The buildup of scale in any carpet cleaning machine has a negative impact on performance. Scale is a combination of minerals from hard water and products used in your system. High heat and other conditions can cause some of the ingredients of your cleaning agent to come out of the solution and be deposited in hoses or on metal plumbing.
Some rinse agents and other chemicals contain ingredients to help control corrosion and scale buildup. Acid side rinse products running through your hoses help remove scale or prevent accumulation. Buildup can also be controlled by periodic descaling with a mild non-acid product.
Without regular maintenance, the buildup scale can get too heavy for mild solutions. Removal of heavy scale requires stronger acid solutions. These increase the potential of corrosion damage to water system components. Acid solutions may be considered toxic or hazardous and require special handling and disposal procedures.
The required frequency of periodic descaling is determined by water hardness, hours of truckmount use, chemicals used, the temperature of the cleaning solution, and more.
There are many different machines. Consult the operator’s manual for your machine or contact your distributor for information on descaling solutions and the descaling procedures for your particular machine.
By Scott Warrington and Tom Forsythe