"London's finest cleaning" » Technical bulletin

Draught Marks (a.k.a. Filtration Soiling) on carpets

Thu, 31 Dec 2009 19:21:12 +0000

What is draught marking?

Draught marking appears on carpets as dark soiled areas or spots around the edges of rooms or under doorways. In extreme cases it is found across the middle of a room in the configuration of the floorboards.

It is also known as filtration soiling, fogging or dust marks. The cause is always the same. Contaminated air blows through or across the carpet and the carpet acts as a filter, removing the dirt from the air. The resultant draught marking is both unsightly and a problem to remove.

The contaminated air gets to the carpet through:-

gaps under the skirting board
gaps between the floorboards
holes in the carpet caused by nails or carpet fitting tools
gaps under doors

Prevention?

The best method of preventing draught marking ruining the look of your new carpets is to specify a draught proof installation. This prevents the movement of air through the carpet and may involve the following steps before the carpet is installed:-

Laying sheets of hardboard on top of the existing floorboards
Taping all the hardboard joints to prevent leaks of air
Laying paper on top of the hardboard to add extra draught proofing
Using flexible mastic to seal the gap between the skirting board and the floor.

If these measures are carried out before the carpet and underlay are installed then it is unlikely that very much draught marking will occur, except in doorways.

Cure?

Most draught marking can be removed by cleaning, but not cured. The microscopic airborne soiling is tenaciously oil bonded to the carpet fibres. The degree of success in the removal of the soil depends on the nature of the soil (pollution) and the length of time that it has been present. At Designcare we have researched and tested many ways of removing draught marking and we are now confident that we can remove the majority of this soiling. However a draught marking problem can’t be cured by cleaning as the soiling will return if the contaminated air is allowed to continue to flow through or across the carpet.

Detergent Free cleaning – How it works?

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 15:44:13 +0000

The Detergent Free products we use to clean your carpets and fabrics are the ultimate healthy cleaning solutions. Detergent Free products utilise natural minerals to enhance the cleaning power of water.

These natural minerals are:-

Sodium Chloride (salt)
Sodium Citrate(used in medicines, cheesemaking and soft drinks)
Sodium Carbonate(water softener and used in the manufacture of soap and paper)
Sodium Bicarbonate ( used in baking, drinks and medicines)
Lactic acid(found in milk, wine and fruits, used as a food additive

These natural ingredients help to convert soiling and staining into soap and improve the rinsing power of water. The cleaning results we produce with these products are exceptional

Our Detergent Free cleaners do not contain any petrochemicals, solvents, surfactants, phosphates or other man made chemicals. All our cleaning solutions are VOC free and will not contribute to indoor air quality problems.

The benefits of Detergent Free cleaning are:-

No re-soiling as all residues are rinsed away
Safe for human health and the environment – 100% natural food grade ingredients
No smell or chemical odour
Exceptional cleaning results

Safe, non toxic and environmentally responsible cleaning solutions

Sun, 13 Dec 2009 22:53:16 +0000

Many people are now much more sensitive to the use of chemicals in the home. This is primarily an awareness of the potential danger of chemicals to the health of their family and also a desire to protect the environment we live in.

For some time we have been testing the full range of cleaning chemicals available for use in the cleaning of carpets and fabrics. Our aim was to find the best performing, non toxic, environmentally responsible solutions to use in your home. On completion of this testing process we have adopted a policyof using detergent free cleaning solutions that have been approved both by the Green Seal and the WoolSafe organisation.

These solutions have been proven to provide:-

Effective cleaning.

Excellent after carpet cleaning appearance with no re-soiling

Safe for all occupants in the home including individuals with Asthma, chemical hypersensitivity, children and
pets.

Reduced impact on the Environment.