Clean It Up
UK Floor Cleaning Forum => Carpet Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: lcwalker on October 15, 2009, 11:45:50 pm
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Hi newbie here, im thinking of adding carpet cleaning to my current domestic services business that includes gardening,window cleaning and painting.But where do i start as it wont be a full time thing so i dont want to spend silly money out on a carpet cleaning machine, i just need one that will do a good job and it doesn't have to be new a used machine would be fine. But i dont really know what im looking for so i thought id join this forum as there must be alot of people with alot of experiance of this kind of thing so any help will be great thanks luke
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Hope you don't mind me asking BUT you seem to offer a variety of services.....so it begs the question, are they not bringing in enough work ???
I only do domestic and light commercial general cleaning and yet i'm flat out at the moment.
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Hi i see your point the thing is ive been mainly gardening for about 8 years i do offer the other services but dont do much of that, to be honest ive got a bit fed up of the gardening but dont want to give it up totally, idealy i would like a variation of these services.Also there isn't a great deal of gardening work in the winter so i do need something indoors.
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Unless you're going to throw a lot of weight and money into Carpet Cleaning, you'd do the industry no favours turning up with poor equipment and doing an inadequate job. Training is paramount or at least, a substantial ammount of experience with another qualified carpet cleaner....
I used to think along the lines of having loads of ad ons, and indeed I do have oven cleaning to fall back on in quiet periods of carpet/upholstery work. But I looked closly to what equipment I would really require to do a professional job and I know that if I turned up to cut someone's grass with a £40 Flymo, they'd tell me to sod off.... It's pretty much the same with any industry....
Imagine a paramedic turning up with a £9.99 DIY First Aid Kit, or a plumber turning up with a Fisher Price tool kit!
You have made a step in the right direction by coming on here and I wish you good luck.
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As i dont have experiance atall, is carpet cleaning that hard to do with a quality machine? what are the potential problems that could arise?.Like you said i agree on the lines that regarding equipment for my gardening i have good quality gear,what sort of money in you opinion would i need to spend on a decent carpet cleaner? and what are decent cleaners? if someone could give me some rough figures it will be a great help deciding what way to go thanks for the adivce i have had up to now.
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A good used machine will be around a £1000. You may find cheaper, ebay and the for sale section here are good places to start but keep looking as often they pop up and are sold before you know it. Look for Prochem, Ashby's, CFR or perfect heat, Alltec.Try this link http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=82218.0 for an alternative. You will need a twin vac machine with at least a 100/135psi pump. The machine is not the be all and end all however, low priced new machines lack serious power and could lead to overwetting.
There are things to look out for, it can be hard graft but is rewarding but I echo Colin's suggestion training is really important and should be first on your list before you clean a customers carpet. It's not difficult but you should be aware of what's waiting for you, I can cut grass but have no idea what a weed or plant would look like, you have knowledge I don't, your gardening is simple to you now but there are basics you would of needed to know. Carpet cleaning is the same so give yourself a chance. Alltec, Cleansmart and Prochem etc all offer training as does the National Carpet Cleaners Association (NCCA).
Have a good read around the forum, there is lots of advice, just spend an hour or two clicking the topics, there is a few with questions from others starting out and are well worth a look.
Good luck.
Simon
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JAck of all MAster Of Non...... ::) :o
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Hope you don't mind me asking BUT you seem to offer a variety of services.....so it begs the question, are they not bringing in enough work ???
I only do domestic and light commercial general cleaning and yet i'm flat out at the moment.
how do you advertise?
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Thanks for all your help.I think my main problem has been advertising and being caught in 2 minds what really to do.I do, do some window cleaning so im in 2 minds whether to put my efforts in to that and put the carpet thing on hold for a while.But as some of you have said and i agree i think i need to get out and advertise more.thanks
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Hope you don't mind me asking BUT you seem to offer a variety of services.....so it begs the question, are they not bringing in enough work ???
I only do domestic and light commercial general cleaning and yet i'm flat out at the moment.
how do you advertise?
At the moment i don't. When we had staff then we'd advertise mainly in local trade directories (the sort that go out 2 or 3 times a year and people stick them to the fridge) as we found that it worked very well for us. But even then it was mostly word of mouth. At the moment all our work is word of mouth now that there are only 2 of us doing the work, we don't need to advertise like we did.
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I know a few gardeners who are always busy in the winter months. Or do you just cut grass?
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I know a few gardeners who are always busy in the winter months. Or do you just cut grass?
Yes i mainly cut grass, strimming and i do hedges, Hedges are what i mostly get in the winter.
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It doesn't matter what service you do if you dont advertise right and keep at it, you will fail whatever service you take on.
Im a window cleaner, and i have plenty of work because im specialised in one trade and push the advertising with repeat one off work (1 or 2 times a year stuff) or regular work, glass restoration, CCU's etc.
If i wanted i could add gardening or CC on to my services, but i dont see the need. I dont want to either.
Basically if you dont promote and advertise your services well, look the part and charge cheap silly prices you will never get enough work - people will just look at you from a height, and wont be willing to pay more money!
Charge well, do a great job, and look the part. Advertise well and increase the prices.
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Icwalker:
Can I ask how you would go about cleaning a Belgian Wilton with your new machine?.
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Icwalker,
If you're serious about becoming a carpet cleaner then you must realise one thing. There are so-called carpet cleaners, people who just buy any old machine and set themselves up as carpet cleaners without any training, knowledge or skills and there are professional carpet cleaners, serious people who get all of the proper training and equipment and are intent on delivering high quality carpet cleaning to their customers. If you are intending to offer carpet cleaning to your existing customers from the other services you do then you had better get it right otherwise not only will you lose them as carpet cleaning customers but as gardening, painting and window cleaning customers too when you do what most so-called carpet cleaners do - generate a trail of disgruntled customers who wish they'd never trusted you.
Simon
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Hi is a Shuttle Series 4000 Hot Water Carpet Cleaning twin vac 135psi anygood?.
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Icwalker,
If you're serious about becoming a carpet cleaner then you must realise one thing. There are so-called carpet cleaners, people who just buy any old machine and set themselves up as carpet cleaners without any training, knowledge or skills and there are professional carpet cleaners, serious people who get all of the proper training and equipment and are intent on delivering high quality carpet cleaning to their customers. If you are intending to offer carpet cleaning to your existing customers from the other services you do then you had better get it right otherwise not only will you lose them as carpet cleaning customers but as gardening, painting and window cleaning customers too when you do what most so-called carpet cleaners do - generate a trail of disgruntled customers who wish they'd never trusted you.
Simon
I take your point and agree to a point, but training and a top quality machine will all cost a lot of money which i dont have, quite alot of my gardening gear is older stuff i have picked up on ebay and papers and that has all served me well.Also what ever job i take on and do i do it as it's my own, i have quite high standards and belive if i finish a job and happy with it myself the customer will be happy, it's like with anyone you can only do your best.Thats why ive come on here for advice and there has been a great deal of help,but has every carpet cleaner on here had the training or are some self taught?.Every service i have done has been self taught ive never had training and got on fine, but is carpet cleaning that different couldn't i learn it myself?How hard is it? i take all points on this forum very seriously so thanks for your advice.
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Icwalker:
Can I ask how you would go about cleaning a Belgian Wilton with your new machine?.
A Belgian Wilton would have to be dry cleaned. as they are synthetic Water would shrink them so a carpet cleaning machine couldn't be used.So another method would have to be used am i correct?
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I have a steampro 120psi with heat & run on ebay at the moment, great starter machine. You can call me on 07592 898298.
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Self taught?
How pathetic is that? The last thing this industry needs is yet another amateur carpet cleaner posing as a professional. Don't you think that your customers have a right to expect you to know what you're doing when they book you, because they won't be expecting someone to turn up to clean their carpets who hasn't got a clue and is merely using their job as a learning experience. If When you start ruining people's carpets and when they come to you expecting you to rectify or replace them, you'll soon wish you had spent what is a paltry sum of money getting proper training.
Simon
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Self taught?
How pathetic is that? The last thing this industry needs is yet another amateur carpet cleaner posing as a professional. Don't you think that your customers have a right to expect you to know what you're doing when they book you, because they won't be expecting someone to turn up to clean their carpets who hasn't got a clue and is merely using their job as a learning experience. If When you start ruining people's carpets and when they come to you expecting you to rectify or replace them, you'll soon wish you had spent what is a paltry sum of money getting proper training.
Simon
Firstly i haven't started anything ive joined here to do some research, not to be told in as many words im pathetic.Im also self taught in car mechanics and done many cam belt changes without ruining engines.Im gratefull on the advice you have given but i dont really like the way you have put it, it would have been better to encourage me rather than try to make me out as pathetic.
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LC
What Simon is saying is that our trade is blighted by a never ending stream of guys that pick up a cheap machine on ebay, get some leaflets printed and then call themselves carpet cleaners. They then ruin customers carpets and give the rest of us professionals a bad name, we then have to re-educate the public all over again about the benefits of hiring a professional rather than hiring a rug doctor and doing it themselves.
If you are still in the research stage then I would urge you to attend even a 1 day course, which would set you back about £100. This will give you a small insight into the industry and the possible pitfalls of attempting certain jobs without the proper knowledge.
Armed with this information you can then make an informed decision as to whether to proceed with the expensive process of buying decent equipment and marketing this side of your business.
In my experience though you won't earn a decent living trying to do this part-time.
Steve
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doesn't the fact that your self taught in so many professions and yet not fully successful in any of them, and now your looking round for something else to add on to make up your wages, doesn't that tell you something?
decide what you want to do, wether it be gardening, mechanics, painting, window cleaning, or even carpet cleaning, put all your efforts into it, including the best training possible, (its free if you look carefully for it) not just for the job but for marketting and general running of your business, even web design and stuff comes in handy. once youve done that you shouldn,t need to look for other ways to make money.
there are loads of successful gardeners out there who aren't looking at anything else to add on cos there to busy. bet they studied not just how to cut grass but have a knowledge of plants shrubs and everything else that contributes to being a success. you can't learn on the job what time of year a rhodidandrum needs planting ;D
just the same, you can't learn on the job why a B/W will shrink, and yes, you can wet clean them.
training gives you confidence which the customer notices.
training gives you a better result.
training speeds you up.
training is paramount to every successful busines in my eyes.
training my friend, is a must.
derek
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LC
What Simon is saying is that our trade is blighted by a never ending stream of guys that pick up a cheap machine on ebay, get some leaflets printed and then call themselves carpet cleaners. They then ruin customers carpets and give the rest of us professionals a bad name, we then have to re-educate the public all over again about the benefits of hiring a professional rather than hiring a rug doctor and doing it themselves.
If you are still in the research stage then I would urge you to attend even a 1 day course, which would set you back about £100. This will give you a small insight into the industry and the possible pitfalls of attempting certain jobs without the proper knowledge.
Armed with this information you can then make an informed decision as to whether to proceed with the expensive process of buying decent equipment and marketing this side of your business.
In my experience though you won't earn a decent living trying to do this part-time.
Steve
Thanks steve nicely put very similar to what simon put but in a much nicer way, thats my whole point of joining this forum for the imformation first, is there any training coarse's in the suffolk area you know of thanks
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Teaching yourself about car mechanics, or anything else for that matter, including carpet cleaning, is fine, as long as you do it on your own stuff and not other people's But thinking of going out to supposedly professional clean people's carpets and use the whole thing as a learning experience is in my opinion, not only pathetic, but deeply unprofessional. Sorry if you don't like that but there you have it.
Don't you see, if you learn by your mistakes, which is all you can do when you don't know what you're supposed to be doing in the first place, means that all of your mistakes will be made on other peoples expensive furnishings and they will have to suffer the consequences - how morally right is that.
Prochem do excellent carpet cleaning courses, as do many others, do yourself and your potential victims a favour and do one.
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Teaching yourself about car mechanics, or anything else for that matter, including carpet cleaning, is fine, as long as you do it on your own stuff and not other people's But thinking of going out to supposedly professional clean people's carpets and use the whole thing as a learning experience is in my opinion, not only pathetic, but deeply unprofessional. Sorry if you don't like that but there you have it.
Don't you see, if you learn by your mistakes, which is all you can do when you don't know what you're supposed to be doing in the first place, means that all of your mistakes will be made on other peoples expensive furnishings and they will have to suffer the consequences - how morally right is that.
Prochem do excellent carpet cleaning courses, as do many others, do yourself and your potential victims a favour and do one.
Thanks for that better put and more helpfull, actually i have work on customers cars with my self taught knowledge, but thats a different matter you have experiance in carpet cleaning so thats who i want to read advice from thats why i joined.If i decide to go further in this field i dont want to be a fligh by night carpet shrinker i do want to do it the right way, perhaps ive been lucky up to now as i have had no costly mistakes, i still belive self taught can be done, but in certain ocupations perhaps not, and from what i have read carpet cleaning maybe one of them so thanks to you all.
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LC
Alltec do training courses, they are based in Royston, Cambridgeshire - not a million miles from you, might be worth a call to them.
Steve
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LC
Alltec do training courses, they are based in Royston, Cambridgeshire - not a million miles from you, might be worth a call to them.
Steve
Thanks i know where royston is thanks for your help
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LC
Drop me an email, I might be able to help you ou a bit more.
Pete
pete@oakleafcc.co.uk
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What you've got to realise is that there is hardly a day goes by that we don't have someone tell us some horror story about the last time they had their carpet cleaned, most often that their carpet was wet for days afterwards and when it finally dried look no better than before. That is not only bad for the carpet cleaner who did the job, as he will never see that customer again, but it is also bad for our industry because every time that customer hears of someone else thinking of having their carpet cleaned, she'll recount her last encounter with a supposedly professional carpet cleaner and put the person off. We all get tarred by the same brush and that is why you will get a hostile reception when suggesting that you can teach yourself carpet cleaning, because most of the guy's giving us all a bad name are probably self-taught too.
Carpet cleaning isn't like mowing grass, if you cut it wrong, or damage it, it will grow back and cover your mistake, damage a carpet and the chances are it will be permanent.
Simon
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Hi Guys
Some good advice if a little aggressive !
Most of us older guys, if we are honest are largely self taught as the training was fairly basic when we started.
I was 'lucky' enough to start a a youngster, filling buckets and laying the pile down and learnt from the more expereienced guys but it was still a very steep learning curve once I went out on my own.
It is important to know the basics before you start, there are various courses and then to attend more advanced training and other industry days.
I am still learning after 25plus years.
Cheers
Doug
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Icwalker
Simon is right about the prochem training course and they are also a well known name in the chemical sales side too :)
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In my early years, I do so many training courses that the then Managing Director of Prochem, wondered what the hell I was doing sitting there on the front row every January doing the same three courses I had done the previous January. I explained that you are only ever as good as you know your basics, he agreed.
We all learn from experience to a point, like Doug says, we are still learning today, thirty odd years after having started out. But when starting out we have little experience to go on and so, inevitably, make mistakes which we then learn from, but those mistakes are far fewer and far less serious than if we had never learned the basics at the outset.
Simon
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In my early years, I do so many training courses that the then Managing Director of Prochem, wondered what the hell I was doing sitting there on the front row every January doing the same three courses I had done the previous January. I explained that you are only ever as good as you know your basics, he agreed.
We all learn from experience to a point, like Doug says, we are still learning today, thirty odd years after having started out. But when starting out we have little experience to go on and so, inevitably, make mistakes which we then learn from, but those mistakes are far fewer and far less serious than if we had never learned the basics at the outset.
Simon
So when you started out did you start straight away on your own or with someone else, and how long did it take you to know the basics,How many day coarse? and is the basic coarse enough to start on your own?.
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What is the definition of a "professional carpet cleaner" 1 days training and off you go?
Why are the majority of carpet cleaning courses 1 day? Are there any other "professions" you can learn in 1 day? All this talk of carpet cleaning being a profession and carpet cleaning "technicians" its not a trade where there is a 3 or 5 year apprenticeship nor is it a profession like accountancy, law or engineering its carpet cleaning 1 day and away you go....
Ryan
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Any good carpet cleaning course will teach you the basics; carpet construction, fibre identification, the proper use of chemicals and where and how to use them and the basics of how to clean carpets properly, etc etc.
Knowing the basics is one thing, applying them is quite another and that is where experience starts to play into the equation.
I did pretty much as you are, by doing research and finding out what my competitors were doing and how I could better them. I bought all of the right equipment and long before I trusted myself to go out and clean other people's carpet, I cleaned my own, relatives and friends for free. It's a big day when you go out and clean your first carpet on your own. If you get it right, you can stay in business until the next day, but ruin a carpet on day one and have an irate customer demanding a new carpet and there may be no day two. I don't know what day number I'm on to day, but I've never ruined a carpet, yes, I've made mistakes, but thankfully those mistakes have been few and far between and I'm still here over thirty years later and I put that down to training.
Simon
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What is the definition of a "professional carpet cleaner" 1 days training and off you go?
Why are the majority of carpet cleaning courses 1 day? Are there any other "professions" you can learn in 1 day? All this talk of carpet cleaning being a profession and carpet cleaning "technicians" its not a trade where there is a 3 or 5 year apprenticeship nor is it a profession like accountancy, law or engineering its carpet cleaning 1 day and away you go....
Ryan
Hi exactly what i was thinking.
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Admittedly, carpet cleaning is not rocket science; it is the application of some fairly basic principles, however, those principles are not learned in a day, a week or a month. If you do a one, or two day training course you will come away with the basic knowledge of how to clean a carpet and that knowledge will help you avoid many of the pitfalls that others fall into. There are at least seven different ways of wet cleaning a carpet that I know of, and you have to know all seven and know which is best and safest for a broad range of carpets and there respective soil conditions. It's not just a matter of doing a course and off you go. You have to take way what you have learned and then learn how and when to apply it.
Customers quite rightly expect that when they book a carpet cleaner, he will be someone with the expertise to be able to identify the carpet and understand how best to clean it and not for him to clean it like the last one he did which may be an entirely different kettle of fish. It may look like you could teach monkeys to professionally clean carpets, but only monkeys believe that.
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A 1 day course isn't enough unless you've had comprehensive work experience with a professional C/C. A one day course will give you a better understanding of the principals in Carpet Cleaning, but it won't make you a professional. But if you just go in thinking that it's all just childs play, then it will cost you a whole lot more than your £100 course.
We (Newbies and Prospective Carpet Cleaners) should count ourselves lucky that the "Old and Bold" successful carpet cleaners like Simon and so many on here offer us any advice at all. 20 Years ago it would never have happened. Whether you like what is said or not, take the advice and use it to make the right decisions in building or starting a lucrative business in Carpet Cleaning. Or perhaps in this threads case, impoving your gardening services and leave the Carpet Cleaning to those of us who take it seriously!
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Well I reckon there must be a lot of monkeys on here then :)
Icwalker,don't be put off by any negative comments you read here.
Whether peeps like to admit it or not carpet cleaning must be one of the easiest trades to set up.
You don't need any formal qualifications,all you need is a van and a half decent machine,a bit of training to set you on the right path and away you go,I bet this is how the vast majority of ccs started out.
Carpet cleaning is a bit like driving,you don't start learning anything until after you have passed your test.
You will never be able to sit down and say that's it "I now know everything there is to know",although you will always meet some people that believe they do :)
Good luck with whatever road you decide to venture down.
John
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Well I reckon there must be a lot of monkeys on here then :)
Icwalker,don't be put off by any negative comments you read here.
Whether peeps like to admit it or not carpet cleaning must be one of the easiest trades to set up.
You don't need any formal qualifications,all you need is a van and a half decent machine,a bit of training to set you on the right path and away you go,I bet this is how the vast majority of ccs started out.
Carpet cleaning is a bit like driving,you don't start learning anything until after you have passed your test.
You will never be able to sit down and say that's it "I now know everything there is to know",although you will always meet some people that believe they do :)
Good luck with whatever road you decide to venture down.
John
This could actually be one of the most negative comments I've read so far John.... How ironic ;D
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I had this coversation with another carpet cleaner over the weekend and he recons were only carpet cleaners as were too thick to be anything else.....not me I said maybe him ........but made me think about what he ment!!! 8) 8)
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I beg to differ mate, I for one am a qualified Aircraft Technician.... I actually enjoy what I do now, more than being responsible for making 150,000 helicopter parts fly in more or less the same direction :)
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ICwalker,
The difference between my advice and John's rather questionable attitude to professionalism ??? is that if you follow my advice you are far less likely to be confronted with an irate customer who's carpet or suite you have just ruined and is demanding that you replace them, follow John's advice and that scenario is more or less a certainty and I'd suggest sooner rather than later. But hey, what do I know?
Simon
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What was wrong with Johns advice?
Ryan
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What was wrong with Johns advice?
Ryan
What's right with it ???
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Well I reckon there must be a lot of monkeys on here then :)
Icwalker,don't be put off by any negative comments you read here.
Whether peeps like to admit it or not carpet cleaning must be one of the easiest trades to set up.
You don't need any formal qualifications,all you need is a van and a half decent machine,a bit of training to set you on the right path and away you go,I bet this is how the vast majority of ccs started out.
Carpet cleaning is a bit like driving,you don't start learning anything until after you have passed your test.
You will never be able to sit down and say that's it "I now know everything there is to know",although you will always meet some people that believe they do :)
Good luck with whatever road you decide to venture down.
John
While agreeing with John I would go further in saying again that carpet cleaning is not a trade, can anyone on here
honestly disagree and put it on a par with traditional trades and the associated training period? Natural fibres and synthetic fibres, use appropriate chems for each and in a nut shell thats it. Obviously there will be the odd occasion were you will come across something different like belgian wilton, not hard to identify even without the 7 or 8 hours training you must get to be a professional....do you think anyone in the accountancy,medical or law professions would agree that carpet cleaning is up there with them? I doubt it, same goes for tradesmen who served an apprenticeship, plumbers,sparks,chippies,brickies etc would they agree? Theres a definate strain of unjustified self importance on here.
Ryan
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Ryan
So how would you describe carpet cleaning if it's not a trade ?
Steve
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And its not just about cleaning carpets either, you can also add upholstery, leather cleaning/restoration and go into other avenues such as crime scene cleaning (cant remember the proper name) all of which require more training.
While then theres the running of the business which involves a hell of alot like marketing, accounts, web issues and growing your business in general.
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i can see both sides of this discussion.
carpet cleaning is easy, so i agree with john and ryan, but it would be foolish to clean someones carpets without a few days training.
personally, i don't see myself as a carpet cleaner and never will. i'm a business man. i run a business. i don't just clean carpets, i design leaflets, i plan marketting campaigns, i'm enrolling on a web design course. and a bookkeeping and accounts course.
my new part time employee starts tomorrow so i'm also an employer, ish.
at the end of the day, if your innit for beer money then you'll probably never take it serious enough to get training, and if you FU! you'll just blame the customers carpets and wipe your hands of it.
theres a company local to me, he sold his biz to a new guy. showed him the ropes and thats it, he's now my competition. i got asked by one of his ex customers if i cleaned curtains she told me he cleaned them but she wasn't happy with the results, i had a look, "there velvet love, you can't wet clean them. "well he did" "in that case love, give him a ring and tell he owes you a new set of velvet curtains"
theres a lot of dangers out there that a 2 day course could stop you from making.
its not rocket science, but you need to know before you start.
your choice.
derek
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Training will allow you to do a bit of "showmanship" when quoting for business. you can explain why you do a burn test, or a shrink test on fabrics for example. This will command the client's attention and demonstrate you know what you are on about.
Thus you are more likely to get the job booked and charge a higher fee.
But I doubt this scenario would ever occur for somebody who is self taught.
I started a few weeks before I got on my training courses, before that I had been out learning the ropes with somebody who knew it but was lousy at explaining it.
All I can say is that cleaning in ignorance is a terrible situation; once you have been on courses and realised what could have gone wrong and how you have been lucky to get away with not buying a client an new carpet there is no way you would avoid training ever again.
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IC
As a "newbie" ( an expression in itself that is relative) i am not surprised by some of the negative comments you have got on this thread and after looking for a while you will see a common theme ( or commom people having the same negative attitude towards people such as yourself) however it would appear to me that on this forum you earn status and "stars" for the number of posts you make regardless of your experience or the content of your responses,now thats got to tell you something!!!!
That said there are a lot of good people who do know what they are talking about and do give very good positive advise, and those are the ones you should be listening to.
Anyway, get some training and good luck.
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Im assuming there is some governmental structures and categories to divide certain jobs into their appropriate places and i would imagine carpet cleaning would come under unskilled labour, the same as site labourers, tarmac layers, window cleaners, binmen, bus drivers, taxi drivers etc etc etc. Im sure all these jobs mentioned have a certain amount of job associated knowledge attached to them but they are not described as SKILLED labour and therefore not a trade.
Ryan
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Simon,
I send a monkey out carpet cleaning, well he looks like one. Customers always seem happy, I'm happy with my bit of pocket money and monkey seems happy enough with his pin money.
If monkeys not busy with carpets I have him swinging from roof tops with aerials in his hairy arms.
Matt
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All comments have been very interesting but a i gather you dont have to have qualifications to be a carpet cleaner like many jobs so is it a trade or not,well it doesn't matter it's a job you do to earn money.I seemed to get alot of stick for mentioning (self taught) well from what i have read after 1/2 days basic training you are self teaching yourself from then and what can you learn in 1/2 day it can only be the bear minimum.But in every job whether they are trained or not there are good and bad, i bet there are carpet cleaners out there with loads of very happy customers who have never trained and i bet theres loads that have trained with no customers, at the end of the day it depends on what sort of person they are.But i do agree a day or so of basic training would help your confidence and give a few pointers but after that it will be on your own teaching yourself.
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IC
Thats exactly it, a plumber or an electrician does'nt learn everything he needs to know on a course, he learns through experience after his training and that is how it is with most things in life except with carpet cleaning where you shouldnt or else you may be putting people lives in serious danger!!!!!!
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I just want to add a couple of examples 1,my dad asked a tv aerial man that does loads of work on the privately owned village estate where my dad lives,to sort out his digital aerial and it's still doesn't get reception, he came in a shiney red van all the gear he was useless.2,The same estate employed painters to paint my dads rented house its quite a big thatched former farm house 5 bedrooms including next door,they took 2 1/2 hrs to paint the walls all round 1 coat went on like water, i spoke to my father inlaw who has done painting for years he said with a rollers and brush it should take a week, they spayed it,it should have had 2 more coats,also the window filling was terrible as were the black specks and runs and they are still doing work around the estate.These are poor so called tradesmen who charge very high, who turn up in shiny well written vans with the gear do a poor job and everyone rates them it doesn't make sense.Also i know of a gardener who drives a new L200 with his new john deere mower cuts 1 village grass in just over a morning and charges £300 a day and he's busy most of the time are customer that shallow to not see beyond these peoples vehicles and gear.
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doesn't the fact that your self taught in so many professions and yet not fully successful in any of them, and now your looking round for something else to add on to make up your wages, doesn't that tell you something?
decide what you want to do, wether it be gardening, mechanics, painting, window cleaning, or even carpet cleaning, put all your efforts into it, including the best training possible, (its free if you look carefully for it) not just for the job but for marketting and general running of your business, even web design and stuff comes in handy. once youve done that you shouldn,t need to look for other ways to make money.
there are loads of successful gardeners out there who aren't looking at anything else to add on cos there to busy. bet they studied not just how to cut grass but have a knowledge of plants shrubs and everything else that contributes to being a success. you can't learn on the job what time of year a rhodidandrum needs planting ;D
just the same, you can't learn on the job why a B/W will shrink, and yes, you can wet clean them.
training gives you confidence which the customer notices.
training gives you a better result.
training speeds you up.
training is paramount to every successful busines in my eyes.
training my friend, is a must.
derek
Ok im curious how is a b/w cleaned was any of my answer correct?.
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Go on a course and find out ::)
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IC
There you go, the font of all knowledge willing to share none!!!
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lc
You can clean a belgian wilton with hot water extraction, however the first thing you should look for is if it is securely fitted as this is what will accelerate any possible shrinkage. If the fitting looks dodgy, you can tack it down around the edges into the gripper to give you peace of mind.
Don't over pre-spray, extract and carry out plenty of dry passes and if possible get an air mover on it to speed up the drying.
Hope this helps.
Steve
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lc
You can clean a belgian wilton with hot water extraction, however the first thing you should look for is if it is securely fitted as this is what will accelerate any possible shrinkage. If the fitting looks dodgy, you can tack it down around the edges into the gripper to give you peace of mind.
Don't over pre-spray, extract and carry out plenty of dry passes and if possible get an air mover on it to speed up the drying.
Hope this helps.
Steve
Thanks steve
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spider senses tingling again. ;)
derek
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I was thinking that before Derek.... It's got to be a wind up ;D
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I sincerely hope not, I don't like wasting my time :-\
Steve
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Never claimed to be an expert, but 1. I never shrunk a carpet in ten years of commercial and domestic work, and, 2. You have got to admit there is some people on here who just want to be negative to any newcomer!! and you just have to wonder why, is it because they are worried their secret will be found out? however much they say it aint rocket science they want to make out that it is!!!! by frightening people with their comments and what would appear vastly superior experience!!!
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I was thinking that before Derek.... It's got to be a wind up ;D
I read all your comment on this topic hardly any have been helpfull,so im wondering why are you so unhelpfull, is it because everyone tomorrow is going to quit there jobs to become a carpet cleaner?.
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CARPET cleaning is a service we are in the service industry, giving a service......nothing more!!!! my brothers a brickie, spent years at college and learning carpet cleaners to a few days learning ...BIG deal... were no trades men ....
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Colin,
curiosity has got the better of me,please put me out of my misery and explain why you consider my post to be one of the most negative,are you referring to any particular comment or all of them?
My post was made a little tongue in cheek (hence the smilies),but reading the thread it seems it may have touched a few nerves :)
Just to clarify I was never suggesting to attempt the cleaning of a customers carpets without a certain amount of training,but it seems that some peeps here will have one believe that you must complete 50 years of training before being considered qualified to clean your first carpet,and I bet that first carpet was their own,we have all been there but after a time peeps forget .
Training and experience are two totally different entities,you can have as much training as you like but in reality you learn with experience.
Every carpet cleaner here,without exception,must have at some point cleaned a customers carpet with very little training when they first set out,and anyone that says differently is telling porkies :)
Sorry to be so negative m8 :P
John
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I was thinking that before Derek.... It's got to be a wind up ;D
I read all your comment on this topic hardly any have been helpfull,so im wondering why are you so unhelpfull, is it because everyone tomorrow is going to quit there jobs to become a carpet cleaner?.
Potentially, yes. Its the same with any 'trade' (call it what you will, cleaning is a trade to me, the same as any other) a lot of people come along thinking that they can just ditch their high-pressure job or sink their redundancy into something as basic as "cleaning", only it's not until it's too late that they realise it's not all plain sailing.
The negativity you've received is because there have been so many posts over the years from people who think they can have a quick dabble in the fields in which we work. Yes its a free country, but it's the constant stream of "well how hard can it be?" attitude that pees people off. Are you in that catagory? I'm not sure. May be you are, may be you're not. Point is, your original message certainly lacked the commitment that you'd need to apply to make your carpet cleaning work.
Add-ons are great if it's something which you could do with your eyes shut and done IF you really need to do it. Some people here successfully make money by subbing work out, while others find it more cost-effective to turn excess work down as the subbing-out isn't work the time and the stress.
Some sell products and make money on that, whilst others Find it’s not worth the trouble by the time they’ve dealt with faulty items and what-not. Its all about doing something that your are comfortable doing, are able to do successfully and cost-effectively, and enjoy doing.
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No mate, I've made mistakes when I worked for a carpet cleaner up north that cost me and my boss a lot of money, a 3 piece suite :o.
I've had experience at being a bit of a Cowboy and it's not the way ahead my friend.
Didn't mean to sound negative, it's just that sometimes wind up merchants come on here with their stories of cleaning a hotel with a Vax and that sort of thing.
And I love taking the bait ;D
I wish you all the best dude!!!!
Colin...
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Colin,
curiosity has got the better of me,please put me out of my misery and explain why you consider my post to be one of the most negative,are you referring to any particular comment or all of them?
My post was made a little tongue in cheek (hence the smilies),but reading the thread it seems it may have touched a few nerves :)
Just to clarify I was never suggesting to attempt the cleaning of a customers carpets without a certain amount of training,but it seems that some peeps here will have one believe that you must complete 50 years of training before being considered qualified to clean your first carpet,and I bet that first carpet was their own,we have all been there but after a time peeps forget .
Training and experience are two totally different entities,you can have as much training as you like but in reality you learn with experience.
Every carpet cleaner here,without exception,must have at some point cleaned a customers carpet with very little training when they first set out,and anyone that says differently is telling porkies :)
Sorry to be so negative m8 :P
John
I was merely pointing out that you were being negative against the seasoned carpet cleaners on this forum, or at least that's how I read it....
Didn't mean to offend you or anyone else in any way, I just don't want people to fall into the traps I've been in :)
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Hi Guys,
There is no way CC is as complicated as some other trades but there is a much more complex end to the spectrum, particularly in relation to stain removal.
If you work at this end you get better prices and more job satisfaction, it's about doing things which others can't.
Cheers
Doug
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Hi Guys,
There is no way CC is as complicated as some other trades but there is a much more complex end to the spectrum, particularly in relation to stain removal.
If you work at this end you get better prices and more job satisfaction, it's about doing things which others can't.
Cheers
I always thought stain removel was part of general carpet cleaning, isn't this the case is there people that just specialise in stains?.
Doug
I always thought stain removel was part of general carpet cleaning, isn't this the case is there people that just specialise in stains?.
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Icwalker:
Rgds the BW..... As Steve Barnett has said but personally I always "Dry" bonnet after hwe and never hwe approx 6 inches from (mostly) kitchen doorways.
Just spray a little zipdry down there and bonnet usually does the trick.
Look friend in our game there are always cowboys who think that cc is a piece of p. They are usually the proverbial "Jack of all trades but master of none"
They give genuine cc firms a bad name as they usually leave disgruntled customers in their wake who then tar us all with the same brush.
The impression you gave (Me) in your initial posts was one of complacency. I mean you seem to have your finger in a lot of pies but I get the impression you are not earning enough from your present business to make it profitable hence you want to add cc to your list of services hoping for a quick fix.
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Hi Guys,
Stain rermoval is one of the areas where the job goes from amateur to professional.
Some CC's will use HWE and if the stain doesn't come out then it is 'permanent'. Others will endeavor to remove all stains but not have the knowledge or chemicals or know how to remove them.
If you can understand what is actually happening, the nature of the carpet fibre in relation to the stain, when to oxidise, when to reduce, the use of different solvents, solubility parameters, how stains bond, pH in relation to colour then you are as complex, if not more than Electricians or Central heating engineers.
There will always be a range of CC's from the spalsh and dash to the well trained dedicated expert and trying to compare the two is like trying to compare the pub singer to Pavorotti!
Cheers
Doug
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In my early years, I do so many training courses that the then Managing Director of Prochem, wondered what the hell I was doing sitting there on the front row every January doing the same three courses I had done the previous January.
Simon
now that Really is funny ;D now i dont want to get your backup, but just how many times did hav to drill it into you?
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I think it was down to young love Bobby, just waiting for that perfect moment every January to ask him to marry him. ;D
He should have just bit the bullet between p**s removal and lunch break.
I could just imagine them all going "ahhhhhhhhhh how lovely" now, back to it, how did you say you remove old lady poo from carpets don?
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Ive been trading now for about 4 months doing better than expected and customers so far have been delighted, BUT the training is inadequate some people are saying you learn on the job but that by defintion means you will learn from the mistakes you make in the customers home, that cant be right, i did the spot and stain removal course recently with "the big clean" Paul Pearce teaching but what do you learn it is very basic stuff i want to know so much more but what can i do all the 1 day 2 day courses will teach the same basic stuff theres nothing else i had to contact the NCCA directly about one particular stain in a wool berber because i did not know what was the best way remove it.
Yes being a carpet cleaner is easy, but to be a good carpet cleaner you need to be
A good salesman you have to convince the client that paying you more than some other carpet cleaner is the right thing to do.
You have to understand marketing how to reach you customers first whether in be an internet site, van graphics/ design
Its much much more than just getting a few leaflets printed just look at the guys on here earning top money they earn top money because they are smart, stupid carpet cleaners will either just plod along charging £18 for one room or they wont last the course.
So get smart!
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Blimey Jim
Your a fast learner.
Pete
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Are you being facetious Pete!
I am definately not including myself in the category of great carpet cleaners i am not quite a virgin but still a novice, strangley you were one of the people i was thinking about and a guy named pierre de wet of art of clean who i spent some practical learning with who is pretty amazing at the whole business side (with all due respect to all the other successful guys on here) but i did quickly realise these guys know there stuff and if you copy them you wont go far wrong.
they say that "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery"
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sat here just shaking my head in shear disbelief, some of the older guys ripping the the crap out the newbie and even some newbies ripping too , Sad just sad
Mind you Ive come to belive that everybody is really hard (UFC tough) and completely fearless behind a key board ::)
I can be myself but theres some right tossers in this game ;D ;D ;D
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Jim
I am serious mate, someone to take that view of this industry in such a short space of time is very sharp. Good luck to you fella.
Be careful what you say about making a successful business though, it's really not allowed ;)
And yes that is me being facetious, but not at you mate
You coming up in April? You owe me a beer ;D
Pete
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Being a newbie or not has nothing to do with it! Its ethics
I never ever considered for one moment that i was going to go into someones home and clean carpets for them without some basic knowledge of what i was doing you dont have to be a carpet cleaner at all to have an opinion on this question what i was also saying was what training there is is helpful but could be more in depth.
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Jim
I am serious mate, someone to take that view of this industry in such a short space of time is very sharp. Good luck to you fella.
Be careful what you say about making a successful business though, it's really not allowed ;)
And yes that is me being facetious, but not at you mate
You coming up in April? You owe me a beer ;D
Pete
Seems i already upturned the applecart Pete!
Yes i will be up in April dont know if someone else near to me want s to share the travel etc i missed last year wont miss this time and will buy you that beer
Cheers
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From a newbies point of view.
Just completed year 1 and i am happy the way things have gone. I like you came on here looking for advice and from many learnt a great deal. You have to use the forums as a pool of information not as gospel.
In my opinion start off with some training i did the ncca 2 day course and then did some training with a supplier cleansmart, prochem etc etc. Do your training before plunging in and buying equipment because you may end up filling your van with a load of stuff you dont need.
Marketting is where you need to concentrate try everything in a small way review after 3 months and chop was does not work and try something new.
work on getting referals offer rewards scheme eg ms voucher.
working capital is essential in first few years because you need a relative degree of financial freedom to market what your going to do. And dont think sticking an ad in the local rag will make the phone ring off the hook you have to get out there and find the work.
work on building a prof looking image decent van ( does not have cost a fortune) 2-3k i have a trafic + 4 quid for sign writting . wear a uniform .
above all do a good job as this is the best form of marketting you can do. see every custy as a new string of custys .
as far as all your other services i think it maybe quite hard to combine all together as you run the risk of looking like a jack of all trades not a prof.
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Richard
Good post mate and its good to hear how as yo a newbie gets work.
Think by the sounds of it is your are getting a nice client base up and running..
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Richard
Good post mate and its good to hear how as yo a newbie gets work.
Think by the sounds of it is your are getting a nice client base up and running..
its coming on clinton been really busy for fews months now. although having to travel around for jobs a bit generally the price ticket is higher in the sticks bigger areas to clean. looking forward to putting my feet up between xmas and new year. been pushing loads of leather restoration work into january so to keep things flowing in the short month.
rich
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Richard you might even be busy in between xmas ;D
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i am expecting to be quite slow just after xmas as its still early days for me but unlike last year at least i have some previous jan custys to market and a few small comercials booked in. but will just have to wait and see what the new year brings. must admit its been the hardest year of my life but def the most rewarding . sitting back and seeing how far i have come.
is there a ccdo this year might attend take the big drive up to the cold north
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I'll be up for the CCDO too...... April 12th I think ???
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I'll be up for the CCDO too...... April 12th I think ???
share the lift col
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No problem Richard! Any other takers?
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April sunday 11th at Fenton Manor sports center Stoke-on-Trent ( Middle of the country to be fair to all)
its been run on a wkd so we can get back to work for the Monday if we choose.
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and how do i get tickets, i need 2 now ive got an apprentice with a girls name ??? ;D
derek
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Richard
Good post mate and its good to hear how as yo a newbie gets work.
Think by the sounds of it is your are getting a nice client base up and running..
Quite agree