Clean It Up
UK Floor Cleaning Forum => Carpet Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Mike Halliday on May 31, 2008, 06:24:36 pm
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how many on here clean carpets & especially suites that are not dirty, and it could be said they don't need cleaning
I'm finding more & more that I'm called into a home to survey a suite which I could clean and it wouldn't look any different. I always ask why do you think it needs cleaning? & could you show me where you think its dirty and I get various answer I'll just feel happier or we've had some building work done etc..etc
what do you do under these circumstances?, clean and charge full price, give a discount or tell them to wait 6months then call again
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Mike they are the best clients to have, I do a maintanace clean on then rather than a full clean and charge a cheeper price, but also see if I can schedual them for a clean again in 6 or 12 months.
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I wish every suite I go to quote is 15 years old , and when I give them the quote they look at me as if I have been messing about with there kiddies
John
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Dont get me wrong John, 99% of the suites I do are really bad, I have 6 to do on mon and tues for a hotel and they are trashed trashed.
Prochem Powerburst on them Maybe!!!.
Ok no I wouldn't use something as strong but these 6 are going to be pretty hard going.
Aidan
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i hate it when carpets or suites are not really dirty, i find myself apologising and making all sorts of excuses for the fact that you cant see a lot of difference before and after. give me a filthy carpet or suite any day, it really sells how good you are and makes me feel a lot better about my charges, it also bolsters my confidence in my abilities and equipment.
colin
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how many on here clean carpets & especially suites that are not dirty, and it could be said they don't need cleaning
Happens from time to time. In all seriousness my defences go up as I look for hidden cameras etc as per these consumer programmes.
I do ask why they want something cleaned that I consider clean but if they still want to go ahead then fine. It's all bases covered in what to expect of the results.
Ones to watch out for are those who say it's dirty when clearly it's not, because they are going to want to see a difference.
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You may not think they look much different, but I bet theres a difference once dry. I have some clients who call me every six months or so, not because the carpets look particularly dirty, but because they have a dog. They assume that visitors will smell 'DOG' although they cant as they have become immune to it. They always look better afterwards though.
Dave.
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Yes I get a lot like that.
There's not much point in debating it with the customer. All I do is tell them what if any difference to expect when it's done. Then allow them the opportunity to change their mind. You can point out that it's not dirty but in my experience most of this type just want it done because it hasn't been done for a while. A bit like washing yer kags, they don't look dirty but most people consider it unhygienic not to wash them after only a month or so. ;D
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Whats wrong with cleaning carpets or upholstery that dont 'appear' dirty? It doesnt mean that they are not starting to get dirty...
Keep something clean and it will always be clean is an old saying, and for good reason. As we all know, waiting too long can restrict the result desired so there is absolutely nothing wrong with this practice.
At the end of the day the client has called YOU in to carry out a clean and you are complying with that request. As has already been mentioned, some people just want things cleaned even if they havent used them much. Its nice when you get them so dont feel guilty just enjoy it.
I never forget talking to Paul Pearce once, and his philosophy is exactly this - he wont clean minging suites/carpets whatsoever. Although I dont know if this is because he is a couple of pounds overweight (only joking Paul ;D)
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I love these jobs, in my mind it balances out the really trashed ones that take you a lot longer than you
bargained for ;D
And the fact is if the customer wants it cleaned, theres no way i'm talking them out of it ;)
steve
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Often it can be for psychological reasons they want it cleaning.
Or it could simply by for health and hygiene reasons.
We all wipe down our kitchen surfaces for these reasons (we do, don't we?) and not because they are filthy.
Surely these are the best types of customer as they will want carpets and upholstery cleaned on a regular basis and repeat business is always cheaper to service than finding a constant new stream of customers.
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Hi Guys
I have been cleaning domestic since 1982 and in that time the carpets and upholstery I clean have become progressively cleaner.
It's partly because I have gone up market but also because people clean/replace more often.
It's also true of clothing years ago men used to change the collar on a shirt and wear it all week, now some people will change 3 times a day.
It makes sense to clean before the furnishings get too dirty allowing a gentler approach to be used.
Cheers
Doug
P.s just going to shower, never used to do daily when I was a kid, tin bath , once a week ;)
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P.s just going to shower, never used to do daily when I was a kid, tin bath , once a week ;)
Daily shower ??? - once a month whether I need it or not :)
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I always tell my customers it's not the dirt you see, but rather the dirt you cannot see
that causes damage to carpets and upholstery. my customers are programmed to keep
on top of the cleaning. thereby maintaining the appearance of items longer.
It doesn't mean i don't get mingers, i've had loads over the years, and many most cleaners would walk away
from, but they never leave it quite as long next time.
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We are always encouraging our commercial clients to clean and maintain their soft furnishings rather than trash them then HOPE for a good restoration clean. So why any different for the householder?
We also clean for health as well as appearance 8)
Safe and happy cleaning :)
Ken
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I also think there is a link between how dirty it is and how much you charge.
Like I said I rarely clean dirty suites, when I was 'cheap' I cleaned some real mingers, its like poor people can't afford regular cleaning, so wait until the suite is in disgusting condition.
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Whats wrong with cleaning carpets or upholstery that dont 'appear' dirty? It doesnt mean that they are not starting to get dirty...
Keep something clean and it will always be clean is an old saying, and for good reason. As we all know, waiting too long can restrict the result desired so there is absolutely nothing wrong with this practice.
At the end of the day the client has called YOU in to carry out a clean and you are complying with that request. As has already been mentioned, some people just want things cleaned even if they havent used them much. Its nice when you get them so dont feel guilty just enjoy it.
I never forget talking to Paul Pearce once, and his philosophy is exactly this - he wont clean minging suites/carpets whatsoever. Although I dont know if this is because he is a couple of pounds overweight (only joking Paul ;D)
Keep somthing clean and it will always stay clean
I like that I am going to use it in my next letter/ LEAFLET
Wish I could Turn down dirty carpets
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Mike
as your getting older your eyesight starts to deteriorate
hope this helps
Dave
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mike
i charge extra if the carpet is really dirty :o :o.......dont care what anyone else does.....if i have to work harder or use more chems.....why shouldnt i charge more. ???....not that i get greedy just an extra 10/20 per room. ;D
i explain this to the custy and they never complain, its not as if every room in the house is really dirty normally just lounge/dining area..
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I always clean and charge a little less, but not much of a discount.
I guess you could compare this with a mate of mine who always trades his car in every 2 years. I bet the showroom salesman does not try and persuade him to keep his old one as it still has two years free warranty on it :o More like he just rubs his hands with glee as he spots him walking in the door :D
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I have a Client who is getting a new lounge carpet and wants me to 'go over it' because of chemicals and is very sensitive to to them.
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Mike, clean at full price, no discount and come back again in 6 months time.
If you think about it everything needs cleaning almost every day. Especially carpets that harbor just about everything you can think of on a daily basis.
As Mike has said, a lot of clients want that service, a cleaning of a brand new carpet to get rid of the chemical smell. There is a syndrome where some people have an adverse effect to new carpets and either dont have carpeting or have them cleaned at installation.
At this point come back every 3 or 6 months and evrey one is happy.
Best, Dave.
P.S. An exceptional clean still leaves all sorts behind so again a carpet is never really clean.
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Dave
Do you get into maintainence plans in a big way or do you just ring every six months to book the job on.
Mark
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Mark, not really plans as most people use them. I either set up to clean every 3 or 6 months. Sometimes around how the clients may use their house for entertaining.
Some clients I will clean before and engagement and then also the day after. So could be twice in a couple of weeks or close too.
I try to keep away from scheduling work during the summer as I dont clean during that time. Accordingly I will be busy before and after the summer.
What I do do though is make sure that "they" know I am coming back at some point, 3 6 9 or 12 months, in a perfect world, all of the above.
Best, Dave.
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What I do do though is make sure that "they" know I am coming back at some point, 3 6 9 or 12 months, in a perfect world, all of the above.
Best, Dave.
My style of business to a "T". Couldn't agree more with you Dave.