Clean It Up

UK Floor Cleaning Forum => Carpet Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Richard Stevenson on May 09, 2015, 10:22:20 am

Title: domestic carpet cleaner
Post by: Richard Stevenson on May 09, 2015, 10:22:20 am
Hi all, i am looking for a carpet cleaning machine for my home, i don't want to spend anymore than i have to but want a decent job, i have been looking at the rug doctor, any advice would be appreciated.
Title: Re: domestic carpet cleaner
Post by: SimonW on May 09, 2015, 11:07:51 am
Are you f kidding me....
Title: Re: domestic carpet cleaner
Post by: stuart_clark on May 09, 2015, 11:59:24 am
To be fair Simon, there is a guy who has a very good and highly profitable business that used Rug doctors for many years,
he dosent come on here, but is a member of the NCCA and is Woolsafe approved ! He earns in exess of £80,000 pa I wont mention his name, but some of the guys on here know him well and is a very highly trained and motivated carpet cleaner business man
I wouldn't advocate using a rug doctor but everyone to his own, this guy bought a highly powerfull truckmount but sold it after a few months and went back to his rug doctors

Stuart
Title: Re: domestic carpet cleaner
Post by: Paul Clapham on May 09, 2015, 01:24:01 pm
Earns £80,000 PA ? or Turns Over £80,000 PA ? (  less VAT as he is over the threshold )  , huge  difference, and have you seen his accounts? or does he just tell you this ! 

Always take care  when  another business tells you they earn/turnover , ask to see there accounts to prove it !
Title: Re: domestic carpet cleaner
Post by: Robin Ray on May 09, 2015, 01:40:53 pm
There is no reason a good result cannot be obtained with a rug doctor. Most of the work in carpet cleaning is done in the preparation stage, ie, prevac, prespray and agitate. The final faze is just the rinse and extract. The Rug doctor has no hose so does not need a powerful motor and it also provides extra agitation. For a domestic property, for personal use it is the perfect machine. It is knowledge and correct use of chemicals which gets good results.

I don't have a Rug doctor but I have in the past used one and they are not that bad... for what they are.

You can earn far more than £80000 using a just buffing machine.
Title: Re: domestic carpet cleaner
Post by: stuart_clark on May 09, 2015, 02:01:20 pm
Paul

I have known this guy since 1997, I did the ncca two day course with him, he also uses dry fusion and has a rug plant cleaning operation, he is IICRC in all disciplines including fire and flood, he used to turn over £80,000 but that was fifteen years ago, judging by his set up I imagne its a lot more now

Stuart
Title: Re: domestic carpet cleaner
Post by: SimonW on May 09, 2015, 02:58:18 pm
Well I do apologise to owner of this thread but Stuarts post is great to have a decent discussion over here.
 Basically Stuart on every training I've done recently(Prochem and Cleansmart) it's been said at marketing point that you've to look professional. If you'll come to your customers with Rugdoctor what their thoughts may be? "I can do it/hire it myself!" Otherwise why the hell we are spending thousands quid on new storms, enforcers or w/e. ?
Title: Re: domestic carpet cleaner
Post by: derek west on May 09, 2015, 03:32:11 pm
You can keep a carpet clean with a rug doctor but it won't thoroughly clean a dirty carpet, hasn't got the flush capabilities or the suction to pull out the dirty water from deep in the carpet. yes i totally agree that 90% of the work is the prep, vac (if you must) prespray dwell agitation but with 40 psi and a small tank you'd fail to flush it all back out and before long the dirt, (deep in the carpet which is not reachable with a rug doctor) would soon be dirtying the carpet again as it wicks back up or gets walked back up over a few weeks/months. thats my thoughts, whether i'm right or wrong is dabateable but thats what i tell my customers.
Title: Re: domestic carpet cleaner
Post by: Robin Ray on May 09, 2015, 03:41:24 pm
I agree with you Derek but Richard  is looking for a machine to use in his own home.
Title: Re: domestic carpet cleaner
Post by: *Hector* on May 09, 2015, 04:23:24 pm
If you are looking for your own home, go for the Karcher puzzi 100, it will do all your own domestic needs... and is not too expensive if you buy second hand off flea bay.
Title: Re: domestic carpet cleaner
Post by: stuart_clark on May 09, 2015, 05:20:53 pm
I personally would never purchase a Rug Doctor but there again I wouldn't buy a truckmount either, The only point I was making its
Not just the equipment we use, its about training and experience
I would bet this guy earns a lot more and makes more proffit than half the carpet cleaners on this board with a high powered porty or a truckmount
Title: Re: domestic carpet cleaner
Post by: SimonW on May 09, 2015, 06:05:13 pm
I personally would never purchase a Rug Doctor but there again I wouldn't buy a truckmount either, The only point I was making its
Not just the equipment we use, its about training and experience
I would bet this guy earns a lot more and makes more proffit than half the carpet cleaners on this board with a high powered porty or a truckmount

Fully Agreed. Knowledge the most important thing.
Title: Re: domestic carpet cleaner
Post by: Carpet Dawg on May 09, 2015, 06:57:49 pm
you've got to laugh on here sometimes  :-X

why the "F" would he be BREAKING HIS BACK with a rug doctor when he is turning over £80k? I presume he gets to these jobs via peddle bike and uses a watering can for pre-spraying?

No rug doctors PANTS! If anyone tells you they do an ok job then they have no eye for detail.
Title: Re: domestic carpet cleaner
Post by: Carpet Dawg on May 09, 2015, 06:59:40 pm
knowledge is important but so is not being a thick c*** by using substandard equipment which is not fit for purpose.
Title: Re: domestic carpet cleaner
Post by: *Hector* on May 09, 2015, 07:11:09 pm
Don't hold back Tony...  ;)

say what you think please......... all this sitting on the fence will give you splinters..  :o


 ;D ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: domestic carpet cleaner
Post by: stuart_clark on May 09, 2015, 10:01:03 pm
Did I mention they were comercial rug doctors ?
Title: Re: domestic carpet cleaner
Post by: Robin Ray on May 10, 2015, 10:22:55 am
The guy who started this thread wants a machine to clean his own house!

For that purpose he only needs something like a Rug Doctor

He would be better off with a Storm, Enforcer, Prochem Blazer or even a Titan however all he really needs is a Rug Doctor, Karcher, Etc.........

On the other hand using a Rug Doctor professionally is like like tying your arms behind your back and cleaning the carpets using your teeth, More difficult but not impossible...
Title: Re: domestic carpet cleaner
Post by: from edge2edge on May 11, 2015, 08:54:04 am
Try a numatic cdt902..........................I used to hire these out and lots of customers did excellent jobs with them as they have quite good suction...................Alan(Swindon)
Title: Re: domestic carpet cleaner
Post by: *Hector* on May 11, 2015, 09:14:09 am
So it boils down to a choice between:
Karcher Puzzi 100 or derivative of...
numatic cdt902 ( I had forgotten about that one)
or
Rug doctor.

I would personally go for either of the first 2 if it was for home use only..
RD only as a last choice....
Title: Re: domestic carpet cleaner
Post by: Radek Jablonski on May 11, 2015, 09:32:51 am
or a little numatic george, buy new and look after used sebo duo, low powered extractor with good agitation will give better results then extractor only.
i guess your caroets are not mingers and will be regulary cleaned

get the sample pack from worldofclean so you will have a lot and for years

do not buy used extractors mostly puzzi as karcher spare parts are expensive
Title: Re: domestic carpet cleaner
Post by: C o z y on May 12, 2015, 09:41:16 am
Not EVER going to recommend a Kärcher for anything!! Spares and reliability on new machines is rubbish and very expensive.

Good enough for " bodge it and scarper " merchants like Hector though.  :D
Title: Re: domestic carpet cleaner
Post by: *Hector* on May 12, 2015, 11:07:25 am
Oy yer Scouse git I resemble resent that...  ;)
Title: Re: domestic carpet cleaner
Post by: Carpet Dawg on May 12, 2015, 07:20:44 pm
how about a second hand steam pro from prochem or a ninja? and a gradi groomer for agitation.

They are small enough to store in your garage. Just make sure you run fresh water through the pump and leave the waste tank open after use since you'll only use it a couple of times a year.

A million times better than puzi or rd's. You can get a second hand steam pro for about £600 - £800.  A rug doctor is about £600 new.



Title: Re: domestic carpet cleaner
Post by: Carpet Dawg on May 12, 2015, 07:21:54 pm
anyway I think the OP has given up on the idea  ;D
Title: Re: domestic carpet cleaner
Post by: peter maybury on May 12, 2015, 09:27:23 pm
If you have the volume of work to achieve a turnover of £80,000 who in their right mind would use a machine the takes 3 or 4 times as long as a proper piece of equipment. I started with things like rug doctors 30 years ago after my very first training course I was taught that there were far better quicker machines  I just had to move on. I cannot sell something unless I have the confidence in it and after my first training course  and the realisation of  how crap they are I had to buy better equipment.
This realisation took about 3 months. 
I think when people say how well they are doing you need to for the evidence  to back up what they are saying. Anybody with professsional pride want to evolve and improve productivity results and just stay up to date with progression.
Peter
Title: Re: domestic carpet cleaner
Post by: peter maybury on May 12, 2015, 10:43:14 pm
If you have the volume of work to achieve a turnover of £80,000 who in their right mind would use a machine the takes 3 or 4 times as long as a proper piece of equipment. I started with things like rug doctors 30 years ago after my very first training course I was taught that there were far better quicker machines  I just had to move on. I cannot sell something unless I have the confidence in it and after my first training course  and the realisation of  how crap they are I had to buy better equipment.
This realisation took about 3 months. 
I think when people say how well they are doing you need to for the evidence  to back up what they are saying. Anybody with professsional pride want to evolve and improve productivity results and just stay up to date with progression.
Peter