Need some damn defoamer
- Thread starter Meter Maid
- Start date
Condog
Member
Rubbing alcohol?
Vodka.
Cleanworks
Moderator
I've never tried it. I usually carry a volatile solvent spotter with me. A couple squirts in the vac hose cuts the foam. Harvard pogo is a good one but anything similar.
Steve Lawrence
Member
DO NOT put much flammable stuff (wd-40, alcohol, Solvents in general, etc.) in vac hose of a portable machine as the spark from the motor may start a fire. Ha ha.
Cleanworks
Moderator
Most volatile solvent carpet spotter's are not flammable. Rubbing alcohol is
Mikey P
Administrator
SamIam
Member
It works in a pinch
Hack Attack
Member
It's possible but not huge risk on average porty job (there's wd-40 in waste tank anytime I use my porty) my Dad "lit it up" using trichlorethalene but he was "way more has to be better" type mindset
Brian H
Member
I have used regular table salt as a defoamer in a pinch as well.
Rob Grady
Member
Fabric softener.
Living The Dream
Member
That never even occurred to me. I've used salt in my beer before to knock down the head, but never thought of it as a defoamer. Great tip!
Bob Savage
Member
Drive to your local hot tub dealer and buy a gallon of defoamer. There are plenty of them in Dayton.
SamIam
Member
So I put Tabasco in my chelada and it killed the foam.
The Great Oz
Member
Most acidic stuff will cut foam.
Just like spraying your car interior with Armor-All. You may create a sticky residue that attracts dirt and is almost impossible to remove. It's why the silicone protectant scammers of the world have mostly gone away; too many claims.
I'd recommend sucking handfuls of whatever you're using into the vac hose rather than casting or spraying on the carpet.
PS: I have seen carpet damaged by silicone sprays, only because it got dirty so fast (and couldn't be cleaned) that it was easy to point to who did it. In several cases the carpet had to be replaced.
Many defoamers (and fabric softeners) use cationic silicones, which can bond with the factory applied fluorocarbon protectant on the carpet.
Just like spraying your car interior with Armor-All. You may create a sticky residue that attracts dirt and is almost impossible to remove. It's why the silicone protectant scammers of the world have mostly gone away; too many claims.
I'd recommend sucking handfuls of whatever you're using into the vac hose rather than casting or spraying on the carpet.
PS: I have seen carpet damaged by silicone sprays, only because it got dirty so fast (and couldn't be cleaned) that it was easy to point to who did it. In several cases the carpet had to be replaced.
Jim Pemberton
MB Exclusive.
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- Jim Pemberton
If you are using a liquid defoamer (professional, fabric softener, etc), and you have a portable, soak a sponge in the defoamer and leave it in your recovery tank. It will continue to kill foam even after you dump the dirty water.
With a truck mount, spray the inside of your vacuum hose where it meets the wand, as far back as your sprayer will go.
That pretty much keeps you out of the resoiling issue being a problem, and you'll use a lot less product.
Too many people spray liquid defoamer right on the carpet, especially if they have a spot that keeps foaming, thinking it will help remove the residue.
All it does is remove the foam, and add ANOTHER residue on top of the one you're trying to get rid of, as said above by Bryan.
I don't have much evidence that the powdered defoamers are an issue on the carpet, but they are messy and time consuming to use.
I just spray the inside of the hose.
With a truck mount, spray the inside of your vacuum hose where it meets the wand, as far back as your sprayer will go.
That pretty much keeps you out of the resoiling issue being a problem, and you'll use a lot less product.
Too many people spray liquid defoamer right on the carpet, especially if they have a spot that keeps foaming, thinking it will help remove the residue.
All it does is remove the foam, and add ANOTHER residue on top of the one you're trying to get rid of, as said above by Bryan.
I don't have much evidence that the powdered defoamers are an issue on the carpet, but they are messy and time consuming to use.
I just spray the inside of the hose.
Condog
Member
I came to this because a client was moving his wine collection in a laundry hamper (construction), and the bottom broke out.
15 bottles of wine, wife and house cleaner applied who knows how much soap to kill stain and smell.
Nothing worked, so I get the call.
CFX kept filling with the soap foam.
Mike P. said this would happen, he nailed it.
I had a bar of soap, and salt in CFX and just had to keep stopping.
I wish I had known about the 15 gallon version of the CFX when I made the purchase.
I'll definitely keep a sponge on the trailer, and will have to try an acid too.
Condog
Member
Any advice for a portable with auto-pump out?
I was water-clawing carpet with 15 bottles of wine spilled into carpet.
Followed by wife then house cleaner working on stain and smell before they called me.
Keep applying defoamer or acidic juice when needed?
Cleanworks
Moderator
For severe foaming, do what Jim suggested with the sponge but also spray through your vac hose with a liquid defoamer. You may have to do it often with something as severe as that. I've done similar when a customer dropped a bottle of laundry detergent. Get some in your waste tank before you start and keep spraying through vac hose periodically. A spray works better than a squeeze bottle. Do not put the defoamer on the carpet.
Cleanworks
Moderator
This products works well. Pay attention to the instructions.
