Clean It Up

UK Floor Cleaning Forum => Carpet Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: cleaning co on February 01, 2006, 07:33:35 am

Title: leather cleaning
Post by: cleaning co on February 01, 2006, 07:33:35 am: just like to c how big this market really is ;D
Title: Re: leather cleaning
Post by: cleaning co on February 01, 2006, 10:03:40 am: just like to add i tryed to discuss leather cleaning on cleantalk if it was worth paying out for £300 course if the work aint there and all my post get deleted , u recon its because the owner has a vested intrest in these course lol ;) its turning into a comy forum imo
gary
Title: Re: leather cleaning
Post by: LTT Leathercare on February 01, 2006, 11:05:38 am: The cleaning market for leather is out there as I have said, it is just that people have a misconception that leather does not need cleaning or looking after, this is generally the fault of the retailers who give this impression. It is also down to the cleaning market to promote the true facts about leather care to their market.

As we have just returned from the furniture show and the amount of leather being sold is still at least 50% so there is a market for cleaning just as there is for fabric. Leather is not bullet proof and good care can significantly extend the life of the suite.

We field calls every day from customers looking for good cleaners to clean and repair their suites so we understand that the need is there.

I for one certainly welcome this kind of discussion amongst the cleaners, not because it promotes courses but because we feel strongly about good quality care being available to the public once they have spent good money buying a piece of furniture. Obviously there are different levels of market in the leather furniture world as there are in the fabric side but I bet you don't distinguish between the two when it comes to upholstery cleaning, if a customer wants to have thier suite cleaned then I am sure you will do it to the best of your ability whatever the suite cost.

Any upholstery cleaners who do not add leather to their portfolio are missing out an an ever growing market and will only lose this section to those who are prepared to learn and to market this service with the right knowledge to back them up.

Regards

Judy
Title: Re: leather cleaning
Post by: cleaning co on February 01, 2006, 11:09:39 am: hang on min judy, dont come over giving your opions when i was not allowed to repond or make on your comments on cleantalk comy site >:(
p,s if u agree to disscussions then ask for my comments and opions to be reinstated on cleantalk which u hav a vested intrest
regards gary
Title: Re: leather cleaning
Post by: cleaning co on February 01, 2006, 11:24:26 am: u are also breaking the rules of this site by plugging your firm as u hav an intrest in making money out of these courses,leather cleaning etc thus u allso giv a biased opion on the subject, were as we are forming a independant opion,u are putting ideas in cleaners heads for purpose of making money out of them
with respect gary
Title: Re: leather cleaning
Post by: Art on February 01, 2006, 11:27:23 am: Gary,

I wish you would stop sitting on the fence ::) just say what you mean ;D ;D
Title: Re: leather cleaning
Post by: cleaning co on February 01, 2006, 11:33:11 am: lol well someones gotter stick up for us ;D
Title: Re: leather cleaning
Post by: LTT Leathercare on February 01, 2006, 11:38:38 am: I am always prepared to discuss topics and we give a lot of help and advice when needed. We are interested in helping all you guys make money at what you are good at already by adding another service to your work, don't knock us for the way we earn our money, all we want to do is help and to use the vast experience we have to help you and the consumer.

We are out on the road doing cleaning and repairs and all I am saying is that we know there is a huge demand for it it is all down to how you market your services.

Nick has the overall say on who or who does not post on his site and it was posted on his part of the site not mine.

I thought everyone has a vested inerest in making more money for their own business, now you have a way of doing it.

regards

Judy
Title: Re: leather cleaning
Post by: cleaning co on February 01, 2006, 11:51:29 am: "now we hav a way of doing it" well u going to say that arent u u charge £300 for showing us how maybe we can, not knocking u att all but il come to me own opion as to leather cleaning is viable or not and with the help of other exp cleaners on here
Title: Re: leather cleaning
Post by: therapist on February 01, 2006, 12:15:41 pm: Cl/co

what are you gibbering at. You are being given good advice from an acknowledged expert on an open forum and your questions are being answered honestly.

I've been cleaning leather for years, but am probably about to attend a course with a view to learning about repairs , which is a lot easier and better paid than cleaning

rob m
Title: Re: leather cleaning
Post by: cleaning co on February 01, 2006, 12:23:39 pm: lol nice one nick ;) and i know u can c this lol ;D
sad thing is ive been on that forum since the start and we allways were alowed to debate anything related to cleaning thats what is was about,shame u turned it into a huge shopping window for your firm were anything gets deleted if they go agaisnt a topic related to your bizz ie machines ,chems,traning courses in fact anything were it concerns u making money ,but hey your a bizz man and hav that right if u now own the site, just shame u had to do it on what was basc once a public forum,but like i said its not a forum any more just a place for u to plug and sell your wares, all the best gary 8)
Title: Re: leather cleaning
Post by: cleaning co on February 01, 2006, 12:30:34 pm: Quote from: therapist on February 01, 2006, 12:15:41 pm
Cl/co

what are you gibbering at. You are being given good advice from an acknowledged expert on an open forum and your questions are being answered honestly.

I've been cleaning leather for years, but am probably about to attend a course with a view to learning about repairs , which is a lot easier and better paid than cleaning

rob m gibbering cheeky so and so ;D my poll was started to gauge the responce to c if their really was a market good enough for leather cleaning not to be told there is by someone making money out of it, if u are getting calls for it then well done but lets c if other carpet and upholstery cleaners say in the poll yes ?
gary
Title: Re: leather cleaning
Post by: therapist on February 01, 2006, 12:33:16 pm: Waken up Gary

Nick is about 600 hundred miles from me and just as likely to cross swords with me, in fact I was probably one of the people who were blamed for upsetting the a / s group

you need to read more slowly and think about what's being said

rob m

no affiliations to anyone in the c/c business
Title: Re: leather cleaning
Post by: cleaning co on February 01, 2006, 12:38:49 pm: excuse me rob u need to read more carefully i was refering to LTT mate U NEED TO THINK BEFORE U REPLY ROB
REGARDS GARY
Title: Re: leather cleaning
Post by: Doug Holloway on February 01, 2006, 01:09:32 pm: Hi Guys,

I clean 2-3 leather suites a month and find a good repeat rate.

I haven't yet been on the course but spoke extensively to Judy and Andy at Carpex, the best stand in my view.

I'm still hoping they will hold a course in Essex/London .

Judy and Andy have both been helpful on many occaisions on Cleanitup.

While I understand your frustration Gary , I feel Judy is the wrong target , she is always helpful and friendly and I would trust her.I would be surprised if she would delete anything on a commercial basis.

Cheers

Doug
Title: Re: leather cleaning
Post by: scott. on February 01, 2006, 01:11:14 pm: most people..including me..took out insurance whilst purchasing the suite...which includes cleaning...for 5 years. might be why the market is slow...most upholstery courses cover leather cleaning...so whats all this £300 for a course nonsense ??? 2 products and a rag, thats what I say.
Title: Re: leather cleaning
Post by: cleaning co on February 01, 2006, 01:13:38 pm: fair comment doug, jesus i only wanted to see if people get a demand for leather cleaning lol ;D

lol got two lots of people on two forums debating the same topic at once supurb allways wondered if i could do this !! lol
Title: Re: leather cleaning
Post by: carpetclean on February 01, 2006, 02:08:34 pm: i for one am doing the leather course next week in farnham along with another c/c who has been at it years. i feel that the more strings we have the better the oppertunities. £300 slighlty more than that but what is that!?. looking through these pages it must be peanuts to what some peole say they earn on this forum . i am sure i will gain valuable experience and it will be down to me to market and find the work. we all know that leather is there to be cleaned as carpets are. cleaning carpets need selling too . far too many people do not realise the imporatance of regular cleaned carpets, almost everyone i have worked for have admitted that either its the first time in several years or its been 3 or 4 since the last clean. its down to me to convince them to clean them every year which i manage to do in most cases. it will be the same with leather . we dont get work handed to us on a plate unless you are extremely lucky
Title: Re: leather cleaning
Post by: LTT Leathercare on February 01, 2006, 02:15:30 pm: Scott

I am very surprised if any insurance/warranty would cover cleaning for 5 years I've certainly never come across one that does.

As leather is a natural product it is very unwise to say cleaning is as simple as 2 products and a rag. Firstly you have to understand the differences between the types of leather and then you have to understand how different products work on different types of leather and be sure the products you use actually work, as many on the market do not have any positive effect especially those that claim to be conditioners.

£300 is very good value compared to a claim against your insurance when things go wrong. We have helped many a cleaner (some of them with many years experience) out of trouble when he has thought he knew how to clean leather and has been sued by the customer because he was not aware of what he was dealing with and the damage he was doing with the wrong products.

Thank you for your comments Doug we do courses in Farnham you know, not too far away!!

Regards
Judy
Title: Re: leather cleaning
Post by: malcadele on February 01, 2006, 02:27:08 pm: Its about changing peoples(customers) perceptions!Leather does need cleaning and care and its up to us/you to market the service,I have done in Leeds and cant find enough hours in a day!
And before anyone asks I did attend an LTT course and will be eternally grateful!!!
Title: Re: leather cleaning
Post by: scott. on February 01, 2006, 03:42:53 pm: Judy
Lighten up..It was meant as a toungue in cheek comment...and yes, our insurance definately covers, in addition to any damage to the suite...an annual clean..It cost £200 for the 5 yrs..and was worth it...of course I know whats involved in leather cleaning..I aint dumb...as your tone would suggest.
Regards
Title: Re: leather cleaning
Post by: therapist on February 01, 2006, 06:29:02 pm: communication ::)
Title: Re: leather cleaning
Post by: craigp on February 01, 2006, 06:38:19 pm: very little enquiries with regard to leather cleaning, very little, which is strange as i know leather has become really popular, like laminate. personaly i have only cleaned a few and that was enough, couldnt stand the work! :(

now i say sorry we dont clean leather, but im sure the work would be there if you deadicated part of your leaflet or y/p ad to it, i dont think customers are aware its a c/c domain.

your welcome to it i say. ;D regards, craig
Title: Re: leather cleaning
Post by: scott. on February 01, 2006, 07:12:34 pm: Yeh..sod leather craig !!!!!!!!!!!
Caught my mrs cleaning ours with "pledge" one day...I tanned her hide :)
Title: Re: leather cleaning
Post by: stevegunn on February 01, 2006, 07:18:19 pm: Done two this week and one booked on Saturday.The key is advertising or seizing the opportunity when you are in the customers house letting them know you do leather ;)
Title: Re: leather cleaning
Post by: craigp on February 01, 2006, 07:34:39 pm: lol scott plege, ;Ddid you slowly slide down it when sat down! lol
Title: Re: leather cleaning
Post by: scott. on February 02, 2006, 07:55:46 am: yes I did ! cant believe her ! shes gotta go ;D
Title: Re: leather cleaning
Post by: Ian Rochester on February 02, 2006, 05:12:12 pm: Leather is a good string to have to your bow, I think you would struggle to make a living from just doing leather but when it's combined with the other cleaning it fits in nicely.

Craig says he can't stand cleaning leather, I love it, much easier and less messy that fabric.

I normally have a leather suite to clean or repair most weeks, though not every week.

Just did one this week (Mon) it had a 6" tear in the upper side cushion of a navy chair, right on the creases. I told the customer that I couldn't guarantee a perfect result, but it would be an interesting challange!

It was! Not perfect but quite satisfactory and a mighty challange, I even got a good colour match on the filler, took me just over two hours to repair, she was delighted. It then turned out that it was destined for one of her holiday cottages, she's got 12 of them!

So from that initial leather repair I have now arranged to clean the first two cottage carpets in 2 weeks time and then she wants to look at planning in the remainder as required. So all in all a good result which I may not have got if I didn't clean/ repair leather.
Title: Re: leather cleaning
Post by: COLIN BRIGHT on February 02, 2006, 11:43:58 pm: i done a lot of leather cleaning and at a minimum of £190 per suite it is well worth the cost of the training!
Title: Re: leather cleaning
Post by: carpetclean on February 03, 2006, 06:45:15 am: lionheart well done this is whats its all about to have as many strings as possible and grab the oppertunities that are out there
Title: Re: leather cleaning
Post by: Gavin Reardon on February 03, 2006, 07:48:41 am: HI All

I don't think the poll has the right questions! may be should have one like 5- 15 call's a month, which is what I get but some weeks I get none and others lots! ???

It is very good money in leather cleaning etc to be made with great results and no drying times, much easyer to sell protection for leather, it costs much less for us clean leather, today I am picking up a cheace for £900.13 for a job. £400 of which was for leather cleaning, that a chap who works for me did in a morning ;D when I was in Cornwall last week training.

May I say I did the leather course with the LLT last year and it was really good. I learn't loads and it has paid for its self over and over. £300 is nothing for what you learn. it is with out a dout the most hands on course I have been on and I have done a lot of what the industry has got to offer in the form of training, and Im still training 8) next one IICRC 1-2 March with the flood school ;D you can not put a price on training.

Regards Gavin
Title: Re: leather cleaning
Post by: scott. on February 03, 2006, 03:37:31 pm: Gavin

Quote
I am picking up a cheace for £900.13 for a job

Do you mean Cheese?

I can get it cheaper than that in ASDA !

I would demand cash in future ;D

Who was the job for? Dairylea :D :D

Sorry...couldnt resist that one
Title: Re: leather cleaning
Post by: Gavin Reardon on February 03, 2006, 08:04:02 pm: Scott

I hope your cleaning is as good as your spelling :P

Regards Gavin
Title: Re: leather cleaning
Post by: scott. on February 03, 2006, 08:56:04 pm: Gavin
My cleaning is crap! The worst in the home counties ;D
See...I'm not blowing my own trumpet..I'm proud to be on the bottom of the pile...got no competition that way 8)
Title: Re: leather cleaning
Post by: Ian Gourlay on February 03, 2006, 10:58:31 pm: Gary its good that you have raised this issue.

Perhaps we do not do enough to sell Leather Cleanig.

Looking at Web Sites including yours and mine I see a great deal on Carpet Cleaning methods Suite Cleaning but very little on Leather Cleaning techniqie.

Regretably i do not look in on Cleantalk as often as i ued to but i think the Leather Cleaning section is interesting.

I have only spoken to Judy once, i was tired after a frustrating dive to London and her stand was the first one I came too.

What i asked was why do most companies only cover Leather Cleaning in about half an hour on their training courses, come out with a load of mumbo jumbo like

Get customer out of room put on your mask, use this cleaner make a lot of noise with your machine, sit down read paper for half an hour show customer what a wonderful job you have done.

Thats how I was told to clean Leather, and the up pops

Judy and says its a lot more complicated than that.

Also customers are often advise to buy leather Cleaning kits by funiture shops.
Title: Re: leather cleaning
Post by: scott. on February 04, 2006, 11:28:54 am: Ian
True...prochem only covered it for about 5 mins, and to my knowlege only sell 2 related products for soft leather....makes you wonder.
Title: Re: leather cleaning
Post by: LTT Leathercare on February 04, 2006, 04:55:59 pm: Leather cleaning in itself is not difficult although it can be hard work if you want good results. The key to successful cleaning is knowing how the different leathers have been finished and which products can be used successfully on those finishes. The companies that have just 2 products are not taking into account all the different types of leathers and the associated problems.

Good training will major mainly on the means of leather identification and the problems that the different finishes create for cleaning purposes. Then the processes can be explained in a very straightforward way.

Good training companies will also provide very good back up for anyone they have trained so that if they do encounter problems they know who they can talk to.

Regards

Judy