We normally set it and forget it at 8:1 and mix according to directions using a hydroforce inline sprayer. However, I'm wondering if an adjustable sprayer may be a good idea to change dilution depending on soil level of the carpet? Would this help? or is it better to keep it at 8:1 For example, I do Mrs Jones Carpet. Her carpet is very lightly soiled. As a matter of fact I wonder why she even called me. So I would set it to something like 16:1 for a light cleaning and use half as much product. Next job is the cafeteria at the hospital. My regular high ph stuff isn't cutting it, I change the dilution to 4:1 for extra chemical to attack the traffic stains. Would this work? Or am I looking at this in the wrong way?
I would steer clear of the adjustable and keep it 8:1 or 4:1. You could always get an extra 5 qt. container to mix specifically for the light stuff. I tend to spray far less on the lightly soiled carpets anyway. On the heavily soiled stuff I tend to go much slower while spraying and use more chemical. On the light stuff I go much faster and use far less chemical anyway. Occasionally I will mix up a weaker batch of TLC for a specific job, but use the same dilution most of the time. I almost always prespray no matter what, but on light soil I'm more like misting than spraying.
Maybe it's better to just clean it twice with the regular mix than to clean it once with a thick solution. I've not heard good things about the adjustables either.
Not saying the battery sprayer is better but that is one thing we do with it.... is mix the prespray after walking through and seeing what the soil load is. I imagine in this case less chems are used over a 12 month period by not always going at "full strength"
I suggest keeping the dilution rate at 8:1 or 4:1. Then simply apply more prespray where there are greater soil loads. This keeps the metering more accurate and allows for adjusting for heavier soil. If an entire job requires an additional level of prespray (or maybe less) you could mix the container with more or less than the normal amount of prespray/water in the jug and effect the dilution ofr the entire job that way.
