When should enzymes never be used in the pre-spray?

I'd like to know too. I started using Prozyme and love the stuff. I use it on almost every job now.

I've been told to just not use it if you don't have extra time to let it dwell.

I don't know Steve's answer, but I have my own reasons why some may choose not to use enzymes in presprays.

1) Most enzymes take longer to work than the typical dwell time of a prespray. So they are ineffective. There are newer enzymes that work faster and over come this problem.

2) Enzymes can be deactivated by high pH. So it can be a choice between the cleaning ability of pH and the performance of your enzymes. Agin, newer products have worked around this issue. It does not have to be a problem.

3) Enzymes in powdered form can be irritating to the throat and lungs. Some people get an allergic reaction. Liquid products with enzymes don't have this issue if they are applied properly - big droplet sized so they don't get inhaled.

Many enzyme products use friendly bacteria to produce the enzymes. The enzymes are present in the product itself but are there after the product is applied and they go to work quickly.

Scott Warrington

It should make it clean better on grease, oil, asphalt, tar, cooking oils and similar. As far as enzymes, the Citrus Solv diluted at 2 ounce per gallon would not effect them.

Scott Warrington

There are many kinds of enzymes. The most commonly used one in carpet cleaning is protease. Protease breaks down and digests Protein.*

Wool is protein. So Protease will "eat" wool.

Often it is a question of which is doing more damge - the enzymes or the urine (or whatever) that is left on the wool rug. So sometimes enzymes can still be useful even when they might do slight damage to the wool.


* Side points. The name for most enzymes end in ____ase. The first part of the name gives a clue as to what they normally digest. Examples
Protease = proteins
amylase = starches
lipase = lipids or animal fats


Enzymes are not living organisms but the chemicals some organisms use to digest there food outside the body. One comparison would be stomach acid. Stomach is not a living organism, but is created by a living organism to digest food. Bacteria produce various enzymes to digest their food. This happens outside the bacteria since it is too small to have a digestive system. The enzyme breaks down big moleucles to very small simple molecules.

Scott Warrington

Scott;

I would have to disagree with your response.

While wool is indeed a protein,
the protease we use in our Powder Prespray has no effect on the fiber itself.

Protease are very specific on the types of protein they break down.

Larry

large percentage of wool carpets here in nz no problems using chemspec enz all prespray as long as i rinse with textile rinse(acidic) to balance ph but wont use on fine rugs

ya I like prekleen or prozyme to with shot of citrus solv or heavy duty soil lifter for nylon but it works great on olefin too oil loves olefin citrus eats oil great way to clean.

then again I rinse usually with liquid 90 and have a spray bottle with a citrus based solution for greese gum or ink.

powdered presprays with enzymes are more economical then liquids period pre treating