Firestorm High Ph pre-spray

Okay, I know there was some interest in this product a few weeks ago and there is a lot of buzz on the net regarding how great it performs.  Being an avid user of Pro's Choice Extreme Clean on commercial carpets, I thought I would consider trying the even higher ph product called Firestorm.

The way it was introduced to me was that it basically was Extreme Clean with booster added into a single mix.  Since I often boost Extreme with their booster called "Energy", it sounded like a good idea to have a single mix that could do the job.

The initial opinion was good.  It is a little browner than the Extreme, but with a similar smell.  It kind of reminded me of brown sugar both in color and texture.  At a 13 ph, this stuff should be able to rival products like "Flex" which has been popular for years.

The first thing you discover is that like Extreme Clean, it doesn't dissolve very well in water.  I have always mixed my Extreme in a bucket using stirring sticks and then poured it into the inline sprayer.  With the Firestorm powder, that method was not very effective.

Seriously, I added the mix (slightly less than full strength) to a bucket of water that was at 200 degrees and stirred with wooden stirring sticks.  A few minutes later, it still had large clumps.  I went back to stirring for another few minutes only to find clumps remaining.  I got fed up with it and skimmed the mixture into the sprayer and went to work.

How did it clean?  It did clean very well and without having to boost it with Energy, but it didn't work as well on gum deposits as the boosted Extreme was known for on this job.  All in all, it was a good product in the cleaning department, but not by much compared to Extreme + Energy.

Here is the disturbing part and why I wouldn't recommend it to a fellow cleaner.  I cleaned that building for more than 6 hours and when I was packing up, I went to empty the clumpy remains that were left in my bucket of hot water.  After 6 hours soaking in hot water....it still remained clumped up!!!!  It didn't break down in water for 6 hours!

Before you ask, no there was not anything in the bucket prior to mixing.  This was a bucket that had been used to mix Extreme Clean on 2 previous outings and was always both rinsed and wiped down before storing.  So, although it got the job done, I wonder how well it really rinsed out and how much money was being wasted on product that remained in the bucket and never made it to the carpet?

Nice review Rob.

So it wasn't clumpy out of the container? You would think after sitting in water for 6 hours that iti would have dissolved. Hopefully you don't get a call back tomorrow asking what the white powder stuff on the carpet is

It wasn't clumpy in the container at all. Once it hit the water it just settled to the bottom of the bucket and clumped up.

I couldn't believe it, after 6 hours it clumped on the bottom of the bucket and molded to the shape of the bucket. Six hours and still a lump.

This was the job that I did last week that killed my drive clutch (will be replaced tomorrow), so no complaints received, but I would be concerned going forward. It acted more like OSR than a prespray.

I really like the Pro's Choice Line and it is well represented in my van, but I will pass on this product. Extreme Clean is still the better choice for those jobs when boosted.

Mil,

I've had issues like this before. What I ended up doing was fill a bucket half full of water then put the powder in.

Poor that mixture into another empty bucket, back and forth several times. Poor from higher up for better mixing.

Then fill the bucket for the desired dilution.

No clumps.

SixShooter wrote:Mil,

I've had issues like this before. What I ended up doing was fill a bucket half full of water then put the powder in.

Poor that mixture into another empty bucket, back and forth several times. Poor from higher up for better mixing.

Then fill the bucket for the desired dilution.

No clumps.

Nice idea, I can see how that would work, but too much effort for me.

A lot times, I will mix up the batch of Extreme before I leave the shop and it will be dissolved fully by the time I reach the job. In the case of Firestorm, it would still be clumped unless the job happened to be in Denver.

I think it was a good attempt, it did clean well, but I don't see it finding a place on the truck.

If it doesn't dissolve quickly forget it. Why bother.

The last powder I used was Planet Guard It didn't  up and it worked  good and it lasted a long time.I never really used it on a nasty one though. I was using vackaway products at the time.

eldiabloz wrote:If it doesn't dissolve quickly forget it. Why bother.

I do agree, starting to convert to liquid products on the truck. I only went to powders to save weight, but like your said, it isn't worth the extra work.

I am little surprised that I haven't been seeing similar complaints on the net. Being the latest buzz, I that I read are glowing praise for being the "must have" prespray. Maybe my experience was a fluke, but I doubt it. What does that leave? People on the net just might be full of sheep dip?

Take note of the messengers gang, you might find a trend.

I got two free sample bags from them.

I have yet to use it. It just smells SO strong. Stuff burns my eyes and throat smelling the powder. I may try it someday in the future, but the situation would have to be right.

And me, I really prefer powders. Liquid is easier to mix, but everything I buy needs to be shipped to me. So, my wallet takes a good hit every time I order. And a jug of powder, just seems to last a lot longer than using stuff in liquid form. A savings for me, both ways.

Thats the thing powders are always going to be a better value cause you're not paying to ship water and and the RTUs are better

Freemind1 wrote:I got two free sample bags from them.

I have yet to use it. It just smells SO strong. Stuff burns my eyes and throat smelling the powder. I may try it someday in the future, but the situation would have to be right.

And me, I really prefer powders. Liquid is easier to mix, but everything I buy needs to be shipped to me. So, my wallet takes a good hit every time I order. And a jug of powder, just seems to last a lot longer than using stuff in liquid form. A savings for me, both ways.

Good point, shipping costs do drive me to buy local when I can.

"Good point, shipping costs do drive me to buy local when I can."

Jondon has free shipping with a minimum of $ 350 chemicals order, they even do free shipping on some non free ship items when your total chemicals is $ 350 or more :-)

I got a bucket of firestorm ( 42 lbs ) for $ 55 from Craigslist, still sealed, haven't used it yet, thanks for the heads up on the clumping Rob, I usually mix my pre spray in 5 qt jug, put powders in, put 1 qt of hot water, shake, put 2 more quarts, shake again and fill it up, then do the final shake, usually that dissolves the powders pretty good.

dp1 wrote:"Good point, shipping costs do drive me to buy local when I can."

Jondon has free shipping with a minimum of $ 350 chemicals order, they even do free shipping on some non free ship items when your total chemicals is $ 350 or more :-)

I didn't realize that included chemicals....do you have to pick it up at the local or does it come to your shop?

Ship direct to my home office :-) and they'll give you their wholesale price on one of your main prespray product, talk to my rep, her name is Tina Willer, she's awesome. Oh they will match or beat your local disty's price too.
And no they don't pay me for this, I like them because unlike my local distributor who make me feel like I need them, they respect me and appreciate my business.

Wow, how do they make any money shipping for free?

Chemicals sales are very profitable business, especially when buying large quantity bulk from the manufacturer combine with 50 % savings from retail shipping rates due to a large volume in shipping, they ( jon don ) will still make good chunk of profits, otherwise they wouldn't keep expanding, they start charging sales taxes to California buyers since earlier this year due to a new hire in California, I'm pretty sure they're looking to start a store in California by next year.

Chemical sales are more profitable than truckmount sales

The other day I pulled out some baneclene TLS 2000. PH..12.
Nasty rental that had some caked on dirt that was black. Med spray down-dwell time-15min, psi-500 and sloooow strokes. Over lap about 3-4 inches. It was amazing. I have a pic, but I just can't get it to post. I hit the preview or send button and........nothing?

https://2img.net/h/i763.photobucket.com/albums/xx274/marty1965/Mobile%20Uploads/1106141145_zpsb75b9535.jpg
A little streaky,but hey.

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Wow....nice difference! How the feel afterwards...did it rinse well or leave it a little "salty"

Afterwards, the landlord made a comment about "where do roaches come from"?
WHAT, now you tell me this place had a roach problem!?!?
With how much I went over it, I'm sure it was wet-more than I like to leave it. She had the nerve (I'd like to use another word) to ask if there is anything I can do for the dingy area right off the kitchen.

Wow that carpet was actually that color? Amazing.

You probably already know this Carpet Cleaners by the url to your website is no longer working

My carpet cleaner wrote:Afterwards,  the landlord made a comment about "where do roaches come from"?
WHAT, now you tell me this place had a roach problem!?!?
With how much I went over it, I'm sure it was wet-more than I like to leave it. She had the nerve (I'd like to use another word) to ask if there is anything I can do for the dingy area right off the kitchen.

Isn't that crazy? The carpet is completely trashed and they expect to look brand new after you clean it.

I remember cleaning for a guy that had white carpet. He showed me a traffic area and then an area that had never been walked on and wanted me to guarantee that I could get to look just like the un walked area. I told sure we can get to look like that. Lets just go over to home depot and get some new carpet for that area He didn't think it was funny,

Mo wrote:Wow that carpet was actually that color? Amazing.

You probably already know this Carpet Cleaners by the url to your website is no longer working

Yep. Opened up that site in 07. Since then my biz has gone from 70% residential, to 80% rentals. So I didn't renew the site.
And biz is up 25%+- the last 2 years. Love rentals. But not like the one in the above pic.