derek west

how would you clean a filthy wool cream carpet
« on: August 16, 2008, 02:43:43 pm »
just cleaned a disgusting filthy rancid, (i could go on) cream wool carpet, the customer was happy with the results but to be honest i wasn't. i'm new so i'm limited in my armoury when it comes to wool, standard prespray gold and fib fab rinse.
thinkif i was experienced i could of identified a better combo to clean and got better results.
just wondering how you experts would of gone about it.
think its time for another course.
derek

richie

  • Posts: 1179
Re: how would you clean a filthy wool cream carpet
« Reply #1 on: August 16, 2008, 03:15:21 pm »
Derek,

Dispite what some carpet cleaners will tell you.....

I would have cleaned the carpet with a higher ph chemical.  If the carpet was as bad as you say it was the damage to the wool would have already been done therefore, using a high ph chemical would have not hurt the carpet.  Prochem Powerburst would have been my choice.  I have been cleaning carpets for 14-15 years & i have never seen a wool carpet that i have cleaned with a high ph chemical show ANY signs of damage due to the high ph.  As long as you follow up with an acid rinse thn dont worry.

Richie.

craigp

Re: how would you clean a filthy wool cream carpet
« Reply #2 on: August 16, 2008, 04:03:23 pm »
here, here!


powerburst follwed by acid rinse.


but sounds like a skip might have been the best option! ;D

derek west

Re: how would you clean a filthy wool cream carpet
« Reply #3 on: August 16, 2008, 04:10:54 pm »
they had rats, all be it pet rats, but there was rat poop down the sides of the carpet and under the rads.
would i benefit from having a counter rotating brush agitator, dont know what there proper name is but ive seen them on the courses.
derek

kinder clean

  • Posts: 603
Re: how would you clean a filthy wool cream carpet
« Reply #4 on: August 16, 2008, 05:04:02 pm »
Hi Derek

A Sebo Duo is what you refer to and yes without a doubt it would make all the difference, I wouldn't be without mine. - see 'Grubby carpet results' post on here, without the agitation on that carpet the results would have been very poor too.

Cheers Paul

Re: how would you clean a filthy wool cream carpet
« Reply #5 on: August 16, 2008, 05:46:55 pm »
Derek
The problem is that it doesn`t matter how many courses you go on they will
only tell you the correct way to clean cpts/uph, which is right.
Its only when you get a bit of experiance that you know what will or not work, or willing to take a chance, because it will bite you at some stage, are you willing to take that chance????
My only advice is to get some carpet samples and experiment, try cleaning
one half of the samples with differing ph strengths, and see what happens.
Dont forget, its different with samples than a custys carpet.

regards

Daryl

derek west

Re: how would you clean a filthy wool cream carpet
« Reply #6 on: August 16, 2008, 06:34:16 pm »
paul
so what choices have i got other than the sebo duo,
daryl.
i was thinking of a spotting course as my knowledge is limited when it comes to stains, i dont even know what a microsplitter is, doh!prochem course touched on stains but i was to busy getting to grips with all the other stuff.
there was a lot of stains in that carpet that wouldnt budge and i felt a bit inferior not having anything to try on them other than my zapit.
1 peticular stain was orange in colour and didnt even fade when i blasted it at full heat with clearwater rince and multi pro prespray. the landlady and i deduced that it could only be fake blood as she knew they had a halloween party. def not orange or tizer as this fades with heat and agitation.
derek

roger underhill

  • Posts: 95
Re: how would you clean a filthy wool cream carpet
« Reply #7 on: August 16, 2008, 07:04:58 pm »
Derek,
Dont be too hard on yourself....I've been cleaning carpets for 24 years and what you must realise is that some stains will just not clean out of a wool carpet, whatever the manufacturers of stain removers promise.
My lad, working with me one day, summed it up, he said to me, "Dad, you cant polish a turd".....wise words indeed.
Family business founded in 1985

Gerry Styles

  • Posts: 558
Re: how would you clean a filthy wool cream carpet
« Reply #8 on: August 16, 2008, 08:28:14 pm »
Derek

Had a similar carpet 2 weeks ago, used Power Burst to pre spray and Fibre % Fabric Rinse to extract. Too dirty for standard wand use Hydramaster RX 20. Customer well happy, will be doing her other 8 rental properties as they become vacant.
Premier Klean Limited

derek west

Re: how would you clean a filthy wool cream carpet
« Reply #9 on: August 16, 2008, 08:39:45 pm »
gerry
thinking of getting an rx20 but later on in the business plan, think the sebo duo sounds a good alternative to attack these toughies, which i must admit are rare to date, that was my first in my first 3 months, but as every job is an advert i need to get every job right. might just get away with that one today but not taking any chances in the future. sounds like some powerburst won't go amiss either. been some good advice on here so far. cheers guys.
derek

John Kelly

  • Posts: 4461
Re: how would you clean a filthy wool cream carpet
« Reply #10 on: August 16, 2008, 08:44:49 pm »
Don't expect miracles every time, we aren't magicians. Sometimes a carpet has gone that little bit too far that no matter what you throw at it never looks 100%.

Gerry Styles

  • Posts: 558
Re: how would you clean a filthy wool cream carpet
« Reply #11 on: August 16, 2008, 08:50:23 pm »
Derek

Sounds to me like you are doing ok. RX20 is a big step. I will be at hydramaster next week, IIRC course & dirty weekend.
Premier Klean Limited

Darren O

  • Posts: 1322
Re: how would you clean a filthy wool cream carpet
« Reply #12 on: August 16, 2008, 09:08:03 pm »
Always use formula90 and works great on these kind of jobs if its realy bad i will use a rotary first then rinse with f90.

derek west

Re: how would you clean a filthy wool cream carpet
« Reply #13 on: August 16, 2008, 09:13:40 pm »
john
just starting to realise that, its hard to take as a newbie, i'm sure all you vets when first starting out thought like me that we could be magicians. my wife thinks i'm a magician cos i make all the  viking lager vanish from the fridge.
gerry
yeah ok but not brilliant, its early days and i'm enjoying the work and the challenge, optomistic that i can take it to brilliant, i'm ahead of schedule on my b plan . fingers crossed with the leaflets later next month. wish i was going down to hydra but i'm moving house on the 29th so got a lot to sort out,
derek

Re: how would you clean a filthy wool cream carpet
« Reply #14 on: August 16, 2008, 09:24:36 pm »
Derek
Even with lots of experiance we may not have got it any cleaner than you,
but what we may have done is pre-empt the custy and tell her that the carpet is
dirty/rancid etc etc but we will try our hardest to get it as clean as possible.
Once you have tryed your hardest, and you know you cant do any more, safely,
what have you got to worry about? the custy is usually happy to see that you have tried.

Harry potter has a magic wand.... we only have a stainless steel one ;D ;D

regards

Daryl

derek west

Re: how would you clean a filthy wool cream carpet
« Reply #15 on: August 16, 2008, 09:33:38 pm »
daryl
all ready confirmed that to the customer, presume thats why she was pleased, that and the fact that i sweated blood for 4 hours. and i qouted for 3 so lost out a little but thats the way i work. if i'd done it in 2 hours i wouldnt of charged her less, swings and roundabouts. think you vets could of done a better job cos there were some stains that possibly could of got better than me, thats why i think i need a spotting course, every little helps.
derek

Paul Davidson

  • Posts: 135
Re: how would you clean a filthy wool cream carpet
« Reply #16 on: August 16, 2008, 09:54:48 pm »
daryl
all ready confirmed that to the customer, presume thats why she was pleased, that and the fact that i sweated blood for 4 hours. and i qouted for 3 so lost out a little but thats the way i work. if i'd done it in 2 hours i wouldnt of charged her less, swings and roundabouts. think you vets could of done a better job cos there were some stains that possibly could of got better than me, thats why i think i need a spotting course, every little helps.
derek

I need to get to grips with stain and spot removal too!  I am booked onto a Stain removal course early next month which is being held in Newcastle.  I'm looking forward to increasing the chances of happy customers every time. :)

cheers

Paul

Re: how would you clean a filthy wool cream carpet
« Reply #17 on: August 16, 2008, 10:06:41 pm »
Derek
I think you are right you should go on a spotting course, for your own peace of mind, if nothing else ;D
But you will have to pick which one, HD or PC or CS? what spotters do you use at the moment?
Everyone on here uses different ones, or a combination of all, I do!!
I have recently done the Chem spec (advanced) one, but didnt get a lot out of it.
Ask on this or other forums, what people think is the best course?
They will all have different views, but something is better than nothing!!!!

Regards

Daryl  

The Great One

  • Posts: 11868
Re: how would you clean a filthy wool cream carpet
« Reply #18 on: August 16, 2008, 10:14:46 pm »
Derek,
Dont be too hard on yourself....I've been cleaning carpets for 24 years and what you must realise is that some stains will just not clean out of a wool carpet, whatever the manufacturers of stain removers promise.
My lad, working with me one day, summed it up, he said to me, "Dad, you cant polish a turd".....wise words indeed.

Exactly what i say to my clients when cleaning student EOT's

derek west

Re: how would you clean a filthy wool cream carpet
« Reply #19 on: August 16, 2008, 10:55:45 pm »
daryl
i use zip it for medium stains and zap it if all else fails, oh and orange gel, so you can see how ltd i am when it comes to stains, may just buy an expensive spotting kit and read the booklet, might be just as good spending £200 quid on that than £200 on a course then having to buy the spotters to compliment it, what do you think?
derek

kinder clean

  • Posts: 603
Re: how would you clean a filthy wool cream carpet
« Reply #20 on: August 17, 2008, 02:22:07 am »
Hi Derek

I'm not aware of another machine that does the same job as the sebo duo, not without going down the road of a dry compound type cleaning machine, get a duo you won't regret it, best price when i bought mine was £180 + vat from cleansmart at Notts.

Paul

davep

  • Posts: 2589
Re: how would you clean a filthy wool cream carpet
« Reply #21 on: August 17, 2008, 08:58:32 am »
They are ok but i still sometimes get the carpet brush out.  You could get one of these  ;)

ht tp://www.restormate.co.uk/epages/15094.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/15094/Categories/dry

derek west

Re: how would you clean a filthy wool cream carpet
« Reply #22 on: August 17, 2008, 11:25:01 am »
look good dave.
where can i see one being demo'd.
could do away with the sebo vac and introduce dry compound cleaning which may come in handy for belgium wiltons and also an option for top floor flats which i cant reach with the trucky.
does anyone on here use dry compound and how does it compare to bonnet buffing.
with that the rx20 aportable as back up, a dry master for smaller areas, i'll be broke and out of business in no time, lol. i just want everything.
need to take my time now with what i buy next. ive spent far to much and need to start making good money and invest slowly. but i'm deffo gonna consider that agitator vac dry compound thingy.
its only money afterall.
derek

Paul_Ashworth

  • Posts: 411
Re: how would you clean a filthy wool cream carpet
« Reply #23 on: August 17, 2008, 11:34:12 am »
Derek,
You really need something to aggitate the pre spray, If i was you i would get a sebo duo as they a fairly low cost but only last about 12 months but by then you should have some money coming in.

Paul

Re: how would you clean a filthy wool cream carpet
« Reply #24 on: August 17, 2008, 12:24:53 pm »
Derek
In 21yrs of carpet cleaning i`v only ever used a carpet brush for aggitation.
You only need a good pre-spray, brush it in and rinse wth the TM. Some of the manufacturers recommend a light aggitation, on there pre-sprays.
You have one of the best machines to rinse, so make some money first and then get other machines to try to make it easier, then when you have tried them and they were ok but you found that it wasn`t really worth the money,it can then go in the back of the garage to start your collection of tools that everyone recommended to you, but you wont use ;D

Daryl

derek west

Re: how would you clean a filthy wool cream carpet
« Reply #25 on: August 17, 2008, 12:44:52 pm »
daryl
so far ive got a green glide (for girls) which is still in its wrapper and an inline pre sprayer which i refuse to use cos it costs petrol to run and i dont mind pumping up a pre sprayer to get the job done. so i hate to think what i'll have in the garage after 21 years.
some of the comments say i dont need to agitate as ive got a truckmount so thats all i need. you guys are right, on 99% of the jobs ive done ive not agitated apart from with the wand on a couple of stains and bingo, there gone, but this wool one was stubborn, and allthough you can't make every carpet brilliant, i'd still like the weaponry and brains to do the best possible job. you say the sebo will only last a year, but i wont use it on every job, just the ones like this one. i'd of loved to have seen one of you guys tackle this, just to get some real understanding of how the pro's go about it, so if any of you guys have got a wool cream stinker coming up, give us a shout, gold medalists only, i want to learn from the best. ok i'll push to a bronze guy. cheers guys for this lot. food for thought.
derek

Roy Edwards

  • Posts: 96
Re: how would you clean a filthy wool cream carpet
« Reply #26 on: August 17, 2008, 01:29:53 pm »
Hi Derek

I'm not aware of another machine that does the same job as the sebo duo, not without going down the road of a dry compound type cleaning machine, get a duo you won't regret it, best price when i bought mine was £180 + vat from cleansmart at Notts.

Paul
Hi Derek
Bought  sebo dou from olympic cleaning    £165.38 + vat ,website is hard follow but had no problems with them.

Paul_Ashworth

  • Posts: 411
Re: how would you clean a filthy wool cream carpet
« Reply #27 on: August 17, 2008, 03:47:37 pm »
Once you buy a Duo "you will use it on nearly ever job" as it makes the extracting far easier and takes less effort.

Shaun_Ashmore

  • Posts: 11381
Re: how would you clean a filthy wool cream carpet
« Reply #28 on: August 17, 2008, 04:01:37 pm »
Pete at Oakleaf can get hold of the more heavier duty machines at a better price and teh difference is more amazing after having both I know what I'd use.

Shaun

derek west

Re: how would you clean a filthy wool cream carpet
« Reply #29 on: August 18, 2008, 07:58:46 pm »
wrexham clean
chears for that i'll check them out.
paul.
seriously, i won't use the sebo to often, did a ten room house today with no extraction problems at all, and got a £50 tip, FIFTY FORKIN QUID. couldn't believe it, how often does that happen? ive had a lot of £5 and £10's, but £50. back of the net.
shaun
not heard from pete for a while. got his email somewhere, i'll get in touch with him, see what the crack is.
derek

Shaun_Ashmore

  • Posts: 11381
Re: how would you clean a filthy wool cream carpet
« Reply #30 on: August 18, 2008, 08:03:46 pm »
info@oakleafcc.co.uk

Derek how are you getting most of your new work?

Shaun

derek west

Re: how would you clean a filthy wool cream carpet
« Reply #31 on: August 18, 2008, 08:45:36 pm »
thats a tough one shaun
heres how i got my work for the last week starting with tomorrow andworking backwards
tomorrow ive got a bedroom from a downstairs i did 2 months ago.
today was a leaflet from 2 months ago.
sunday, day off, woooohoooooooooo. but i'd prefer to be working.
saturday was a leaflet thats in an estate agents, EOT
friday a school (day 3, don't ask) from my van
thursday,  a return from a job i did  2 weeks ago, more rooms.
wednesday, friend of a friend
tuesday leaflet or free add, cant remember
monday friend from a job i did friday last.

i sort of get dribs and drabs from all my advertising, apart from yellow pages, (biiiiig mistake that one.) then get some good referals. could do with sitting down and talking to someone successful ( hint hint) and chatting about working on some new and better advertising, really need more work. websites not doing too good, but its not optimised yet, and ad words is letting me downbut that may have something to do with my website, its good, but a bit bland.
any advice?
derek

Re: how would you clean a filthy wool cream carpet
« Reply #32 on: August 18, 2008, 09:18:20 pm »
Derek
I`v left a message on your web site
Daryl

Steve Barnett (Carpet Care Plus)

  • Posts: 1834
Re: how would you clean a filthy wool cream carpet
« Reply #33 on: August 18, 2008, 09:20:37 pm »
Shaun

Sent you a couple of link requests - one for each site, don't know if you got them yet ?

Steve

derek west

Re: how would you clean a filthy wool cream carpet
« Reply #34 on: August 18, 2008, 10:31:37 pm »
clinton
10 rooms. EOT she paid £1600 pcm, no furniture
carpets were clean but she wanted a freshen up, did the quote told her it comes to £440 but i can do it for £300 cos thats my day rate.
she wanted me to start at 10 so i got worried i wouldn't be able to do it all, so asked a mate if he fancied hoovering and pre spraying for £50, said yes, did the job but one room was full of cat hairs, they wouldn't come out just hoovering so got the brush out, still no good so switched the pumpin off on the trucky and used as a hoover, me one way and me mate with the sebo theother way, still not good enough so nicked some masking tape and reversed it round our agitation brushes, took a few go's but bingo, got all the cat hairs out, the women went into that room while we were doing another and we heard her squeal with delight, took 2 hours to do that room, did the other 9 rooms in 4 hours,
she paid me £300 cash and then said heres £50, youve worked really hard and that room looked like a brand new carpet.
could of given up on the cat hairs but thats not how i do things. its not the money its the pride and the look on the face of the customer.
gave my mate £60 so he was well happy,
i was happy with £290 for 6 hours work and the customer was happy cos the letting agents were giving her grief as she didn't declare she had a cat.
£50, thats 227 cans of asda's finest lager
in off the red.
daryl
whats this concerning so i can gather my thoughts.

derek

Jim_77

Re: how would you clean a filthy wool cream carpet
« Reply #35 on: August 18, 2008, 10:51:38 pm »
Nicely played Derek ;)

Sounds like an ideal customer.  I hope you've got her new address so you can still market to her?!

You need a rotary for those pet hair jobs!  A combination of a brush to agitate after prespraying and then a bonnet to finish off after extraction would have saved you a hell of a lot of time and effort ;)

derek west

Re: how would you clean a filthy wool cream carpet
« Reply #36 on: August 18, 2008, 11:05:41 pm »
jim.
didn't get her address but get this for freakyness.
went to view a house on friday as weve sold ours and moving into rented for a few years. the neighbour of the house we viewed was cutting her grass and came over to chat, she saw my t-shirt with affordable cleaners on it and said "yuve got a big job on monday" shocked i said yes, how do you know, she said " i'm her cleaner and i'll be there helping her to move. sure enough she was there and we move in a week friday so i'll get her new address of my new neighbour.
i'll do the bonnet buffing thing like you said when i get some new gear but until then, i'll be nipping down to partners for some wide roll masking tape.
its been a strange week and still can't get over that 50 quid. thats more than i'm getting for the bedroom i'm doing tomoz.
derek

Jim_77

Re: how would you clean a filthy wool cream carpet
« Reply #37 on: August 18, 2008, 11:10:34 pm »
You'll find the busier you get the more freaky stuff happens!  It can also be a sign that you're heading in the right direction, i.e. you're reaching the same people in the same circles.  You end up cleaning for friends who didn't know that each other uses you.

The freakiest thing that has happened to me lately is that a customer phoned me up for a quote just as I rolled up outside her house... to clean for her next-door neighbour!  I didn't need to put a neighbour-nudger through her door! :)

I've also been driving down the same street or one very near when a customer has called for a quote.

"I'll be there in 45 seconds"

"EH?"

"Look out your window!"

:D

derek west

Re: how would you clean a filthy wool cream carpet
« Reply #38 on: August 18, 2008, 11:19:54 pm »
jim
well funny.
this would make a good thread.
derek

carpetworx

  • Posts: 271
Re: how would you clean a filthy wool cream carpet
« Reply #39 on: August 19, 2008, 11:54:45 am »
I really like your style Derek,with commitment like that, you'll go far.As for agitation have you looked at a RDM,does the job for me,and you can charge more,aswell as the carpets drying quicker.

derek west

Re: how would you clean a filthy wool cream carpet
« Reply #40 on: August 19, 2008, 01:30:16 pm »
carpetworx
yeah i borrowed an rdm from hydramaster, well impressed but it emptied my 60 gallon tank quicker than i drink viking lager, (and thats quick) its a catch 22, do i go for the rdm that is great for domestic or the rx20 which is great for commercial, at the mo the rdm would be great but i do want to get into commercial so i'm thinking a sebo duo would do just as good a job as the rdm but obviously it'll take me a bit longer. then when i start getting commercial work i can go for the rx20. i could buy both but ive spent enough and need to start seeing a return before i put a lot more into this business, must admit i'm lovin the work, just wish i had a lot more of it. lost 7pound in 7 days last week,unfortunately i'm going to put it all backon this week, got nothin other than a quote tommorow. gutted but then i  am having problems with the trucky. i'll be doing the opposite tommorow, getting dirty trying to fit a big brass pump thingy, wishme luck.
derek

derek west

Re: how would you clean a filthy wool cream carpet
« Reply #41 on: August 19, 2008, 08:39:49 pm »
clinton
second hand ones are like rockin horse poop. but yeah, if i see one i'll buy it quick,
or an rdm, not fussy if there cheap.
derek

Jim_77

Re: how would you clean a filthy wool cream carpet
« Reply #42 on: August 19, 2008, 08:47:12 pm »
Agreed I can't remember ever hearing of more than one or two RX20s for sale 2nd hand.

I think folks who've used the machines would say that the RX is better suited to larger areas and the RDM for domestic work so you'd need to think about which would be more suitable both for what you do now and where you're aiming to be in the next couple of years.

P.S. Watch the potty-mouth - I got a 3-day ban for less!! ;D

derek west

Re: how would you clean a filthy wool cream carpet
« Reply #43 on: August 20, 2008, 10:22:35 pm »
if anyone see's one for sale secondhand, rdm of rx, give us an email, theres some viking lager in it for ya.
derek@affordablecleaners.co.uk

derek

Paul Davidson

  • Posts: 135
Re: how would you clean a filthy wool cream carpet
« Reply #44 on: August 20, 2008, 10:38:37 pm »
if anyone see's one for sale secondhand, rdm of rx, give us an email, theres some viking lager in it for ya.
derek@affordablecleaners.co.uk

derek

Hi,

There is a Rotovac for sale on ebay which is being sold with and Alltec advantage that only has 18 hours on it!

Auction ends tomorrow i think and is at £450 ish at the moment.  Sounds like it would be worth a look for someone!

cheers

Paul