getting pads ‘clean’!!!

Ditto w/ Bryan. Except I use color fast bleach. The pads and towels last allot longer. I also reserve the used (off white-gray) pads still in good shape, for non-residential work.

I’m here Buddy!
Unfortunately, the machine I use is no longer in production (Maytag-Neptune TL). I use hot wash/cold rinse, reg. Tide and add bleach to every load, not only for whitening reasons but also for sanitation. I like my pads to stay as white as Bryans’ tennis shoes!

I use a laundromat (big front loaders) and have an old quick boost container filled 1/3rd with cheap Sam’s bulk laundry detergent and 2/3rd with Tide with Bleach (color safe). Help offset costs a little and still get good results. Always use hot water. Just be aware that no matter what you use, pads will eventually become dingy. I try to have 2 piles of pads in my van. 1 of newer/clean pads that get used mostly in cleaner homes, and 1 of dingier pads that get used mostly in dirtier homes. Like Gordon, I have the really old pile of pads in the garage that are reserved for the worst of the worst (see commercial). If you take a brand new pad into a extremely dirty business/home, there is a chance it will never look anything near brand new again. Soaking really dirty pads also helps. Remember dwell time is a factor just like carpet.

I spoke a few days ago with a guy who works with commercial laundries doing laundry for hospitals. The best detergent they have found is Tide, a little more expensive but works the best. I add a max of 1/3 cup of bleach to the wash in my Neptune front loader. Cleans up the pads and disinfects the machine at the same time.

I use a good ol’ Apple scent Gain and some bleach washed in warm water. I have a front load Kenmore washer that I’ve had for about year and half. Anyone else have their washers hooked into a surge protector? I would suggest it if you don’t already, I just sunk $500 back into this washer in circuit boards and other parts due to a power surge that fried these parts. The local appliance repairmen suggested this becuase of all the computer parts in the newer washers.

Another big factor in getting the pads clean is the age of the pad. As the pads wear out they become more difficult to keep looking clean white instead of a dirty dingy white.

A set of 24 pads will clean about $40,000.00 worth of business. After that it is time to be replacing pads. Our new equipment package includes more pads which will let you do almost $80,000.00 before your pads need replacing.

We find that when an operator orders in one case of pads they tend to use the new pads more often. One case of 6 pads will only clean about $10,000.00 before needing replaced. We encourage all of our operators to replace your old pads with new ones on a regular basis. An old pad does not look good nor does it clean as well. Your time becomes very valuabe and using old pads take more time to clean a carpet. The time you save by using newer pads will quickly justify the cost of a new set of pads.