Friday, August 22, 2008

Tolerance of Odors

For the past few years I've been experimenting with a variety of "detergent free cleaners", such as Masterblend Soap Free and Bridgepoint Prolon. In an effort to see how effectively such detergent free and odor free products would work, I limited my use of boosters other than oxidizing boosters that are likewise odorless.

Just a few weeks ago I went to clean some carpet as a favor for a neighbor, and grabbed some "standard traffic lane cleaner" that contained solvents and detergents and used that instead.

As soon as I began to spray the product, I found the odor so objectionable that I barely could complete the job! This was the same product I had used for several years before that had never bothered me. It then dawned on me:

I had "deadened" my perception of that odor in the same way that your customers become likewise "immune" to the odor of urine in their home!

I'm certain you've entered a customer's home and been "hit in the face" with an overpowering odor of urine that the customer is apparently oblivious to. But have you ever considered that you have customers who are "hit in the face" by the odor of some of your cleaning products that you no longer notice?

I am not suggesting that you toss out everything you own that might offend any single customer. I AM suggesting that you have friends or family members who are not involved in your business be present when you use some of your mainstay products and ask them to tell you honestly how the odor affects them.

If you find that you are using some products that seem to make your "test subjects" uncomfortable, consider looking at unscented cleaning products and some of the new deodorizers such as Hydrocide and Anti Allergen Deodorizer. These products are incredibly effective, and when you work, your sensitive customers will be more comfortable and reassured that what you are using is both safe and effective for use in their homes.

2 comments:

reed2rock said...

hey,Jim
I am new at this and I have some questions. I am really having a problem removing stains sush a koolaid. I have not found a product that seems to really work.What do you recomend and what steps would you take in applying?

Jim Pemberton said...

Red dye stains, such as from Koolaid (tm) or similar products, can be especially troublesome to remove from nylon and wool fibers. There are products that often remove such stains from nylon, and sometimes from wool.

Most of these products require the application of heat through a steam iron or clothing steamer.

The results are variable. Newer nylon carpet as a stain resistant applied at the mill. This treatment wears off over time, so older nylon carpets are less likely to release the stain than those just a few years old. Also, efforts by your customer to remove the stain sometimes make the stain more difficult to remove.

Bottom line: Never guarantee that such stains will come out, and always remind your customer that some of the carpet's own dyes might fade as a result of your stain removal efforts.

You can find products such as these at our catalog site:

www.pembertons.com

If you would like more information on red dye removal, you may also send me an email at:

jimpem2@comcast.net