I called Rick and he gave me the Brush Off !

[FloorCareMD]

I got a new account servicing 21 super high traffic convenience stores.  (open 24 hrs)
I did the first few with the Orbot, pad, HWE extract the mud then follow again with the orbot with a microfiber.
Great results but very time consuming and was using a new pad every three thousand sq.feet because the carpet tiles are very coarse/rough. Pad actually wore so thin you could see through it and the pad fragments added another clean-up step.

Rick suggested the white brushes for my Cimex and Punch cleaner.
We serviced three stores last night with the new brushes and Punch with more than Excellent results.   

Thanks Rick

[FloorCareMD]

I did notice that the brushes work much better with spraying the solution onto carpet (lovin my homemade dual spray on my Cimex ) than the gravity feed.

[Act One Cleaning]

Dadgum Rick, always selling something that works...

That carpet looks amazing and is a real credit to your technique. Wow!

[FloorCareMD]

now, if I could find a way to remove old gum easily. Freeze spray and scraping kinda works but is not very good. Any suggestions?

[Lounge Lizards]

now, if I could find a way to remove old gum easily.  Freeze spray and scraping kinda works but is not very good.  Any suggestions?

Ask Rick, because Stephen reckons that Rick is the Father of all Gum:

"Dadgum Rick".

Okay, I know where the door is.



Nice job, I know what you mean about those pads disintegrating on the coarse carpet, I have a Pharmacy with the same stuff.

[CleaningConcierge]

Freeze spray and ***** Gel is the combo we use. Freeze spray first then apply ***** gel to any remaining bits.

[encapman]

Freeze spray and ***** Gel is the combo we use. Freeze spray first then apply ***** gel to any remaining bits.

That's how we've always done gum too. Freeze & chip off the gum, then add a dab of solvent gel and blot. Normally it'll take less than a minute per gum spot.


Glad to hear the brushes are working well for you! That's the best option on a rough textured carpet. Nice photos too. Keep up the good work.

[Lounge Lizards]

Don't you have problems with fibers coming out when you chip the gum off??

I also found that some freezes discolor the carpet.

Maybe it's simply operator error on my behalf.  

Cheers.

[FloorCareMD]

Works fine on gum that has been recently spit onto floor but I am talking about petrified old tar-like gum that is black, hard and probably on the carpet since the Clinton administration.
Anyone know any secrets Someone said WD-40 ???

[Act One Cleaning]

You might try using floor stripper or strong detergent with 2-butoxylethelene, stiff-brushed into the gum, or injected with steam. I use it on sidewalks and the 2-butoxyl dissolves the gum with heat and agitation.

What will it do to carpet? Well, it is likely to be a strong alkaline detergent, so be prudent. However, I've (once in a while) had to use it to get thick oily dirt out and so far, have not damged anything. Of course, a slightly acid after rinse helps neutralize the alkalinity.
Might be worthwhile to experiment.

[FloorCareMD]

anyone watch Powerflite's new video on their "Gum Reaper" machine. It is a propane powered steamer that blasts off gum from hard surfaces/concrete using something like sugar beet liquid I think. Wonder if it would work on carpets. A little pricey.

[Act One Cleaning]

I have used superheated steam to remove gum from carpet once before. Big mistake! It will absolutely remove the gum while changing plush to frizzy. Similarly, steam on microfiber upholstery will reset the fibers in whatever direction you wipe.

[Lounge Lizards]

Does anyone remember when the "Gum Bazooka" first came out, I think about 15 years ago??

Oh boy, wasn't some damage caused with that first one and their products.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXx3hfwqqyE&feature=player_detailpage

[CleaningConcierge]

Old gum...flip the steps. Score the hard, black crust...apply solvent gel...dwell while we clean carpets. Scrape whatever has dissolved then use freeze spray on remaining bits.

[NJP]

That gum has been on the market since the 1960's if not earlier lol I chewed it when I was a kid back then.