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I cleaned a customer’s home on Saturday and in the middle of the floor was a big coffee stain. I used the standard cleaning method and the stain was gone when I left the home. The customer emailed me saying the coffee stain is back. What is the best way to apply the coffee remover and have the best results for this stain to leave?
thank you,
By standard cleaning method, do you mean our normal cleaning without having used our coffee remover on the spot? If so, you experienced a normal event with coffee. Coffee (and tea) stains toy with you. They appear easy to clean up, but are really just hiding.
If you did apply the coffee remover, did you apply it first or after the standard cleaning? It should be applied first for best results when the carpet is dry. I apply it, let sit 2 – 3 minutes, rub it in a bit with a brush, let sit 2 – 3 more minutes, then extract with my spot pro machine. Then flush and extract again. Then clean the room normally.
So far for me, I have failed to get rid of one coffee stain and two tea stains. However, I have had to return a few times for a second application of coffee remover. It is better to apply plenty of coffee remover the first time to avoid a return trip. I always tell the customer to call if some of the spot returns. Most of my return trips were earlier on and I think I was not applying enough coffee remover.
As you know, coffee remover isn’t free from HQ. So you need to charge extra for those spots. I charge $10 – $20 per spot up to the size of a dinner plate. I treat a few dribble spots close together as one big spot. The extra charge will cover the coffee remover and the extra time you take.
Good luck on your return trip!
Mike
The only time that I use coffee remover is when I have to, or the spot will not come out via the regular process. If the spot comes back, it means that it wicked back. I don’t know what kind of carpet you are dealing with but I am guessing that it is some type of olefin which will repel stains at all costs! I just go back, use alot less water and then make sure to use a blow dryer to dry completely before I leave to get an idea whether or not it will wick back again. Another thing that you may want to try is putting protectant on afterwards which helps stop wicking also.
hey mike and baden,
thanks for the feedback. when i said, “standard cleaning,” this was not including coffee remover. i only did 101 cleaning. originally, the customer did not tell me it was coffee so i went ahead on my way because the spot was gone when i left the home. i later found out through his email that it was coffee. why he didn’t tell me that when at the house, i have no idea.now i need to go back, apply the coffee remover, let sit for 2-3 minutes, scrub with a brush for better application and extract the solution. then i need to apply water to flush the area and then extract again. is that correct?
thanks for your support!
FYI
For those really nasty coffee/tea/red wine stains, which are all tanin issues, apply said coffee remover on nasty stain and use a trusty steam device of your preference and with a little heat, a little care and a little time it will pop those bad boys right out.
Jesse,
Yes, do as you said. I would let it set for a couple of more minutes after you brush. I think the manual says let dwell for 3 – 5 minutes. I use the brush part way through the dwell time to make sure all of the coffee (or tea) is touched by the coffee remover.Also, dirtbag is right – heat will make the process more effective. I haven’t needed to use heat much, but the really bad ones require it.
Due to the extra time and the solution used, I feel strongly about charging a little extra for this. You will sometimes face situations where it is difficult to decide about using the coffee remover. What if a customer has spots and spills all over the place and says that one or more spots are probably coffee? Do you treat everything as coffee just in case? Of course not, unless they want to spend a lot extra. That is when you need to ask them to try hard to remember which is the coffee. It is possible to be successful on coffee without the remover, however, the odds are against you. If you suspect a coffee or tea spill, you risk the need for a return trip if you don’t treat it. I usually ask if I see some spills that look like they may be coffee or tea. If the customer knows which spots/spills are coffee and declines the specialized treatment, then you needn’t feel bad if the spot returns.
Concerning wicking, if your coffee spots are returning due to wicking, then you should be seeing at least a few other type spots return also. If you are not having wicking problems with other spots and yet, your customers’ coffee/tea spots return, then I wouldn’t suspect it is a wicking problem. It is the tanins, as dirtbag observed, in the coffee and/or tea and requires the coffee remover treatment.
By the way, whether or not to charge extra for some spots (pet stains – absolutely, wax, gum, paint, coffee, tea, red dye, etc.) is an entire discussion. For those type spots that I charge extra for, I usually give them one free (except pet stains and dye) per $100 of standard cleaning. Other operators handle it differently. We’ve had some lengthy threads that discussed charges for certain spots. You might find it interesting reading to search through them.
Concerning your return trip for this particular coffee spot, I wouldn’t be as concerned about charging this time. The customer may feel you should have asked if anything was coffee. It all depends on how you read that particular customer. You may just want to chalk it up to experience and be glad you get a chance to use the coffee remover.
Good luck on your return trip!
Mike
All of the aforementioned suggestions are right on. There is also the little trick of spraying a returning spot with HB protectent. This product does a superb job of keeping stains from setting into the carpet but it also does an equally good job of keeping those little wicking problems from coming back to the surface. I’ve had to use this trick a time or two over the years.
I like to use the steam iron as the ‘Dirtiest of Bags’ has suggested. Remember though . . . no heat on wool carpets or rugs. You will not like the results. (The voice of experience!)
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