also listen on the prevac.
you can tell if the area is not so dirty, sucking gobs out, etc.

look into the cup if you have one too.



Steve Dobson
ProFloor
Custom Cleaning Services