Foam and Defoamers in Carpet CleaningAnother common problem is FOAM. Foam in the vacuum hose can increase drying time and greatly reduce cleaning effectiveness because it has, in effect, reduced the vacuum hose to 1/2 inch in diameter! Foam is usually caused by residues from carpet shampoo, spotters, and detergents in the carpet. These result in the rapid filling of the recovery tank and air movement restriction as the vacuum hose fills up with foam, which results in poor cleaning, wicking problems, streaking, resoiling, and poor drying time. What are shampoos? They are formulated to be not only highly foamy but also very foam stable. The main ingredient is sodium lauryl sulfate. Take a look at the label for your hair shampoo and you'll see sodium lauryl sulfate or one of its relatives listed as a primary ingredient. It's used in hair shampoos for foam, foam stability, and fair or mild cleaning (good cleaning would be too harsh and thorough for hair and scalp!). This should also tell you how well carpet shampoos clean. Most defoamers are very dilute mixtures of oils to kill the foam. AFC™. Anti-Foam Concentrate is a thick emulsion of highly effective silicone defoaming agents specifically designed to kill this type of foam. Induct the AFC into the vacuum hose to clear the hose of foam to get better air movement. Add AFC to the vacuum hose when cleaning a restaurant with TLS® 2000 since soap is being generated. In extreme cases, before extracting, apply Chemspec Crystal Defoamer or Pro's Choice Crystal Defoamer to the carpet to kill the foam at its source. Related Products: |
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