Interview with James Bailey Smith 4-11-07

[Mikey P]

What would be your first choice in a single wand truck mount?

What type of van or truck would you use?

What other cleaning tools would you put in your personal vehicle if you were out cleaning 5 days a week?

 

[JamesBaileySmith]

Mike B

You're asking some critically important questions that deserve a better reply than I can give here quickly. I'll answer the briefer, "techy" questions tonight, but promise to follow up on yours later.

Pemberton will be all over me not to embarrass him by not replying, trust me

 

[harryhides]

Jim, assuming that you have sat in on some CCT classes and read some of the other CCT manuals. Can you tell us about any of the main differences between yours and some of the other manuals.
Or put another way are there some items about carpet cleaning that you feel are particularly important that are not being addressed in enough detail.

 

[Craig Lindquist]

Jim,
Can you elaborate more on the testing soils. I have often wondered about that. Of course soil varies by region. Also there are many factors I am not convinced were addressed, such as food spills, compacted soils, petroleum oils, organic oils (food grade).

From what I can see, it appears that a synthetic soil was uniformly applied to a carpet sample, then testing was conducted.

Maybe I need to clean more carpets, but in the one I have cleaned, I have not come across any with a synthetic soil.

I have also never found one that was uniformly soiled.

 

[Bob Foster]

How valuable to the average cleaner is the Wools of New Zealand certification?

In particular, the value in terms of contrasting everyday useful knowledge to other certification agencies such as the IICRC and SCRT.

 

[JamesBaileySmith]

As Harry stated, the carpets from 20+ years ago STILL wear like iron and clean well. Today's fibers, especially the PET polyesters, look bad within 6 months. WHY? You would think fiber quality would get better as technology improves, not worse. What do you feel is behind this frustrating phenomenon?

AND WHY DON'T WE SEE MORE SOLUTION-DYED NYLONS?

Take care,
Lisa

There are three things the mills have cut back on.
1. Yarns do not get the same heat set they did back in the 70s.
2. The amount of latex in the adhesive has gone down.
3. The dye systems are not of the same quality.

PET will likely fade away. Polyester has never held a crimp like nylon. There is a new form of a polymers of ester. I can not believe yaw are not talking about it. It is the 3GT fiber that DuPont is only selling to Mohawk. It will hold a crimp. Is has resiliency like nylon. It can be dyes in continuous dye systems, but with base dye. Base dye is alkaline dye, so this fiber may bleed with acids like with rust remover.

 

[JamesBaileySmith]

Single wand truck mounts are for wimps!

I'd have a Vortex, and RX20 with GreenGlides (Note: Harris can pry my glides from my cold, dead, fingers) Pathfinder fans, a Hydrosonic Wand, and Extech pH meter, and of course sprayers, vacuum cleaners, etc.[/list]

 

[Greenie]

Jim, could you explain how carpet protectors "take" or do not take to a fiber better at some pH levels?

And as a second question:

Does a carpet left in a slightly alkaline state resoil any more than a carpet left in a slightly acidic state?

 

[truckmount girl]

Off the top of your head (you need not get exact figures) what would you say the percentage of claims are paid for each category:

Residential:

1. Cleaning related
2. Installation related
3. Defective carpet
4. Premature wear/staining/damage

Same question for commercial.

Thanks and take care,
Lisa

 

[Mikey P]

What would be your first choice in a single wand truck mount?

What type of van or truck would you use?

What other cleaning tools would you put in your personal vehicle if you were out cleaning 5 days a week?


Single wand truck mounts are for wimps!

I'd have a Vortex, and RX20 with GreenGlides (Note: Harris can pry my glides from my cold, dead, fingers) Pathfinder fans, a Hydrosonic Wand, and Extech pH meter, and of course sprayers, vacuum cleaners, etc.

No rotary, OP, CRB or other "agitator"?

 

[JamesBaileySmith]

Hey Jim

do you see a connection between Srct IICRC cri mills and major franchises

Of course none of them talk to each other right. no collusion?


T

I get a very different picture of these guys at the IICRC meetings. They would appear to be harmony and constantly communicating with one another.

 

[JamesBaileySmith]

What would be your first choice in a single wand truck mount?

What type of van or truck would you use?

What other cleaning tools would you put in your personal vehicle if you were out cleaning 5 days a week?




Single wand truck mounts are for wimps!

I'd have a Vortex, and RX20 with GreenGlides (Note: Harris can pry my glides from my cold, dead, fingers) Pathfinder fans, a Hydrosonic Wand, and Extech pH meter, and of course sprayers, vacuum cleaners, etc.

[/quote]

 

[JamesBaileySmith]

Off the top of your head (you need not get exact figures) what would you say the percentage of claims are paid for each category:

Residential:

1. Cleaning related
2. Installation related
3. Defective carpet
4. Premature wear/staining/damage

Same question for commercial.

Thanks and take care,
Lisa

1. Cleaning related. LESS THAN 1%
2. Installation related. 40%
3. Defective carpet 30%
4. Premature wear/staining/damage 20%

 

[JamesBaileySmith]

would you apply protector to olefin?

I would because it is an oil loving fiber. Many well respected experts disagree with me.

 

[Greenie]

"There are three things the mills have cut back on.
1. Yarns do not get the same heat set they did back in the 70s.
2. The amount of latex in the adhesive has gone down.
3. The dye systems are not of the same quality. "

Why don't they NOT get the same heat set?

#2 and #3 are self explanatory...always cheaper...never better.

 

[JamesBaileySmith]

Craig

You can find soil without an oily component, spread evenly over carpet in a specific location in Dalton, GA

I also believe a few homes in Youngsville, PA might qualify, I'm not certain

 

[John Watson]

Hi Jim, Pucker up buddy,



Just kidding..

Helen said to say Hi also, She wishes she could hear you speak instead of looking at type. (she still likes your southern drawl (voice)) I keep tellen her I'm From the South (Southern Alaska) and she keeps sayen Wrong one!! Well OK then My South is bigger than your south!!!

I know you do alot with cameras, and are a lot more knoweledgable than I on this subject. Is there a simple way to have all these so called tests by CRI and others photo documented and be able to see the results before during and after??? Also could encapsulation be tested and results also shown? Or does every thing have to so high tec and cost prohibitive??

 

[Mikey P]

In a perfect world what would the IICRC look like today?

 

[JamesBaileySmith]

My last question I have to go mac and cheeze is on the stove

Do you have some one else start your car in the morning?


Since you and a few are not part of the good ol boys and girl club.

T

I live in a nice neighborhood, because I owned a home in California first. Right now, I am at the Best Western in Tempe Arizona. I am on the road a lot.
I have believed that some have held me in a false light for the purpose of creating trade discrimination. None of my ideas have been accepted by the IICRC. I believe it is because they think I will be some money.

 

[truckmount girl]

Do you think that the consumers exodus from carpeting and lack of trust on the part of the carpet-buying public is due to "big box" retailers undercutting prices and profits, squeezing out the small, well-educated retailer for a minimum wage worker?
Do you think if a consumer knew a carpet that cost 3X's more would last 20 X's longer and retain it's attractive appearance, they might make different choices? Or do you think the mills have a responsibility to the public to quit dealing in numbers only and STOP selling these inferior fibers?

frankly I'm puzzled why PET and cut pile olefins were ever produced for sale, when, if they were real world tested, most would have likely decided they were a failed experiment.

Take care,
Lisa

 

[JamesBaileySmith]

To be as close to perfect as fallible humans can be, the IICRC would be better if it was run with input such as is rendered by people on this board.

 

[Greenie]

"None of my ideas have been accepted by the IICRC"

Well....that speaks volumes for our leadership.

 

[Mikey P]

What were some of the ideas that were shot down if you don't mind telling us

 

[JamesBaileySmith]

Jim, assuming that you have sat in on some CCT classes and read some of the other CCT manuals. Can you tell us about any of the main differences between yours and some of the other manuals.
Or put another way are there some items about carpet cleaning that you feel are particularly important that are not being addressed in enough detail.

Tony
The industry has exploded with new technologies. There have been more changes in the last four years that existed in the previous 40. This is a wonderful time to make money. I am not happy with the rate in which the IICRC is able to change. The big chances in our industry have been with glides, encapsulation, and the vertical drying fans.

 

[Dale]

Hi Jim:

I'm happy that I did get this evening off, so as to read your posts.

I too am a full-time inspector. A while ago Jim taught a class in a Dalton mill about encapsulation for excessive yarn loom oil. At the same time I was involved in an inspection that was having a problem with this. I saw the carpet HWE’d twice and continued to rapid re-soil. Then the mill sent a team to encapsulate that same carpet. I was amazed.

Jim: Now that the process has been done for a couple years do you recommend it as the only cure for this problem? Over a long term do you know if the consumers have ever called back a 2nd complaint after being encapsulated?

Thx,
Dale

 

[Dolly Llama]

A couple years ago, a Prochem rep stressed the importance of using clean dedicated jugs for protectant to avoid contamination.

He said that just a few drops of All Fiber Rinse in a RTU gal of protectant would greatly diminish the protectants efficacy.

I asked then, why has it been suggested to use and acid rinse or acid mist before applying protectants ?
If a few drops of acid rinse in a RTU gal causes problems, why doesn't the acid mist on the carpet have a similar effect?

He gave an answer that didn't seem to square with his original statement of just a few drops in a gal contaminates

Are you familiar with the effects of All Fiber Rinse and protectants?

Thanks

..L.T.A.

 

[JamesBaileySmith]

Jim Pemberton was closely involved in that testing for Prochem, and what was told to you wasn't exactly what happened. You should ask him to elaborate on that at another time.

 

[JamesBaileySmith]

What were some of the ideas that were shot down if you don't mind telling us

I wanted an alliance between Woolsafe and the IICRC. It was rejected because Woolsafe is a for profit entity. Yet, we quote Wools of New Zealand for having made the 4.5 to 8.5 guidelines. My issue is that Wools of New Zealand was a for profit entity to. They owned Woolsafe at the time the IICRC claims that they made the 4.5 to 8.5 guideline. IICRC and Woolsafe’s thinking about chemistry is completely different.

I wanted to reduce the understanding of pH down to taking readings with a pH meter and comparing them to a chart. I have been assured this will never happen.

 

[Greenie]

Dale said "I saw the carpet HWE’d twice and continued to rapid re-soil."

I always wonder, in these scenarios what are the details, what HWE was used, what chemistry, which wand, what kind of flow, how HOT was the solution etc,..?

I hate generalizations.

 

[Craig Lindquist]

This is a new topic, but I have to ask...

Is there any scientific or at qualitative evidence that you know of that concludes that carbonation aids the cleaning process?

Also, have you ever known a "steam cleaner" to saturate a pad so bad that mold (which usually requires approx. 72 hours to grow) would be begin to grow within hours?