(Q) Hey Jim,
I have a clothing store account that I clean on a regular basis. Next door there is a deli that had severe water damage, and the water that intruded into the clothing store contained blood and other liquids from the meat stored at the deli.
We used an enzyme cleaner to break down the blood, and the carpet cleaned well. However there is an odor still detectable in the carpet when the manager puts his nose down into the carpet. There also appears to be some odor coming through the wall.
What products do you have for treating the carpet, as well as something to control the infiltrated odor until the deli can be cleaned and put back into business?
(A)
The following are my recommendations for treatment of the odor problem that has occurred in the clothing store you are maintaining.
First, as I understand the problem, there was water intrusion from a deli located next door, and that the water contained blood and other organic materials that have created a decomposition odor.
Secondly, the drying and cleaning process that you outlined, including the use of enzyme cleaners to break down the protein in the affected area was completely appropriate.
The remaining odor that exists likely comes from two places:
- There may be residual organic material in the carpet that has become a growth media for bacteria. This bacteria is notoriously difficult to remove, but has been successfully treated in similar situations with Microban Clean Carpet Sanitizer. If you use the product through a truck mount machine, add 6 ounces of concentrate to 1 gallon of water, then meter through the machine at a flow meter setting of 3 GPH. Follow label directions for use in portable equipment.
- The more difficult challenge that likely exists here is infiltrated odor. This odor is likely coming from the neighboring store, as there is no vapor barrier in the wall between each building. Until any odor problems in the adjoining store are rectified, there will be some odor that could be detected in the clothing store.
An economical solution to this problem would be to place a few small Bad Odor Blocks near the area where the water originally came through the wall.
I recommend that you use the "Rain Forest" scent to best combat this odor of bacterial growth that is coming through the wall.
A better result, if your budget allows, would come with using a Vaportek Restorator unit and a Vaportek Cartridge. The natural oils used by Vaportek are completely safe to the employees and customers in the store, and the fragrance is not offensive. We have been successful in using the Vaportec product in the treatment of both smoke and decomposition odors in the past. This does not, of course, eliminate the need to clean the carpet with the Microban Clean Carpet Sanitizer.
If you need any further assistance, do not hesitate to call or email me.
Jim Pemberton
