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Fixing Their Spill Stain Pain

Written by: Rick Gelinas

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Time to read 5 min

So how do we identify their pain and fix it? This article will show you how to turn the number one complaint/problem with commercial glue down carpet into gold for your company.

So how do we identify their pain and fix it?

This article will show you how to turn the number one complaint/problem with commercial glue-down carpet into gold for your company.In this blog entry I will demonstrate a technique that's sure to make you a ton of money! How can I make such a bold statement? Because this tip will solve the most common problem related to commercial carpet. And when you can solve this problem, you will be highly valued to all your customers. I learned long ago that in sales we need to find what’s broken, find where their pain is coming from; and then demonstrate how we can fix it. With commercial carpet one of the most significant points of irritation for many commercial building owners is the problem of recurring spill stains.

Recurring Spills Are Incredibly Common With CGD “Commercial Glue Down” Carpet

Hot water extraction works amazingly well on residential carpet, so it just stands to reason that it should work great on commercial carpet too… right? Wrong. Residential carpet normally has fairly long fiber, and it’s normally installed over a pad. This combination provides excellent airflow. When you put your wand on the carpet a venturi effect occurs and the water swooshes up the wand as fast as it’s being squirted into the carpet. By comparison, CGD carpets generally have terrible airflow. The carpet normally has densely packed fiber, and it’s normally glued directly to the floor. When you open the solution valve the water blasts down to the backing of the carpet, essentially making a puddle on the floor. Then the vac shoe attempts to suck the water from the floor. Problem is, with the restricted airflow of a CGD carpet, it makes it hard to capture the water. And if the carpet is olefin, the problem of wicking becomes all that much worse!

A Common Problem With A Simple Cure

We know that wicking and recurring spills are common with CGD carpet, and the paragraph above outlines why it occurs. But how can we address this common problem? When I was a much younger man I continually asked that question. Again and again I would ask – How can I successfully correct the problems that I am seeing with CGD carpets? My suppliers and my IICRC instructors had plenty of suggestions, and I tried ‘em all. Sadly though I still wasn’t finding a solution that worked 100% of the time. What I wanted was a turnkey solution that just worked. After beating my head against the wall for about 20 years trying everything under the sun, I discovered that a good encapsulation detergent could fix the problem entirely.

Working With a Good Encapsulation Detergent Can Eliminate Recurring Spill Stains

Quality encapsulation detergents that are formulated with a good crystalizing polymer can correct wicking and recurring spill stains. And if the product contains a built-in fluoro-chemical wicking can be slowed even further. It’s actually a 3-prong approach: (1) Crystalizing polymer, (2) Fluoro-chemical, and (3) Low moisture. When I began to employ this technique I was able to end wicking and recurring spill stains for the first time in my commercial carpet cleaning business.

Here’s How To Turn Spills Into Gold

Once I figured out the solution to the problem, the next thing to do was to use this new remedy to sell accounts. Here’s what I discovered, and it works! As I would interview a new prospective client I would ask them if there was any particular problem that they were presently experiencing with their carpet cleaning. If they didn’t respond right away, or if they gave me a blank stare I would next ask… Do you have any spill stains that are giving you trouble? Invariably that would get a response. “Oh yeah, there’s a big one where you walk into the break room. They’ve cleaned it a couple of times now, but it’s still there.” Great! Tell you what I’d like to do. I’d like to clean one side of that spot for you, then you guys can walk on it for a few days to see if it comes back again. I’ll check back with you next week to see how it turns out. And if the side I cleaned doesn’t come back, can we talk seriously about handling your carpet cleaning? When they see that you’ve successfully fixed what no other cleaner has fixed, when you solve the problem that’s been driving them nuts – you’ve just landed a new customer. Trust me this works. It’s become my favorite way to sell new commercial accounts.

Marketing Tip!

Would you like  a bulletproof spill stain remedy? Simply follow the steps below. Clean half of the spot for your new prospect following these steps carefully. You’ll land just about every job you go after with this little trick.

Spill Stain Remedy - How To Eliminate a Recurring Spill Stain:

  1. First: Scrub the spot for at least 60 seconds with MINIMAL moisture (scrub for 2-3 minutes if the spot is a tough one). I will normally scrub a damp circle around the spot with the Cimex first, leaving the spill stain spot bone dry. Then I’ll run the machine over a section of dry carpet for a couple of seconds to dry out the pads. 
  2. Then without squeezing the solution valve, I’ll criss-cross back over the spot for a minute or more as outlined above. The only moisture that's being applied to the spill stain is what I'm picking up from the perimeter of the spill stain. So I'm scrubbing the spot with a minimal amount of moisture.
  3. Next: Spray a few good mists of concentrated Releasit Encap-Clean DS2 onto the area using a trigger sprayer. The concentrate is mixed 1:3 if you’re using Encap-Clean DS2.Final Step: Work the concentrated Releasit down into the fiber by running the machine back across the spot one last time, adding no additional solution.


I wish you success as you grow your commercial business. Releasit has what it takes to fix recurring spills and take care of wicking. CGD carpets become easier to maintain and they stay cleaner and brighter looking longer between cleanings. It’s a sensible approach to take care of your commercial clients. If I or my staff at Excellent-Supply.com can assist you in any way just give us a call.

Rick Gelinas
www.Excellent-Supply.com

Follow Up: A customer named Brent read this blog and sent this message... "I used this technique 3 weeks ago on a coffee spill in a bank corporate office. He just called back and said I did such a good job he wants me to take care of other spills in another bank of theirs. This is going to lead to something big." We love hearing when folks find ways to benefit their business with these tips. Keep up the good work Brent! 👍