VLM questions?

[Swani21]

I just received my new 175 along with a variety of bonnets and pads. I have been experimenting with doing some VLM on my own carpets but I don't feel I am getting the results that I want. I'm using Rocket
Revive IT from bonnet pro on some what I believe to be poly carpet. I'm using a pump up sprayer to apply the product then scrubbing with a red pad and then bonnet with a blue microfiber. So I'm wondering what adjustments I could make. I do have a gravity tank for my 175 and some other encap formulas from Vacaway sample pack. I also have pro 10k, Tile master, grout master, and preload 5 in my collection. Any advice or changes would be greatly appreciated. Also I think it should be mandatory that anyone using a 175 for the 1st time should have to video tape their experience. Mine was a pretty interesting experience that was very entertaining to my wife.

 

[Sleepybear]

Hey. You may already know this, but a big part is to remember to keep it LOW MOISTURE. If you have the gravity tank, use it. When you have your machine running and you are applying encap you want to BARELY see foam. Basically you want to the see the carpet look slightly white (this is the chemical just slightly foaming). If you are slinging foam, you're applying too much chemical and it will not do a good job. Keeping this in mind, 1) start with a good slow and thorough vacuuming. 2) Using your 175 make a ''wet pass" when your applying chemical (you can do this with your pump up, but the tank will be easier). 3) Make "dry pass" going over the same area without applying chemical. You may need to slightly feather a little chemical into your pad so it doesn't dry out, but you're not trying to apply more chemical to the carpet. It is more aggressive the dryer it is. The dry pass is your money maker. That's where you will see the carpet looking better and spots coming out. 4) If you want to use your bonnets, use them as this point to pick up loosened soil. Regularly flip and change your bonnet so that you keep picking up soil. After you are done and the carpet has dried, 4) vacuum it again and it will look even better.

 

[Sleepybear]

And 175s or any rotaries are always fun the first few times. I've taught a ton of people to use them and the whole crew always gather to watch someone when they go to learn to use the first time. If your struggling, put a bonnet on it and run it on a tile or concrete floor. It's a lot easier to learn to use on a hard surface than carpet.

 

[Ken Raddon]

You might just need a more absorbent bonnet.

 

[1ST CHOICE CLEANING]

Watching someone use a 175 for the first time is alway entertaining, I kind of feel cheated if they get the hang of it quickly. Once they get the understanding that pulling up slightly makes it go right and down left it is a lot easier than trying to muscle it around.

As far as encapping goes I'm not much help, I have only done a few encap jobs and feel that the amound of sand we have here requires HWE.

 

[Swani21]

You might just need a more absorbent bonnet.

Any suggestions?

 

[Swani21]

Hey. You may already know this, but a big part is to remember to keep it LOW MOISTURE. If you have the gravity tank, use it. When you have your machine running and you are applying encap you want to BARELY see foam. Basically you want to the see the carpet look slightly white (this is the chemical just slightly foaming). If you are slinging foam, you're applying too much chemical and it will not do a good job. Keeping this in mind, 1) start with a good slow and thorough vacuuming. 2) Using your 175 make a ''wet pass" when your applying chemical (you can do this with your pump up, but the tank will be easier). 3) Make "dry pass" going over the same area without applying chemical. You may need to slightly feather a little chemical into your pad so it doesn't dry out, but you're not trying to apply more chemical to the carpet. It is more aggressive the dryer it is. The dry pass is your money maker. That's where you will see the carpet looking better and spots coming out. 4) If you want to use your bonnets, use them as this point to pick up loosened soil. Regularly flip and change your bonnet so that you keep picking up soil. After you are done and the carpet has dried, 4) vacuum it again and it will look even better.

Is it possible to over dry the carpet when bonneting and do damage to the carpet?

 

[Mike Krall]

Just my $00.02 but the way an encap product is suppose to work is by applying it and letting it do its job which usually takes a whole hour. I get that some carpets are really, really soiled, but I feel like using a bonnet defeats the purpose. If the carpet is that bad you need to HWE it. Encap is a great tool, but not necessarily a miracle worker.

The key to encapping is vacuuming to remove as much soil as possible first and agitation of the product to the carpet. So depending on what your carpet looks like initially you may need a more aggressive pad.

 

[joesclean]

I am not convinced that VLM works well on residential. You must have a porty or TM since you bought those other chemicals. If so try that next and see if there is a difference......

P.S. Dont get sucked into buying all these products right away from here. Once you find out what really works those will just be sitting on the side. Hell I even bought a truckmount on all the raves from here........

 

[Sleepybear]

Is it possible to over dry the carpet when bonneting and do damage to the carpet?

Yes. You don't want to dry the carpet with your bonnet. It the bonnet is really fighting you on a 175, its too dry.

Also I agree with @joesclean . I'm not convinced about using it on Residential. I mainly do commercial. On Residential I usually am thinking I want to flush everything out because people and kids tend to live on that carpet - lay, crawl, walk around barefoot etc. So ethically I'm not a fan of encapping residential unless someone just wants to spruce up a relatively otherwise clean carpet.

If a carpet is trashed, hwe is more of what you need. Sometimes encapping may pop it back, but usually not as well. Encapping is a GREAT maintenance tool. If you get commercial accounts that you can get clean and up to par you can maintain them sometimes indefinitely with only doing encap.

 

[Ken Raddon]

As for suggestions for more absorbent bonnets just do a search. Check out these

https://bonnetpro.com/supima-residential-carpet-bonnets/

or these

https://bonnetpro.com/woolpys-safe-carpet-bonnets/

or these...

http://www.proschoicesupply.com/Pro-Sorb-Bonnet_p_87.html <--- the most absorbent bonnet I've ever used and just about bullet proof.

I'm sure there are cheaper ones but there are not better ones than those listed above.

BTW Encapping carpet should be limited to commercial like already stated above. However if you really want to low moisture clean residential use a bonnet cleaning formula. I have done it all and the bonnet cleaning formulas have always out cleaned the encapping formulas in any resi setting I tried them in/on. It works quite the same otherwise... Spray down the bonnet cleaner and run the bonnet and skip the encap formula in residential cleaning.

 

[Ray Thomas]

super easy. steps in order:
1. prevac like a mutha
2. apply chemical
3. scrub brush on 175 immediately.
4. wait 15-20 minutes.
5. use cotton bonnet to absorb as much as possible. 1 side per room.
6. post vac just before leaving.

 

[Swani21]

Is it best to handwash bonnets or just throw them into the washing machine?

 

[keep it clean]

Is it best to handwash bonnets or just throw them into the washing machine?

Front loader wash machine. No softeners. Can hang dry. I use dryer with cotton bonnets but others i hang dry. See bonnet pro site for laundering instruction. Micros come with label i think. Idk i might have cut them off. i got ocd sorry lol. But if i remember micro wash cold. Cotton wash hot. Micro dry low temp its why i hang those as not sure. Cotton i dry low heat.


Sent from my iPhone using TMF Forums

 

[Common janitor]

Front loader wash machine. No softeners. Can hang dry. I use dryer with cotton bonnets but others i hang dry. See bonnet pro site for laundering instruction. Micros come with label i think. Idk i might have cut them off. i got ocd sorry lol. But if i remember micro wash cold. Cotton wash hot. Micro dry low temp its why i hang those as not sure. Cotton i dry low heat.


Sent from my iPhone using TMF Forums

So if I wash the Supima bonnets I need to use hot water , gentle cycle in the top loader ?? Or use a washer that's top loader , no agitator ?? No front loader I can use .
All the Best, Ed

 

[keep it clean]

So if I wash the Supima bonnets I need to use hot water , gentle cycle in the top loader ?? Or use a washer that's top loader , no agitator ?? No front loader I can use .
All the Best, Ed

He says use front loader. I use regular old machine for pro blends. But i use gentle cycle. I get some shedding. Heres his care instructions for supima

Sent from my iPhone using TMF Forums

 

[keep it clean]

So if I wash the Supima bonnets I need to use hot water , gentle cycle in the top loader ?? Or use a washer that's top loader , no agitator ?? No front loader I can use .
All the Best, Ed

I dont use any special detergent btw. I just ALL free & clear. Extra rinse cycle wouldnt hurt.


Sent from my iPhone using TMF Forums

 

[rccva]

Hey. You may already know this, but a big part is to remember to keep it LOW MOISTURE. If you have the gravity tank, use it. When you have your machine running and you are applying encap you want to BARELY see foam. Basically you want to the see the carpet look slightly white (this is the chemical just slightly foaming). If you are slinging foam, you're applying too much chemical and it will not do a good job. Keeping this in mind, 1) start with a good slow and thorough vacuuming. 2) Using your 175 make a ''wet pass" when your applying chemical (you can do this with your pump up, but the tank will be easier). 3) Make "dry pass" going over the same area without applying chemical. You may need to slightly feather a little chemical into your pad so it doesn't dry out, but you're not trying to apply more chemical to the carpet. It is more aggressive the dryer it is. The dry pass is your money maker. That's where you will see the carpet looking better and spots coming out. 4) If you want to use your bonnets, use them as this point to pick up loosened soil. Regularly flip and change your bonnet so that you keep picking up soil. After you are done and the carpet has dried, 4) vacuum it again and it will look even better.

In my short lived experience.... It is virtually impossible to not sling foam while in the gravity feed mode using a fiber pad.

 

[Mike Krall]

Front loader wash machine. No softeners. Can hang dry. I use dryer with cotton bonnets but others i hang dry. See bonnet pro site for laundering instruction. Micros come with label i think. Idk i might have cut them off. i got ocd sorry lol. But if i remember micro wash cold. Cotton wash hot. Micro dry low temp its why i hang those as not sure. Cotton i dry low heat.


Sent from my iPhone using TMF Forums

This is my point of confusion, I've read countless times that hot water is best for microfiber rags and I'm assuming that translates to bonnets as well. Something about it makes the fibers pucker up and release dirt.

 

[keep it clean]

This is my point of confusion, I've read countless times that hot water is best for microfiber rags and I'm assuming that translates to bonnets as well. Something about it makes the fibers pucker up and release dirt.

I found one with tag still. This is from directmop striped gray micro fiber. It has pic of bucket says 60 degrees and dryer 60 degrees also. I dont think the heat will hurt the mf but i wonder about the foam center. I agree i throw all my rags cotton and mf into hot water. Its the foam thing inside of some bonnets. I think it will fall apart inside.

Now it doesnt say C or F behind tge 60 so... lol im still confused i just play it safe.


Sent from my iPhone using TMF Forums