Get listed in the Spick and Span Directory

Carpet Cleaning Issues - Carpet construction, upholstery cleaning, stain removal, equipment, events, etc.

Suites !!

Posted by MB (Mark Betts), 7 January 2004
Is everyone else experiencing a surge in suite cleaning??

I have booked 3 of the beggars this week!!!

Mark


Posted by stevegunn (Steve Gunn), 7 January 2004
er no Grin
Posted by stevegunn (Steve Gunn), 7 January 2004
seriously i've done 3 this week with another two booked on friday.I'm getting alot of carpets to do where we had a party and someone was sick and cannot get rid of the smell Roll Eyes
Posted by Ivar_Haglund (Ivar_Haglund), 7 January 2004
I wish I had some more sweets



IVAR Undecided
Posted by Dynafoam (Dynafoam), 7 January 2004
Steve,

TWO suite on the same day?

It takes me 4-7 hours to clean a suite, and I try not to clean suites on consecutive days.

I believe that I clean them as fast as anyone to my standard. I will admit to being 'of advanced years, but it is the suite that dictates the cleaning time, not the fitness of the opperator. Normaly the suite is useable before I drive away.

John.
Posted by stevegunn (Steve Gunn), 7 January 2004
I have already been and looked at the suites which are not too dirty one of them i could get away with just vacuuming if i was dishonest Roll Eyes but i've allowed 4 hours per job using the von schrader system so they will be dry before i leave.
Posted by Dynafoam (Dynafoam), 7 January 2004
Steve,

Do you use the Von Scrader Upholstery vacuum - the separate unit with the beater brush?

It's amazing how much dust it pulls out, especially from old velvet upholstery.

John.

Posted by mike_halliday (mike_halliday), 7 January 2004
John no insult intended but i don't care what standard you work to 4-7 hours to clean a suite is far too long.

fitness & age do have a lot to do with how long it takes to clean a suite.  I've worked with old and/or fat  carpet cleaners and they do work slower.


Most carpet cleaners don't know the meaning of the words 'concurrent activety' . I hears this attitude alot, "I take longer to clean a suite than you do so I must do a better job"  its a load rubbish.


plus your zimmer-frame must get in the way and slow you down Grin

Mike
Posted by carpet_bright (carpet_bright), 7 January 2004
I think it is quite alright to clean 2 suites in a day - if you fancy it that is Shocked

I take about 3 hours for a standard suite but wouldn't take on more than 3 a week. I find them a good earner (from £65 upwards) but quite hard work

Paul
Posted by Dynafoam (Dynafoam), 7 January 2004
on 01/07/04 at 22:36:28, mike_halliday wrote:
 
plus your zimmer-frame must get in the way and slow you down Grin

Mike


Mike,

Far from getting in the way, it's great for propping up the cleaned cushions whilst the blower does its' stuff  Grin

And yes, I am aware of, and utilise concurrent activity - after the first 30 or so years it becomes second nature.

A 'standard' 10 cushion suite normaly takes about 4 hours but if I did no more than the minimum required it  would save about 30 minutes. It is the suite itself that dictates certain aspects of the clean; I am certainly capable of moving the cleaning tool at least three times faster than the optimum cleaning speed, so fitness is not an issue here. Concurrent activity means that dwell time does not extend cleaning time, so no time savings for this.

The only way I could reduce to time is by not doing some of the things that perhaps other cleaners do not do !!

(I seem to remember Derek writing something similar in the past few weeks).

No offense was taken from your post, an it is clear from your other contributions that you you are a knowlegable professional but the fact is, when it comes to my methods, you know not of which you speak.

John.
Posted by Ivar_Haglund (Ivar_Haglund), 8 January 2004
Takes no time at all

with power tools Rx20 RotoVac

Good  pre scrub

Proper chemicals

and a Truck Mount with high heat

Should not take more than a few hours at worst. Tongue Tongue Tongue Tongue Tongue Tongue
Posted by stevegunn (Steve Gunn), 8 January 2004
on 01/07/04 at 22:36:27, Dynafoam wrote:
Steve,

Do you use the Von Scrader Upholstery vacuum - the separate unit with the beater brush?

It's amazing how much dust it pulls out, especially from old velvet upholstery.

John.


No i use the von shrader esprit

i'm also doing the carpets as well

Posted by mike_halliday (mike_halliday), 8 January 2004
Ivar I agree using an RX20 on suite really cuts down the time taken Shocked

John good trick with the zimmer-frame, I'll remember that when I'm of mature years Wink

I'd love to see these extra steps that some of you carpet cleaners take to make cleaning a suite take so long because no matter what i say I'm always striving to give the customer the best clean possible, I cannot think what more I could do to make a suite cleaner.



I often amaze myself what a fantastic job I do when I clean a suite Grin Grin

Mike

Posted by Ian_G. (Ian_Gourlay), 8 January 2004
Mike,

I agree with you.

You read about cleaners taking x hours and doing extra this and extra that.

Why not layout say exactly what they do for the money.


I test cover floor with tarpaulin and dust sheet
Look for damage before I start.
Hover  Back buttons with foil
Pre Spray using appropriate solution
Brush Agitate

Extract  Using suitable solution

Towel Dry

I have not got a turbo so I dont charge for this

Talk to customer sell protector


Collect payment
Posted by mike_halliday (mike_halliday), 8 January 2004
on 01/08/04 at 11:18:52, Ian_Gourlay wrote:
I test cover floor with tarpaulin and dust sheet
Look for damage before I start.
Hover  Back buttons with foil
Pre Spray using appropriate solution
Brush Agitate

Extract  Using suitable solution

Towel Dry

I have not got a turbo so I dont charge for this

Talk to customer sell protector


Collect payment


and still you only charge £35  Grin Grin

what good value you are!

Mike

Posted by Christal_Clean (Bryan H), 8 January 2004
Not doing many suites at the moment, or carpets either, very quiet
this week !
When I started this lark 19 yonks ago it took 4 - 5 hrs to clean a
suite.    Now I average 2.5 hrs.  and it is very clean, as near perfect as possible.    I use HWE with one-step & ample agitation.

I am knocking on a bit now  -  but not slow yet.  Even I could clean
2 suites in less than 6 hours, & have done so on many occasions

A happy & prosperous New Year to all.
Posted by MB (Mark Betts), 8 January 2004
Ok

As i started this thread here is what i do.

No pre inspection an day of clean. This is done at initial quotation.

Fill machine first to get nice and hot.

Lay down sheets

Vac

Pre spray cushions and agitate.

Get out hoses an tools etc.

Extract off and towel off

Set up air mover and blow dry cushions.

Then start on sette. Pre spray scrub.

Extract

Then same again with chairs.

Total time between 2.5 to 3 hours.

Charge

Two an six hahaha


Mark


PS If job close by will leave air mover with customer


BYE THE WAY

Has anyone ever melted a hand tool!!!!!

I have yesterday

Was using a plastic jobbie from alltec and half way through job notived that i wasnt extracting solution.

Checked tool and the lips of the tool had distorted with the heat!!!!

hahaha  now who says portys dont get hotHuh

Suite was polyester jobbie





Posted by Ian_G. (Ian_Gourlay), 9 January 2004
Mike,

Like every one else I put my price up last week I now charge £37.50. I sub contract suite out and pay £5.00 and hour. Have ten team doing 3 suites a day.  ( This is purley fiction)  Using  turbo charged Rug Doctors. excellent machines. And light enough for operatives to handle.

Seriously Mark.

I was under the impression that you should use cooler water on suites than you would on a carpet but I could be wrong.

Regards

ian
Posted by Tony_Browning (Tony_Browning), 9 January 2004
John,
Out of Interest....
and the fact I may learn something...
what procedure do you have for cleaning suites?
Kind Rgds
Tony  Roll Eyes


This page is a thread posted to the cleanitup forum at www.cleanitup.co.uk and archived here for reference. To jump to the archive index please follow this link.