Best way to clean carpet and upholstery?

[JICs Auto Detail]

I'm an up and coming auto detailer, but I do have one thing that bugs me. That is how no matter what I've tried so far I'm never satisfied with the results of grey or beige carpets. They always seem to have stains or discoloration even when i don't soak the carpet or seats. I use folex at full strength and CG lightning fast with a drill with brush attachment and some brushes for areas my drill won't reach. Does anyone have any recommendations for better results?

P.S I use the Mytee lite III 8070 for extraction

 

[Eldorado2k]

IME Folex does great at removing stains & spots and most of the time can be good enough to finish off with, but when I want to really get carpets & matts thoroughly clean I go with Megs APC@10:1.

The carpets in my daily driver are light olive green [which is similar to light beige] and don’t look quite right if they’re not completely cleaned. I don’t use an extractor, just plain scrub brush and terry towel to mop up [sometimes I’ll use my wet/dry vac prior to the towel] These are my typical results.

Before.

After.

...I’ve always been pleased with those results, but recently I decided to branch out and try other products to try and find out if they really do produce better results [since so many people like to talk crap about using APC for carpets & upholstery] and so far I’ve tried 2 citrus based products, 1 of them being a dedicated Carpet & upholstery cleaner.. The 1st one was horrible at cleaning my matts + left them all sticky. The dedicated citrus based carpet cleaner does Not clean my matts better than Megs APC and leaves them noticeably darker compared to the bright and clean results I get from D101.

People love to talk about all the so called negative effects of using an APC to clean carpets, but I’ve never experienced any of them. All I’ve experienced is better results than the so called “safer” automotive carpet cleaners. I believe my own experience. I have light carpets in my car and nothing works better.

 

[DogRescuer]

Looks good El, I'm not sure why some have a problem with using a APC after all it does mean ALL purpose

 

[fightnews]

IME Folex does great at removing stains & spots and most of the time can be good enough to finish off with, but when I want to really get carpets & matts thoroughly clean I go with Megs APC@10:1.

The carpets in my daily driver are light olive green [which is similar to light beige] and don’t look quite right if they’re not completely cleaned. I don’t use an extractor, just plain scrub brush and terry towel to mop up [sometimes I’ll use my wet/dry vac prior to the towel] These are my typical results.

Before.

After.

...I’ve always been pleased with those results, but recently I decided to branch out and try other products to try and find out if they really do produce better results [since so many people like to talk crap about using APC for carpets & upholstery] and so far I’ve tried 2 citrus based products, 1 of them being a dedicated Carpet & upholstery cleaner.. The 1st one was horrible at cleaning my matts + left them all sticky. The dedicated citrus based carpet cleaner does Not clean my matts better than Megs APC and leaves them noticeably darker compared to the bright and clean results I get from D101.

People love to talk about all the so called negative effects of using an APC to clean carpets, but I’ve never experienced any of them. All I’ve experienced is better results than the so called “safer” automotive carpet cleaners. I believe my own experience. I have light carpets in my car and nothing works better.

Nice, I been using mckees carpet cleaner. I only use shop towels to mop it up too. Sometimes I do find light water stains on the seats after even when I dry it up well.

 

[JICs Auto Detail]

Do you use the green APC pr the orange one I've been hearing about right here?
Thank you and nice results

 

[Eldorado2k]

Do you use the green APC pr the orange one I've been hearing about right here?
Thank you and nice results

Meguiars D101, the green 1.

 

[JICs Auto Detail]

Meguiars D101, the green 1.

Thanks EL I've used the Green APC but maybe I didn't dilute it right. I might have put more APC than water. I did a little less than half of APC in a 32oz bottle and then the rest water.

 

[Maxreed241]

Thanks EL I've used the Green APC but maybe I didn't dilute it right. I might have put more APC than water. I did a little less than half of APC in a 32oz bottle and then the rest water.

That’s an extremely high dilution ratio for Meg’s D101. I would use 10:1. Eldo turned me on to 10:1 and it works wonders. 10 parts water to 1 part D101, that is.

 

[Eldorado2k]

Thanks EL I've used the Green APC but maybe I didn't dilute it right. I might have put more APC than water. I did a little less than half of APC in a 32oz bottle and then the rest water.

10:1 is 3oz. into a 32oz. bottle and fill the rest with water.

 

[JICs Auto Detail]

That’s an extremely high dilution ratio for Meg’s D101. I would use 10:1. Eldo turned me on to 10:1 and it works wonders. 10 parts water to 1 part D101, that is.

The thing is I bought it from this detail supplier of whom I think cut it or just put his own chemicals in a Megs gallon. Maybe its knockoff, it wasn't that strong

 

[JICs Auto Detail]

10:1 is 3oz. into a 32oz. bottle and fill the rest with water.

Thank you. I'll buy a new gallon somewhere else and try your method

 

[Eldorado2k]

The thing is I bought it from this detail supplier of whom I think cut it or just put his own chemicals in a Megs gallon. Maybe its knockoff, it wasn't that strong

Meguiars products come with a foil seal under the cap. That’s how you know if it’s new or been tampered with.

 

[JICs Auto Detail]

Meguiars products come with a foil seal under the cap. That’s how you know if it’s new or been tampered with.

I don't remember if it had the foil cap. This supplier is a small one and had just that one gallon of meguiars and everything else was just unlabeled chemicals

 

[RichardSmithe]

I have the same problem with carpet cleaning. All the time after cleaning, either the stain does not come out, or the color deteriorates. I'll have to try Megs APC. Thanks, man.

 

[TTQ B4U]

I have the same problem with carpet cleaning. All the time after cleaning, either the stain does not come out, or the color deteriorates. I'll have to try Megs APC. Thanks, man.

I would not use APC on carpets. The pH even at 20:1....measure it because it's often too strong. Do yourself a favor and stick to proper products with matching rinse agents. Here's an example that works for me.

AG Sells an enzyme product from Tornador that does great at helping break down deeply embedded stuff. I used it recently to pre-treat spoiled choc. milk that exploded in a Grand Cherokee. Drove a light spraying of it deep into the carpet, let dwell 30 minutes, pre-treated with the above upholstery product, let dwell for 15 more, then extracted. Perfect.

 

[Eldorado2k]

I would not use APC on carpets. The pH even at 20:1....measure it because it's often too strong. Do yourself a favor and stick to proper products with matching rinse agents. Here's an example that works for me.

AG Sells an enzyme product from Tornador that does great at helping break down deeply embedded stuff. I used it recently to pre-treat spoiled choc. milk that exploded in a Grand Cherokee. Drove a light spraying of it deep into the carpet, let dwell 30 minutes, pre-treated with the above upholstery product, let dwell for 15 more, then extracted. Perfect.

What’s the PH of Megs D101 @10:1 & @20:1?

2yrs. since I posted in this thread and I continue to use Megs D101 with nothing but great results. Not once have I experienced the so called re soiling effect from failing to do a post rinse of the fabric/carpet.


I clean my own daily drivers carpets with Megs D101

Year round light colored carpet, never use rubber matts. Never experienced the so called re soiling effect and besides vacuuming, I only have to clean my carpets maybe 1-2 times per year in order to maintain them super clean.

Protected with Scotchgard over a year ago.

 

[TTQ B4U]

What’s the PH of Megs D101 @10:1 & @20:1?
2yrs. since I posted in this thread and I continue to use Megs D101 with nothing but great results. Not once have I experienced the so called re soiling effect from failing to do a post rinse of the fabric/carpet. I clean my own daily drivers carpets with Megs D101

Year round light colored carpet, never use rubber matts. Never experienced the so called re soiling effect and besides vacuuming, I only have to clean my carpets maybe 1-2 times per year in order to maintain them super clean. Protected with Scotchgard over a year ago.

I wrote down tests for a lot of the APC's but will have to dig them up. Most even at 20:1 were over 12 which is very alkaline for carpets. 9-10 is the highest most material manufacturers and commercial cleaners will recommend. Remember each number on the pH scale actually represents a 10 fold difference from the previous number.

The re-soiling isn't so much from the actual pH, it's from the remaining film from the surfactants most APC's use when attacking stains. The downsides to high pH and even extremely low pH (think peroxide based cleaners) is that they can leave fibers stiff vs soft and fluffy and will cause them to fade faster. They also attack the binding agents for colors. Most carpet materials are dyed with acid based dies, but I've seen BOTH bleach out the color from carpet. Most won't notice it until they move the trim or a seat. Happens frequently. I had a neighbor lighten the blue carpet on an area rug big-time doing it with APC and a power washer even.

Over the past few months I've taken several commercial carpet cleaning classes at the local distributor that sold me my extractor. I was VERY impressed. One of the things we walked away with was to bring samples of our own to clean and everyone had a slew of rugs from stores cars, vans, etc. The most revealing thing to me was to find that most all soils are acidic, averaging between 4 and 5 and that they will easier to remove when they are cleaned with a less not super higher pH alkaline cleaner.

When alkaline cleaners mix with with fats, oils, and grease, they form a soapy like liquid. In this class they actually kept the extracted water, tested the PH and showed us what settled-out in clear jars. Pretty revealing to see how much foam or soapy like residue was left and how it literally clung to the glass bottles. Think residue left on carpet fibers.

In the end, use an acid based rinse agent only in the extraction equipment and minimize the cleaners necessary to remove the soiling. Important too is NOT to wet beyond the carpet itself. These cleaners play havoc on backing materials and removing them from it is nearly impossible. Reading up on how people hate different carpets in various cars isn't likely due to the OEM Product as much as it is likely the fact that detailers are often dealing with the results of the previous carpet cleanings the vehicle has experienced. Especially vehicles that were not purchased NEW by the current owner. Think about used cars sold and how they are often cleaned. Ugh.

 

[Eldorado2k]

Very good and detailed reply.. As far as the re soiling, just to clarify, I wasn’t implying that it had to do with the PH levels left on the carpets. I agree with the way you explained it even though I tend to be a bit more stubborn than most in regards to the existence of any noticeable level of re soiling after the fact.

Also another thing I wanted to clarify that I failed to consider until after I posted was the fact that you use an extractor and I on the other hand don’t.. So my methods and choice of cleaners won’t generally be all that similar to your choices simply based on the fact that we’re almost playing 2 different sports. I’m no expert on extractors, but I do know that 1 basic rule is you don’t want to use a cleaner that creates alot of foam so Megs APC would be out of the question right off the bat, correct?

So my bad, I hope this clarifies and this thread doesn’t cause any confusion to anyone who reads it in the future. We’re talking about 2 totally different methods of attack.

Lastly, I’m curious to get your thoughts on how much automotive materials can/should be compared to non automotive materials and cleaners? For example, how certain are we that an “area rug” is made similar enough to the typical carpets found in a modern vehicle? These days certain materials in cars are made to last the test of time and beyond what typical plastics and rubber would in non automotive applications. [modern day vinyl dashboards and exterior plastic trim come to mind]

Are we certain the same dramatic improvements haven’t been applied to the other less mentioned materials such as the carpets found in modern vehicles? I think it’s safe to say that automotive glass is another area that’s constantly evolving and seeing new safety and invisible UV protection that would’ve never been available 30 years ago..

So if every area of a car has made such dramatic strides why not the carpets & upholstery? If they have then how comparable are they really to non automotive fabrics i.e. an “area rug”?

Just a thought.. Maybe a possibility? Or maybe I’m completely wrong which is the more likely conclusion?

 

[TTQ B4U]

Also another thing I wanted to clarify that I failed to consider until after I posted was the fact that you use an extractor and I on the other hand don’t.. So my methods and choice of cleaners won’t generally be all that similar to your choices simply based on the fact that we’re almost playing 2 different sports. I’m no expert on extractors, but I do know that 1 basic rule is you don’t want to use a cleaner that creates alot of foam so Megs APC would be out of the question right off the bat, correct?

foam is the enemy of extractor motors so when using one, it's 100% that one should use an anti-foam agent. not even as much based on the cleaner you or I would use, it's that we don't know what someone else may have used prior that when re-activated could cause a lot of foam to get sucked into the vacuum motor.

So my bad, I hope this clarifies and this thread doesn’t cause any confusion to anyone who reads it in the future. We’re talking about 2 totally different methods of attack.

No problem.

Lastly, I’m curious to get your thoughts on how much automotive materials can/should be compared to non automotive materials and cleaners? For example, how certain are we that an “area rug” is made similar enough to the typical carpets found in a modern vehicle? These days certain materials in cars are made to last the test of time and beyond what typical plastics and rubber would in non automotive applications. [modern day vinyl dashboards and exterior plastic trim come to mind]

The comparison is still valid IMO simply because every detailer SHOULD be looking at every vehicle differently. You are correct that the area rug may have wool in it whereas the car may be more nylon, but detailers do need to be "aware" and not try and find a one solution fits all. Each era or decade is slightly different but in the end the same basic principles will apply and are safe to leverage. Dyes are typically acid based and most common dirt found in a vehicle can be cleaned with an alkaline solution. In BOTH cases, extremes of them are harmful and products are paired up.

It's very similar to paint correction. The cleaner is the compound and the rinse agent the polish. Some use an extractor / Forced Rotation Flex polisher, others use $99 spotter which would be like an entry level Porter Cable. If those correlations makes sense.

Are we certain the same dramatic improvements haven’t been applied to the other less mentioned materials such as the carpets found in modern vehicles? I think it’s safe to say that automotive glass is another area that’s constantly evolving and seeing new safety and invisible UV protection that would’ve never been available 30 years ago..

absolutely improvements have been made. most of today's carpets are synthetics, nylon and polyester and today's glass is coated and far better than glass of decades ago. Same with paints. People often say Audi Paint is Hard, others in the same thread will say it's soft. What many don't realize is the hard paint has likely never been polished and the top 10 microns were original OEM paint where the hardeners settled to the top to serve as a protection whereas the guy saying his Audi was soft likely already had his car polished and those 10 microns of hardeners were removed. Self healing paints are like that too. My Infiniti and Nissan GTR's from 2009 and up have it and it's pretty scratch resistant and heals with a simple hair dryer (paint code is under passenger side of hood on a sticker) but when I sell it and the next guy incorrectly polishes / compounds it he may and will very likely remove that top layer and ruin the paints capability to resists scratches and no doubt it won't heal on it's own any longer.

So if every area of a car has made such dramatic strides why not the carpets & upholstery? If they have then how comparable are they really to non automotive fabrics i.e. an “area rug”?

Both have made strides. The area rug in our kitchen is now 3yrs old and looks Brand New. It's more synthetics than rugs of years past and outside expensive wool rugs which ours is not. That's how the conversation about my neighbors rug started as he saw me cleaning it a few weeks back and asked how ours is still so bright and vibrant vs his. He initially thought it was quality since his is from Bed Bath Beyond and ours is from Ethan Allen. I looked at both labels and explained that the materials were both man made and similar. He messed up because he used a harsh APC and I did not. He didn't "ruin" his but their rug does look faded and he now understands why. Just like with paint correction, start with the least aggressive method.

 

[Jacob Harrod AUTOCLEAN]

If you guys are going to use Meguiar's D101 for carpet cleaning I would highly recommend following up with the Meguiar's D106 Fiber Rinse and Tannin Stain Remover Diluted 20:1 and then extracting with your chosen method. This will minimize re soiling and also PH neutralize the APC.

It is an RTU product so you can also use it to pre treat stains!

Remember if you don't know what the stain is then simply PRE TREAT with the D106 full strength. It's very simple.

Meguiars D106 Fiber Rinse & Tannin Stain Remover

Watch this video:

Carpet and Upholstery Stain Removal with Jason Rose at Meguiar's - YouTube