Clean It Up
UK Floor Cleaning Forum => Carpet Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Mike Halliday on October 16, 2016, 08:00:51 am
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Anyone refuse to attempt stain removal on new or nearly new carpets?
I've done 2 jobs over the last 3 weeks where the carpet has been almost new, both stains were bad, I got them out but left slight pile damage/distortions, I warned the customer that no matter what I did their would be evidence that something had occurred at the area of the stain. Both times the customer was slightly unhappy about the appearance left.
I'm starting to think it's not worth the hassle and the time it took I could have made more money doing an easy carpet cleaning job
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Don't beat yourself up Mike...you didn't cause the stain!
There is always a claim on the House Insurance for them to consider...with all that goes with it...the Insurance Company's first option usually is to send one of their recommended cleaners out who will often fair no better than you.
REMEMBER (but you won't need the reminder Mike).. the stain belongs to the customer...any secondary damage is down to the cleaning technician...as my old mate Tony Abbott used to say (and still does) 'Good I am, God I am not'
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My only claim in 27 yrs was from such a job. Son had been working on car then walked over new wool Wilton carpet , leaving a number of oily footmarks. Explained how you had to so careful as pile can distort so just dab gently with citrus gel followed by rinse extract. All marks were successfully removed.
Called back next day not happy as there was slight piling. Took a spare piece of carpet away to do some tests. No matter how careful you were piling occurred. This could be removed in my opinion with a twin blade razor gently run over surface.
Not happy the customer threatened court for replacement, got another franchise company to write report stating I had used excessive force in removing oil causing piling.
Suggested she claim off her home insurance as I didn't walk the oil in but she refused ( turns out she had just got this carpet off the insurance)
Even sent a sample to Dr Eric Brown at cleaning research international. They concluded that any attempt to remove would result in piling.
My insurance said they would take it through court or just pay up as it would probably side with the consumer.
I decided not to risk bad publicity and to put it behind me and move ahead so insurance paid out £2500.
To add insult to injury she went on holiday when paid out, carpet stayed down, she moved house and I cleaned the carpet a number of times for the next owner.
Could you see where I had removed the oily footprints - Not a bit !!
So would I remove stains / marks from a new wool carpet - No !!
Be warned.
That was 15 yrs ago- nightmare.
Mike
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That's terrible - why did they pay her out instead of replacing the carpet? If it was already new i would of thought instead of paying out they would of replaced
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Your'e always on a loser with new carpets as the moment you touch them they are never going to look like they did when they were new..... and thats what they want......
I must admit I try to advise them down a different route these days, not worth the time and agony of it all.......
Steve
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I even hate cleaning new wool carpets or any carpet that obviously is not dirty.
I often will clean a home before new owners move in or people who are decorating and think it's an ideal time to clean the carpets while the furniture is out of the room........ when the carpets don't show any signs of dirt.
Even suites, did one this week which was like new but they had decorated and thought they would get it done.
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i would tell them to claim..i dont need the hassle