Clean It Up
UK Floor Cleaning Forum => Carpet Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: daysdeepclean on December 04, 2008, 07:46:25 pm
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I'm adding stain protection to my services once I've been to Hydramaster to learn what to do and buy the appropriate gear. Has anyone ever tried offering this service through a local carpet retailer or approached the likes of George Wimpey/Bryant Homes to offer stain protection for the new builds carpets for their customers to purchase?
I've had quite a few custys asking about stain guarding their carpets and sofas lately, but I didn't want to just say yes, buy the wrong/cheapo sprayer and turn up without a clue about what I was actually doing.
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The process is very simple the knowledge is what you need, just make sure that the item just cleaned has a ph of 6 as the protector won't adhere also allow extra for drying time so if you don't do already take in turbo driers and tell customers not to touch it until it's dry.
Shaun
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Thank you Shaun. Am I right in thinking that unless the carpet is brand spanking new, it will have to be cleaned first? Then the protector put on whilst the carpet is still slightly damp?
Col...
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No point of protecting a dirty carpet also there will be no bonding with soil and flourocarbon which is the ingredients of most protectors.
I got asked to protect a carpet that was 3 months old and I said it was no good it would need cleaning first as it wouldn't take, the customer thought I was having a laugh but the more I spoke to her the more she understood and had the carpet cleaned and protected.
Think of it as you wouldn't respray a 3 month old car without washing it first even if it had been left in a showroom, albeit I had to charge her a 'mild clean' ie vac sprayed MS aggitated with rake and rinsed with AR, turbo dried but was moist and then applied protector, raked applied protector and then left with money.
Shaun
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We've done a big push on stain protection throughout November and doing it again for December, the response has been excellent with at least one job a day, often more having a protection applied.
We work with a carpet centre and we often apply stain protection to new carpets fitted by them, they charges the client X then we invoice them.
Everyone happy.
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That makes perfect sense, best to ask though. We're moving into a new house you see with brand new carpets and I wanted to get in there and protect them before we moved in. I'll wait until the carpets need a clean I think (After a week probably with 3 choclit munchin' kids, 2 dogs and 2 cats....)
I did work for a bloke a few years ago and did some stain protection jobs with him.... But I was never convinced we were doing it quite right!
Thanks again Shaun for your good advice!
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I had a carpet and a suite to protect today and that was an extra few quid :)
Must say have not had a lot of protection latley ::)
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Providing that you
a. apply it correctly
b. believe in it as a good but not fool product
c. attempt to sell it
You can add a considerable amount to your wage, I know of a cc in Northampton who sells it on 8/10 jobs at £125 a suite and £3 a metre on carpets with 1 van.If you don't ask you don't get.
Shaun
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I use scotchgard, but the recommended drying times of 6 - 12 hours puts a lot of people off at the time of cleaning, they then want to re-arrange a future date to have protection when the property will be empty for a long period.
The instructions state that it can be applied to damp or dry carpets, do you think it bonds less effectively to a dry carpet?
Paul
P.S.
I cleaned a carpert yesterday that had never been cleaned, though she did have it scotchgarded when first put down, it had been down for 8 years and it was surprisingly clean. I noticed when cleaning the carpet where the sofas had been the water was still beading up and sitting on the surface so like Shaun says have belief in the product yourself, get a couple of off cuts of carpet and treat one, that way you can give your customers a visual demonstration.
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I reckon you will need more if applied to a dry carpet.
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I would mix it more concentrated and put less down as a mixed product, ie
If it says apply 1 part SG to 4 parts water ( equalling 5 litres total) to cover 20 metres you can put 1 part sg to 2 parts water ( equalling 3 litres total) and apply the same area, water is the carrier but it is teh product you want in the carpet.
Shaun
PS Don't apply neat!!
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Hi
Are there any decent Protector Courses?
Dave
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Hi
Are there any decent Protector Courses?
Dave
I've been searching everywhere and can't find such a course... I told Hydramaster I wanted to apply their protector and they said they'd sell the stuff and sprayer "and" they will show me how exactly how to use it.... I trust that whatever advice and istruction they give, it'll be invaluable....
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I'm sure Alltec do one and SolutionsUK also.
Shaun
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I think I might stick to something "in-house" so to speak!
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All good companies will show you how to use their products, why wouldn't they?
Hydramaster are an excellent company to deal with, if you like what they say just go there end of, there's some great training around if you have a good experience with a company then stick with them if they are offering what you want.
Shaun
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Colin
we offer a free room of stain protection and people just don't care. one big reason is that they want the carpet dry as soon as possible as they think that it well be wet and not usable and they want to use the room asap. we know that this is not so with just cleaning a carpet, but put down stain protection and they will have to keep off.
Don't worry about training I went on one of the very first 3M ones many years ago. and the basic thing is as shaun has said only ever put it on clean carpets. and with upholstery use a solvent based one. we use cans.
Up-selling this service can leave a bad taste in the customers month as they may feel that the next day that it was money that they should not have spent. buyers remorse they call it. and you might not a call next time around.
one other thing is that its not bullet proof and if they spend out on this protection and they as many people do dont clean the spill up when it happens and it turns into a stain, how will they feel about the money they spent?
we offer free emergency spillage call-out to all our customers. So if its a big spill or one that they cant deal with they know they can call on us. this way they never end up with a stain on a protected carpet.
having said that many carpet cleaners dont have any of the issues above. its up to you.
Respect
Ian Harper
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Thank you Ian, that's certainly food for thought!
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Ian's idea of the free call out is great as it captures customers and locks them in offering value but the other way of selling protector is to 'subliminally' put it in their faces by having printed items on your van and leaflets and literature etc etc so they ask the question "how much is it to protecting my carpet", the reversal of buyers remorse happens as the customer thinks they are pretty chuffed that they have seized the opportunity to ask.
2 different wys of looking at protector.
Shaun
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I dont apply protector for the reasons Ian has mentioned and ive no confidence in it as ive never experimented with it. Although Im open to change.
What protectors do you use and on average how much does the product cost for 200sqft and for a suite 3-1-1.
thanks
Mark
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Stainguard: suite £7-10, 200 sqft carpet £5-6