Professional carpet cleaning

rev229

Just need some advice. We had a flood, flexi hose tap connector burst upstairs flooding shower room main bedroom and half of the landing, about an inch of standing water which has then gone through to the lounge ceiling and carpet.
Carpet in bedroom written off by insurers without any problems. However the landing and stair carpet was stained, wet and very dirty as we had to move stuff and continue to live in the house until dehumidifiers and drying stuff was brought to the house nearly 24hrs later. And we had to wear shoes (no shoe on carpets normally). obviously every Tom, !!!!!! and Harry for insurance company has been to property and wandered up and down stairs in shoes. The lounge carpet was wet in patches so again stained etc. Insurance company reckoned these carpets would be fine after professional cleaning. However they have now been done twice and I have been left with odd patches (looks like wet carpet patches but completely dry). We have vacuumed in all directions to see whether or not it is the pile but the patches remain as do some of the stains on stairs and lounge. The carpet is pale green 13 years old, normal wear and tear but has been very well cared for ie no shoes, vaccumed and cleaned by my own Bissell cleaner and steam cleaned regularly. In fact I have had a cleaner carpet from these methods than what I have been left with by x2 professional cleaning! Also staining remains on parts of the carpet with hardly any wear and tear. I am currently not in a position to do the carpets myself as I have a broken wrist and in plaster! I would have thought professional cleaning would have given me reasonably clean carpet, or was I hoping for too much. I don't expect them to be looking like new, but clean would be a start! Thanks for help.

warwicktiger

I am an ex professional carpet cleaner, retired in April this year.

Firstly, I had to smile, "normal" wear and tear for a 13 year old carpet would mean that if all the soils are removed then there is no way it would look remotely new, but after two cleans it should be clean!

What kind of fibre is it made from? A good carpet cleaner should have done a survey first, leaving you a copy having identified the carpet type.
What kind of underlay, if any?
Do the patches fall into the walkway areas?

Would you be prepared to send me pictures so I could have a look?
(An alternative, contact the National Carpet Cleaning Association by phone or website to get a member to have a look. That is a trade Association with entry requirements)

rev229

I never expected it to look new, just clean! Its a polypropylene carpet with good underlay (rubber? cloud 9). The patches are not on the heavy traffic areas of the lounge but were there was some pooling of water. The stairs are have what look like wet patches in varies places and look dirtier than previous to flood. Landing had one area of staining that is just at the place the water stopped. The other side of the landing is ok but it had no water damage. The areas of the lounge where we have our feet (by the sofa) are where most wear is in the carpet and you can see the difference there, but I expected that to be the case. Although there was lots of water near one of those areas.

warwicktiger

OK, I suspected the patches would be where the water had pooled. Obviously very difficult to be sure without seeing but I suspect the water soaked into the backing which has now "delaminated". Polyprop carpets are usually glued onto several layers of backing which over time separate as the glue fails. The water may have accelerated the process.

Now the bad news, to be sure and to investigate further the carpet will have to be lifted, obviously this means clearing the furniture from the room and getting a carpet fitter to lift it. (Even if you can lift it I would not suggest that you try and re-fit it.)

If you are happy with the cleaning work done by one of the cleaners you have used then I would call them back, explain all the above. Alternatively call the insurance assessor back, possibly he was trying to reduce the claim by suggesting cleaning alone, possibly he did not appreciate the damage done. I make no judgement!

rev229

Thanks, the areas in the lounge are directly under the wettest part of the ceiling. The company who were sent from the insurance company to assess the damage and put in drying equipment are the same company who have cleaned the carpet. They have never lifted the carpet at any point in the lounge, landing or stairs. They have taken half of the bedroom carpet and underlay which was soaked. The furniture in the lounge has mostly been moved. I have another insurance bloke coming tomorrow who is also dealing with the contents claim. He is an Indepentant assessor, whatever that means. I am not after new carpet, just what I have returned to an acceptable standard. Not too sure why they have cleaned the carpet yet as the lounge has to be completely redecorated. I will see what bloke says tomorrow as he wanders through with his shoes on;)

warwicktiger

rev229 wrote: »

. I will see what bloke says tomorrow as he wanders through with his shoes on;)

?? !!!!!!??

http://designcare.co.uk/product/blue-plastic-overshoes-x-100-pairs/

I always used these when visiting a house to quote, and when working had different inside and out side shous!

rev229

warwicktiger wrote: »

?? !!!!!!??

http://designcare.co.uk/product/blue-plastic-overshoes-x-100-pairs/

I always used these when visiting a house to quote, and when working had different inside and out side shous!

I know when I work visiting families I always removed my shoes even without asking! its like these home shows that everyone walks through house with shoes on, real bug bear of mine!
Anyway the independent insurance bloke came. Very nice chap and agreed that the carpet in lounge, stairs and landing needed to be replaced as it was not as clean as he would have expected due to it getting very wet and dirty. He lifted the carpet in the lounge were there was the marks and could see that the are had been saturated. So excellent result in the end! Thanks for your help. No one will be wearing shoe on my new carpet.

warwicktiger

good result. glad to help

Towser

Who are the best Professional carpet cleaning company in the South East please?

Do they leave the carpet wet?

How much should it cost?

warwicktiger

I'd rather try and disprove Einsteins theories than try to give a true answer to those questions!

Try googling NCCA (National Carpet cleaning Association)