Recent tests performed according to strict industry standards found that Whittaker’s new low-moisture encapsulation solution, Crystal® Quick Restore (CQR), performs better than hot water extraction (HWE). In empirical testing, CQR demonstrated the same cleaning appearance as premium portable hot water extraction with significant reductions in cleaning time and cost.
CQR, the company’s latest innovation in commercial carpet cleaning products, provides commercial facilities with easy to use, highly effective cleaning power, and can transform the productivity and profitability of the facilities and carpet cleaning service providers.
Whittaker’s new CQR (pre-measured chemistry) is an enhanced combination of the company’s Crystal Dry® Extra (encapsulation product) and Crystal® Oxy Boost (oxy enhancer). The unique blend of these two industry-leading products has created a solution significantly more effective than manual mixing.
CQR was tested against a premier hot water extraction machine and cleaning solution, using strict Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) standards to measure the ability of each product to clean CRI-approved test carpet.
Cleaning ability was measured using a colorimeter—an instrument that produces precisely controlled light in a confined area, then measures the reflection of the primary colors in the sample according to the CIE 1976 (L*, a*, b*) measurement standard. Because soiling alters the reflection of primary colors, and the goal of cleaning is to restore them to their original values, a “clean” baseline measure of the carpet was established at the beginning of the test.
The carpet was soiled by agitating in a soiling drum for 30 minutes with the ASTM agents required to produce heavy soiling. The carpet strip was then removed and measured again to establish a “soiled” baseline. The soiled carpet strip was then cut into smaller squares to be cleaned.
Hot water extraction was performed on one square using a competitor’s premium cleaning solution (mixed per manufacturer’s instructions) in a hot water extraction machine. CQR was tested (diluted per manufacturer’s instructions) in a Whittaker Smart Care® TWIN PRO machine.
When the carpets were measured again after cleaning, CQR had not only produced color restoration equivalent to HWE, but had done so with dramatic reductions in cleaning time and cost.
Cleaning time was reduced by 87 percent, dry time was reduced by 92 percent, and cleaning cost (chemistry and labor) was reduced by 58 percent.
“Deep restorative carpet cleaning is expensive, labor-intensive, and disruptive, especially typical hot water extraction methods,” explained Tom Whittaker, president, R. E. Whittaker. “There are times when you can’t get around the need to use extraction, but with CQR we now have a way to help reduce that number. CQR is the most revolutionary chemical Whittaker has developed to help make sure that every square foot of carpet adds to the beauty of each facility as its manufacturers, architect, designers, and installers intended.”
Learn more about low-moisture restoration at www.whittakersystem.com.
