Clean It Up
UK Floor Cleaning Forum => Carpet Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: ant1975 on September 03, 2008, 08:58:55 pm
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Hi all,
I am starting up on my own and would like some recomendations on what cleaner is good value for money? i would like to do curtains and rugs as well as carpets etc so any ideas would be much appreciated.
Cheers
Ant
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If you fill in your personal details you may get a better response, have you done any training courses yet?
mark
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Hi Mark thanks for advice, not done training yet got a few days end of month.
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Which course are you going on?
Mark
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A Prochem one as that is what i was advised to get?!!
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The prochem course is a decent start imo, you will get loads of products thrown at you on this course they do use these courses as a bit of a sales pitch, although they do cover the basics of carpet cleaning very well.
I would recommend you get some Pureclean, this is one of the safest products available, and is ok to use on all carpet types. you can also use this product on upholstery.
I would get a spotting kit, some high ph carpet pre-spray (multipro) and some fabric and fibre rinse.
These products would be suffice to complete 99% of jobs that you are likely to face.
You dont need to spend thousands on chemicals, most of them you would never use, you can buy the problem sorters as you need them.
Machine wise if you get a Prochem machine you want a steempro powermax or Powerplus, there is loads of second hand ones about at the moment. If you want a new machine try www.olympiccleaning.com you get free uk del, with a £500 saving on list price.
However
Mark
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Not yet no, the one i was suggested is a bit like a Rug doctor are they any good do you know? i have hired a rug doctor before i know they are good this is twice the price though and the spec seems pretty much the same?
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Im not sure which machine you mean, maybe the Galaxy?
Mark
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Hi,
Its the five star upright its on the link you just sent me to.
Ant
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Or right i know wat you mean now, steer clear of these they are no good for domestic work. Look at steempro 2000 range, powermax or powerplus stay away from the powerflo as it only has a single vac.
take a look on ebay im sure there is a few on at the moment, good luck
Mark
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Ok thanks a lot for your help. Dont suppose you could give me some ideas on pricing for customers to could you?
Sorry to be a pain.
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Fill in your e-mail address and i will send you some info accross, pricing has been and is one of the main talked about topics on this forum take time to go back through the last months topics, im sure you will find some interesting stuff.
basically we all charge different rates so its quite a difficult question to answer, i aim for £45 per hour maybe working 5 hours per day Mon-Thurs, but thats after 10 years in the game.
Mark
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Hi mate,
Thanks my email is ant_hulse@hotmail.com
regards
Ant
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Ant,
you should have e-book now. This 60 page guide covers all the basic aspects of carpet cleaning in detail, there is a leaflet, risk assessments, letters to businesses, pubs, clubs nursing homes etc, feel free to change the personal details and print off and give them a try, we have success with them.
Let me know what you think of it!
Mark
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Hi Mark,
The email you send me did not have the e-book attached!
Sorry
Ant
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I sent again, make sure you make a note of the password colour280978 so that you can access all areas of the book
Mark
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When are you doing your course ant?
Prochem is a decent one to go on so good luck mate :)
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Why not see if someone local to you on this Forum will take you out for a couple of days to get a feel for the business. May be able to show you the specification you will need to carry out carpet/upholsery/curtain cleaning. Good Luck!
Gary
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Mark is there any chance of a copy of your ebook Im just starting out
and could do with the help.
cheers ryan.
PS best of luck ant
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Hi Mark!
Me too please if that's not being to cheeky mate. craig1974@blueyonder.co.uk
thanks a bunch.
craig
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Hi all,
I am starting up on my own and would like some recomendations on what cleaner is good value for money? i would like to do curtains and rugs as well as carpets etc so any ideas would be much appreciated.
Cheers
Ant
Going back to the original thread...
Ant, you want to do carpets, rugs, and curtains.
The curtains are different to carpets and rugs. You can buy c/c machines that have a dry solvent side to them, but a lot of c/c who have bought them have not used the facility a great deal. There are other ways to clean curtains without dry cleaning solvents (including take them off to a dry cleaners and add a harge to customer).
I reckon most c/c have not seriously touched curtains (if I am wrong there will be a response and that will be good).
Now if you had said you want to do carpets, rugs and uhholstery - that is what carpet cleaning machines do... and that what most c/c do.
So whats a good machine?
Well a Bex Bissell, or a Vax, or a Rug Doctor will clean carpets to some lesser or greater degree.
For a long time I cleaned carpets with a Numatic CTD machine which cost about £600 16 year ago, still made and cost about the same today!
Yes I cleaned carpets, but it was hard work cause I wanted the best for the client with the equipment I had.
As a main machine I wouldnot recommend any of the above.
In my opinion (IMO) one needs, 2 - 3 stage vac motors, and a pump say 300psi or above, and some heat source - either in-line or "in the tub", bit like an immersion heater. A good supply of customers hot tap water will suffice, mostly but not always available.
You will also need about 50' of both suction and solution hose so you can do the upstairs of a normal 3 bed house from downstairs.
What budget do you have to spend???
Arguably the most powerful portable machine on the uk market is a Scorpion which has 3 - 3 stage vacs, 500psi pump and runs 2" hose (most others have 1.5" hose). £2500+vat plus hoses wand hand tool etc.
A lot of the high quality machines are around this price, perhaps a bit less in some cases.
Ninja, Prochem, Speedster, Hydramaster and others are the other top players.
On Ebay there are some good machines, new, going for less then a £1000 plus VAt.
You need to know your budget cause machine is not the end.
You need the tools, cleaning fluids, carpet sprayers, carpet brush/rakes, good vac cleaner, advertising inc website,insurance and of course training, then a vehicle, the list could go on.
If you are really flushed then consider a truckmount, these are more powerful then portables and start at about £5600 +vat and go up to £20k and beyond - plus the vehicle.
If you are serious about c/c then this could be the way to go cause they will last, but its a big investment so you hve to really think about iit seriously.
Then there are other forms of carpet cleaning like low moisture (rotary machine) and very low moisture machines (counter rotating brushes etc). More investment, but these are a consideration probably to complement the main machine which I consider to be a hot water extraction type.
Hope this has helped.
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I would also appreciate a copy of that ebook too if you don't mind.
Thanks, the company email is sas.cleaning@btinternet.com
Many thanks,
Jonathan
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I have sent the e-book out to everyone that has requested one,let me know what you think!
Hope it helps ;)
Mark
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Quick suggestion, Mark.... if you're freely sharing this file, it might save you loads of time and hassle to upload it to something like rapidshare.com and post the link :)
Or if it's a pdf and not too big you can attach it to a post on here i think
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Thanks Mark
Read the guide very good will need to read it a few times to get it in
my head Ive got some sales experience so can appreciate the branding
and making it personnel as people buy from people.
Ant
I was offered that machine too if its close to you go for a demo
am sure I seen a post that it needs regular servicing would check
that first if your not close to a dealer might be a hassle.
Ryan
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people buy from people they like
Best piece of advice ever given to me :)
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can i have a copy of your ebook mate.
keithglass@talktalk.net.
thanks mate
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Mark
I'd really appreciate a copy of the e-book.
fthom@refreshcarpetcleaning.co.uk
Many thanks
Fraser
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Hi Mark
Could i please respectfully ask for a copy of this e-book as well. My address is below.
Thank's in advance
spotonnumberone@hotmail.co.uk
Dave
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;D ;D ;D your going wish you never mentioned the ebook this will go on and on for months!! your doomed ;D ;D
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Like to take a look Mark
info@shannocleaning.co.uk
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www.rapidshare.com is looking more and more like a good idea ;D
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Hi Ant
This ones gone off on a tangent! Training is important but so is buying the right equipment! Get it wrong now and you will regret it until you buy your next machine.
What sort of budget do you have?
Always buy a 'professional' machine, as far as I am concerned anything you see on the shopping channels isn't professional! imagine walking into a custards home to do a job with a vax and they pull exactly the same machine from under the stairs!!!!!!
Also, what products are you planning to use as there is more to carpet cleaning than just and extraction machine. You will need spotting kit, cleaning agents, agitation divices, consumables, sprayers etc.. the list can be quite long.
There are a number of manufacturers out there, all offering great machines and products, Prochem, Alltec, Soluctions etc. Shop around and compare technical specs and capacity, the first machine I bought was a steampro 2000, 25lt capacity... having to fill it up every couple of rooms!
I would suggest that you DON'T buy a starters kit... I still have chemicals in my garage from my starters kit! Just buy what you need and haggle!
Did you manage to get to the hydramaster dirty weekend recently?
Alltec have an open day on the 26th & 27th September where you can go along and chat with them and have a play with some equipment etc. (www.alltec.co.uk)
As to how much do we charge, everyone charges different, I aim for £600 per day 6 days a week, but there is more to it than that! I would not get anywhere near that if I was cleaning council houses! so its all down to your target market, council houses are at the lower end, big houses are at the higher end - don't turn up to a big house with a vax machine!!! Match your price per square foot to your target market, I do low end, but only if they pay my high end price.
Most of us start off trying to do things on the cheap, this industry is notoriously cheap to get into, 2 days training and your a 'professional carpet cleaner'... scary! Loos at some of the marketing packages that are out there, these will help you make a lot of money if you use them properly.
Hope this helps!
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Hi,
Thanks for the great advice! im not sure on budget to be honest as little as poss really but still a good quality machine and accessories. Is there any you can suggest that i could pic up for a good price? if so where from?
Like you say i have got to go and do a few days training first so that i know what i am doing!!
Thanks again for the advice.
Hopfully i will be earning like you one day!
Regards
Ant
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Any chance of a look at that e book please Mark? info@hydropowerclean.co.uk
cheers Ryan :)
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Hi Ryan,
You should have it now ;)
Mark
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cheers Mark your a gent,but the carpet cleaning guide needs a password and colour280978 isnt working ???
Ryan
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Ryan,
clean280978 in lower case.
Hope this helps.
Mark
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I like a good read please can I have a copy?
shaun_ashmore@lineone.net
Shaun
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Shaun,
You should have it now mate.
Mark
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Mark
Would not mind a look please either :)
c_neylan@hotmail.co.uk
Cheers clinton
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Clinton,
Should be with you now ;)
Mark
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Thankyou Mark, that's kind of you.
Shaun
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Yes that worked mark cheers :)
Ryan
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Shaun,
Please feel free to upload onto the forum if you know how, i purchased this guide on ebay ages ago. It may help some members in some way or another especially the newbies.
Mark
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Thanks for that mark thats really helpfull of you mate :)
Cheers clinton
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No Probs ;)
Mark
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Hi Mark
If it's not possible for Shaun to upload it would you be kind enough to send me a copy as well?
Many thanks in advance.
Roger
roger@doctorcarpet.co.uk
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Sent now Roger. ;)
mark
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Et moi s'il vous plait, Mark.
Can never read enough in this game.
John
jmdtcs07@sky.com
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Ant, have a look at the Stimvak range too.
The Maestro's a good one.
50l solution tank 45l waste tank I think.
Built in heaters and can be used with up to 75ft of hose.
Vac and pump housing is above and seperate from the tanks so well clear of the water and very easy to work on.
That and some Prochem chemicals should set you on the way.
Only my opinion of course.
Leave curtains well alone until your more cofident.
I won't touch them now unless it's to take them for dry cleaning with a charge for doing it.
Even then they can come back from dry cleaning with some suprises??
John
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I had a Stimvak Maestro couple years ago as a backup machine.
With the electrics sat on top it really was easy access to them.
Its a bit pricy though by todays standard of machine.
and 100psi
cleans carpets though, but it is too dear IMO. Just been o website and its £2100 + vat discounted to £1900
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Yes looking at getting a Scorpion.
Is the heat exchanger an optional extra and if so how does it work.
Can't understan why they can't be in built like the Maestro.
Maestro's a bit noisy as well, even the new ones apparently.
John
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Hi John
Heat exchanger is an optional extra. Costs about £475+vat
Mine is a twin chamber with 2 separate switches. Just one plug.
Benefit of external heater is it can be "plumbed" in close to the wand on long runs of hose so to keep the heat up. Literally it plumbs into the solution feed hose - dead easy - just another connection.
It is an extra and many Scorpion owners dont have one as they rely on heat in the tap water if they want heat - and many are happy to do cold water rinse and thats how they work and get good results.
There are cleaning fluids on the market that work better with cold water rinses then other fluids.
I use the heater sometimes but, like today I was in a small flat and I just used what heat was in the taps.
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;D ;D ;D ;D Me am not just a GOOD carpet cleaner am a great carpet cleaner ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
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Joe
Compared to the Scorpion it's cheap as it has a built in heat exchanger and everything runs off one cable.
Scorpion as the pressure as it's advantage.
Pressure v Heat??
Probably pressure wins can supply the heat from most domestic taps.
John
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Its not so much the extra pressure available, although as someone suggested pressure is agitation.
The Scorpion runs on 2" hoses and the 3 vac motors in parallel produce good air flow.
Cleaning is easier and quicker.
If you do you use high pressure for its advantages, you gotta get that water out of the carpet.
Drying times can be very good with the Scorpion.
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Mark
Thanks for the email and attachments. Much appreciated.
Roger
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John Bolton said that he knew of a CC that had a scorpion with 2.5" vac hose but I think he was joshing because my Boxxer 421 wasn't that brilliant with it although my 427 revels with it.
Shaun
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:)
Any chance of a copy Mark.
John
jmdtcs07@sky.com