Clean It Up
UK Floor Cleaning Forum => Carpet Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: nevil on December 23, 2009, 09:45:40 pm
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I normally try not to pre vac. It's not that I don't think it improves the overall process. It's just that I think that unless you have a lot of very wealthy client, people prefer to do it themselves. Then pay you to do the specialized bit that they can't do.
Anyway. I went to clean a woven wool rug last week and spent two hours dry vaccing. God I was so sick of my vacuum cleaner when I was done. The rug was only about 2m x 3m but it was a case of the condition it was in dictated what I did to tackle it. The head housekeeper was very embarrassed when I showed her what was coming out of it. She was cleaning it every day but all she had was a cylinder type vac. Although it was a particularly pleasing result, I still intend to encourage most folks to do the vacuuming before I arrive.
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Hi Nevil,
Are you TM or porty?
If TM I can, maybe, understand not doing a pre-vac. For me (Alltec 1200 triple vac)(with auto pump out) pre-vacing is part of my routine. I admit some carpets don't give-up a lot of dry soil, mostly where there is a house proud lady who vac's frequently. Other's however almost fill the (Sebo) bag.
Personal opinion ofcourse but for me it's just another part of the "show" for the client. Longer on the job perhaps but where else do we get paid our rates for doing the Hoovering.
Adi
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Hi Adi.
I'm a TMer. Not that it makes any difference.
I should never have started this one. Big can of worms. I agree that pre vac improves the overall job we do. But to me it's all about choice. The customers choice. And we are trying to please them aren't we. To me that means valuing their choices.
The customer can have what ever they want. It's their money to choose what work they pay for with. If you won't allow them to opt out of the vacuuming, they may well find someone who will. I don't want to loose hard won business because I wouldn't offer them what they wanted.
Not giving them that choice seems a little immoral to me.
Have you ever tried talking to your customers about what they want? May surprise a few folks. Tin hat on and ready for incoming. :)
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Hi Nevil
You don't need a tin hat from me. Live and let live imo.
To answer your question though, yes I do talk to customers. I can honestly state I've yet to come across one that has not wanted me to pre-vac. We all have our own routine and if your's does not include vaccing that's not a problem.
I also always visit a new client before booking a job (never price over the phone). I find out exactly what they want and tell them what, if anything, I can do for them. I am often undercut by other CC's in my area and am then invited by the client to match the other quotes. I am often surprised to discover some opposition almost write their quotes on the back of a fAg packet. Usually, not always, after going over again how I will do the job and reminding them ALL my work is guaranteed they go ahead with the booking. You can believe this or not but I'm often told I have given the most professional advice and quote. Have you tried offering this service?
I understand that the basic student, for example, is looking for the cheapest price but they are not my market.
Adi
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Hi Nevil
You don't need a tin hat from me. Live and let live imo.
To answer your question though, yes I do talk to customers. I can honestly state I've yet to come across one that has not wanted me to pre-vac. We all have our own routine and if your's does not include vaccing that's not a problem.
I also always visit a new client before booking a job (never price over the phone). I find out exactly what they want and tell them what, if anything, I can do for them. I am often undercut by other CC's in my area and am then invited by the client to match the other quotes. I am often surprised to discover some opposition almost write their quotes on the back of a f*g packet. Usually, not always, after going over again how I will do the job and reminding them ALL my work is guaranteed they go ahead with the booking. You can believe this or not but I'm often told I have given the most professional advice and quote. Have you tried offering this service?
I understand that the basic student, for example, is looking for the cheapest price but they are not my market.
Adi
I have always wondered about the guarantee thing with carpet cleaning. What do you guarantee. That the carpets will be cleaner?
I don't do the cheapest price either. But I find that most people respond better when allowed the choice of what they pay for.
Also from a personal perspective. I find that to vacuum an area really well adds more time to a job than you can get away with charging for. So because most people tell me they prefer to do this part of the process themselves, I happily perform the more profitable part of the operation.
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dont want to seem ignorant, but what is pre-vaccing ??? ???
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Did a house couple of weeks ago. Client moving out, removers had just finished when I arrived.
She was vaccing with a Dyson cylinder.
I followed on with the Sebo. You could hear what I was picking up that the Dyson was'nt, rattling away.
She looked at me, and I said Iam glad you are going ahead of me picking up all the bigger pieces, my upright works better picking up the finer pieces. She was happy with that and off she went. Made my vaccing life easier that day.
So yes, even if a client vacs regularly, I still reckon there is value in using a "proper" vac ie the Sebo.
Having said that - I dont always pre vac - depends on timescale.
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I once didnt dry vac a load of dog hairs I came across under a setttee - they were a bitch to extract when wet even with me prowler on one hose!!
never again always dry vac unless its a minty mint carpet
Stu
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Joe I use a Sebo but find Dysons a better Vac but to flimsy to keep in van.
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Hi Nevil
You don't need a tin hat from me. Live and let live imo.
To answer your question though, yes I do talk to customers. I can honestly state I've yet to come across one that has not wanted me to pre-vac. We all have our own routine and if your's does not include vaccing that's not a problem.
I also always visit a new client before booking a job (never price over the phone). I find out exactly what they want and tell them what, if anything, I can do for them. I am often undercut by other CC's in my area and am then invited by the client to match the other quotes. I am often surprised to discover some opposition almost write their quotes on the back of a f*g packet. Usually, not always, after going over again how I will do the job and reminding them ALL my work is guaranteed they go ahead with the booking. You can believe this or not but I'm often told I have given the most professional advice and quote. Have you tried offering this service?
I understand that the basic student, for example, is looking for the cheapest price but they are not my market.
Adi
I have always wondered about the guarantee thing with carpet cleaning. What do you guarantee. That the carpets will be cleaner?
I don't do the cheapest price either. But I find that most people respond better when allowed the choice of what they pay for.
Also from a personal perspective. I find that to vacuum an area really well adds more time to a job than you can get away with charging for. So because most people tell me they prefer to do this part of the process themselves, I happily perform the more profitable part of the operation.
This guarrantee claim that many advertise really bugs me!, exactly how you can subtantiate some of the claims is beyond me , ok Its marketing I know, but please As I have said in the past how can you "make the carpets like new" "THE CLEANEST YOU HAVE EVER SEEN THEM" "THE MOST THOUROUGH CLEAN EVER" ETC. ETC. imho a load of dangly,s
Geoff
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OK
Where is the Scientific Evidence in an average house that Pre Vac leaves the carpet cleaner than not Pre Vacing
Is this somthing that has become the Script In Training and obviously no one dares to challege the trainer.
Even with The All Singing Dancing Alltec Triple Vac.
Or any other Triple Vac etc
In some situations it might be wise not if house is ceaned regularly
Yes I could reply always Pre Vac go East to West and North to South I always fill my dust bag and show customer etc bt again where is the Scientific proof this leads to a cleaner carpet
Where has the Evidence been published and evaluated
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Did a house couple of weeks ago. Client moving out, removers had just finished when I arrived.
She was vaccing with a Dyson cylinder.
I followed on with the Sebo. You could hear what I was picking up that the Dyson was'nt, rattling away.
She looked at me, and I said Iam glad you are going ahead of me picking up all the bigger pieces, my upright works better picking up the finer pieces. She was happy with that and off she went. Made my vaccing life easier that day.
So yes, even if a client vacs regularly, I still reckon there is value in using a "proper" vac ie the Sebo.
Having said that - I dont always pre vac - depends on timescale.
Looking back at that do you think maybe she would have preferred for you not to do it. Or at least to have had the choice. I know you persuaded her that it was right for you to do it. But if she had been asked in a way that didn't put her in a b'#lsh#t baffles brain type of corner.
In most houses, it seems to me the biggest single issue regarding daily/weekly dry vaccing is whether they actually do it. Dysons hoovers seem perfectly capable of doing the job, providing the customer actually gets of the sofa and does it. Then conversely, if a carpet has been neglected over a long time frame sometimes it's impossible to correct with one good session. Sebo or Henry.
You have raised a point that to me is at the heart of the pre vac debate. Do the commercial vacuums many of us use do a better job than the Dysons or Hoovers. I have always thought that performance wise the difference is minimal. The main difference being the build quality. Sebo and other brands are more serviceable and last longer. But that advantage is for us to reap the benefit of, not our customers.
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Well, well, well!
Good comment Ian and others. Sure, the THEORY is fine, but in reality the vast majority of carpets have been vacuumed regularly and should not need to be vacuumed before cleaning.
Obviously the logistics of pre vaccing would massively impact on the price you can charge as the time difference is substantial.
If, as some claim, they vacuum north/south, east/west and have to move furniture to vacuum then again to extract, just how much time is being added to each job and is it REALLY adding value, or just allowing you to load your price because it's taking twice as long as necessary.
Those who endorse the practice will want to show the dry soil they remove, or tell about the damage to motors / pumps by failing to vacuum.
I've never had such problems, but there seems to be a lot of posts about pumps and motors having short lives in the past couple of years.
Carpet cleaners are hired as they do something the house owner can't do themselves ! They CAN however, vacuum their carpets and might be unhappy to be charged for that part of the service, especially if they calculate the time taken in relation to the price charged.
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Heck Nevil
You were right; can of worms this one.
I repeat. We all have our own routine. If we have regular client's and they have grown to trust us and value what we do then to pre-vac or not pre-vac is of no issue. I am not immoral just because I prefer to pre-vac. Blimey; I have even sorted out some other cowboy's mess for people without any charge to them simply to restore their faith that not everyone will rip them off.
Regarding the guarantee. If, as can happen, a stain comes back after cleaning I will go back and remove it; without charge. I always tell client's that if a mark is permanent before I start cleaning it will still be permanent when I'm finished. I do not state "the best clean you've ever seen or it's free". I regard customer loyalty as my number one priority. We all know finding new client's can be expensive so why would I not want to give the best service I can?
There is a market out there for all. I do not judge anyone on what they do, the client will do that. If they are not happy they will not want us back and will not remember us.
Discuss
Adi
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Adi.
I've only been off work for one day and am thoroughly bored. So why not try and provoke some debate.
Agree we all find a formula that suits us best, if the customers are happy that's what counts.
The customers are not just paying for our services, they are putting their faith in us as people who will do right by them. If in our own minds we are doing this then we are doing the best we can.
It would be good to hear from more staunch pre vaccers and read some persuasive arguments for pre vaccing. Just to bring some balance to the debate.
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Agreed.
Upto my armpit's with children and decorating at the mo. Wife (at work) has phoned three times already with more stuff to do. Kid's over excited and in danger of not making it to the 25th.
Apologies if my post seemed a little sharp. Not meant to be. Just a good topic for debate.
Merry xmas to all (even the non pre-vaccers)
Adi
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Did a house couple of weeks ago. Client moving out, removers had just finished when I arrived.
She was vaccing with a Dyson cylinder.
I followed on with the Sebo. You could hear what I was picking up that the Dyson was'nt, rattling away.
She looked at me, and I said Iam glad you are going ahead of me picking up all the bigger pieces, my upright works better picking up the finer pieces. She was happy with that and off she went. Made my vaccing life easier that day.
So yes, even if a client vacs regularly, I still reckon there is value in using a "proper" vac ie the Sebo.
Having said that - I dont always pre vac - depends on timescale.
Looking back at that do you think maybe she would have preferred for you not to do it. Or at least to have had the choice.
Err No.
I know she was moving out and you do end up with a mess, but it was obvious she didnt like cleaning full stop. Skirting boards were deep in dust as well. Her mother came in the later on to clean the kitchen and bathroom.
She appreciated me following her and she said so.
I judged it right.
Apart from that, it is my equipment, she has me in to do a job, and as long as I am not wrecking the place, if something needs doing I am going to do it.
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Where is the Scientific Evidence in an average house that Pre Vac leaves the carpet cleaner than not Pre Vacing
Is this somthing that has become the Script In Training and obviously no one dares to challege the trainer.
I think Ian hit the nail on the head - most of the training is geared to selling chemicals or machine's anyway
on the few ive done I would of come away with with a van few of chem's , sebo's , airmover's , portey and a truckmount , testing kits , gum bazooker - haha etc etc , not knocking those guys but it's not all needed.
I used to test , vac etc in the old days but admit it guy's - all you seem to be doing is putting on a show.
I was lucky at first i hooked up with a very experianced guy who RE- Trained me .
If you cant get carpets clean with a high end porty or truck mount you must be using it on blow instead of suck !!
Just
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;D
You just reminded me.
Happy Christmas to all Even Pre vaccers. ;D
My Kids are wound up so much I keep thinking they are going to explode. I actually think they are stressed out. Thank God it's here tomorrow.
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Hi Guys
There are obvious times when a prevac is required but in routine situation with a high powered machine I would not pre vac.
We hear a lot about the 'my vac removed more dirt than the customers' but how often have you prevacced and then removed loads more dirt and grit with the CC machine, maybe the vac isn't that powerful afterall ;)
I do think with rugs, where you can turn them over and vac the back, front, back, front makes a difference but on fitted carpets vaccing results are limited.
Cheers
Doug
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When going out to drive your car or van each day.............do you check your tyre pressures / fuel level / windscreen washers / lights, etc, etc.?
Of course you don't..............but it's what you're advised to do, just as you're advised to carry out burn tests / colour stability / leather types, etc.
In the early days it's wise and sensible to be cautious, but time and experience tends to allow snap judgements and quick decisions, which we SHOULD get right almost every time, allowing the experienced to simply " get on with the task in hand "
One of the most important disciplines to running a successful business is TIME MANAGEMENT. If we waste time we reduce the bottom line !
Have a peaceful break and prosperous year ahead everyone and look after yourselves. None of us are invincible...............as I've discovered over the past couple of years.
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Hi Guys
There are obvious times when a prevac is required but in routine situation with a high powered machine I would not pre vac.
We hear a lot about the 'my vac removed more dirt than the customers' but how often have you prevacced and then removed loads more dirt and grit with the CC machine, maybe the vac isn't that powerful afterall ;)
I do think with rugs, where you can turn them over and vac the back, front, back, front makes a difference but on fitted carpets vaccing results are limited.
Cheers
Doug
The rug I mentioned in the opening post was one of these. After vaccing the back the amount of crud that dropped out onto the floor was incredible.
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I'll often pre- vac because it makes the job easier and quicker.
lets look at a typical scenario of an average living room, its got a 3ps suite, tv (in a cabinet)a nice wall unit and a couple of bookcases in the alcoves. The customer wants all the carpet cleaning not just the walkways.
straight away I ask if the wall unit & bookcases have always been in the same positions, if the say yes then I can tell them because those areas never get walked on they will only have a collection of light airborne dust. so I'll move them out give that area a good vacuum including wiping down the skirting boards then put them straight back into position. I've never had a customer not accept this and I don't have to worry about tabbing these items
what would I say to the customer if vacuuming was'nt part of my routine? "oh... those areas never get walked on so I won't do them" she's already told me she wants the full carpet cleaning!
again with the suite & TV cabinet , I can offer to do the same, they've always been in the same position ( and can't be moved because of the huge indentations its made on the carpet) so I show the customer underneath and say "all it needs is a really good vacuum" again they rarely object, because I'm not telling them I'm just cannot be arsed to move them ( which is what they will think).
so I can go into a living room only wet clean half the room and the customers is still happy everything has been cleaned...... and the carpet will dry quicker.
If i was pre-spraying scrubbing and extracting all the carpet then tabbing everything it would take longer, they job wouldn't have been done any better and it will take longer to dry.
and for all those who say that people unnecessarily vacuum to justify a higher price, who is really doing unnecessary work? Me or the carpet cleaner who wet cleans the full carpet..... even the areas that don't need it?
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I hear what you're saying Robert, using the car service comparison. Like many, I don't check my oil, windscreen fluid, tyre pressures every day/week. But if I took my car to the garage for a service, I would expect them to check everything and not cut corners.
How many of us pre-vaccers have experience of madam saying "Oh, that looks terrific, and it's already dry too!" To which we reply, "I've only vacuumed so far madam!" I have NEVER had any customer, unless I've taught them, who can vacuum a carpet to anywhere near the standard that I set for myself.
Have you ever noticed that not only do IICRC, NCCA, Woolsafe and BICSC teach us to always pre-vac carpets, but so too do T/M manufacturer/suppliers such as Prochem, HydraMaster, Alltec et al.
Safe and happy cleaning :)
The Ken
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another reason to vac :D :D :D
how many have found a stain or split seam while vaccing? straight away you can bring it to the attention of the customer (before you've started cleaning) you can say..... "that stain will take a lot of getting out, I'll have to slightly increase the price" imagine finishing and the customer turns round and say.... "that seam was'nt split, you've shrink my carpet!!"
a wise man once told me pre-vaccing gives you an idea opportunity to fully examine the overall condition of the carpet ;) ;)
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When someone joins one of the trade bodies. NCCA or IICRC. Let's say you pass the exam, pay the fees and become a full blown member. Does this mean you are agreeing to always clean to the specifications they teach. Or are you free to use your judgement.
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My take on it:
I always appraoch any job as pre vacuuming will be done except on few occassions. If nothing else very few customers have the ability to use that tool that comes with all vacuum cleaners for doing edges.
One of the few occassions that I don't pre vac is when there are loads of cat/dog hairs and I'm going to use a LM system, because that pulls them out easier than any vacuum cleaner, I then vacuum after the job is done.
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If nothing else very few customers have the ability to use that tool that comes with all vacuum cleaners for doing edges.
So right Neil.
Just yesterday, I spent ages cleaning the edges of the stairs and landing.
As I was working my way down the stairs I was having a good chat with the husband "about life in general", and was getting on well.
So when I was finished I raised the subject of these marks, most of which was dog hair and debris, and how special attention, particularly with the carpet they had, was needed to keep these clean.
He took it all in. Now whether they do or not I might see in 12 months time.
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Hi Guys
There will always be differing opinions on this because thats all they are opinions. There is no absolute right or wrong way and a lot will depend on equipment.
It would be interesting if someone was to devise a test for measuring soil and therefore relative cleanliness but in reality there are too many variables.
Cheers
Doug
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If nothing else very few customers have the ability to use that tool that comes with all vacuum cleaners for doing edges.
So right Neil.
Just yesterday, I spent ages cleaning the edges of the stairs and landing.
As I was working my way down the stairs I was having a good chat with the husband "about life in general", and was getting on well.
So when I was finished I raised the subject of these marks, most of which was dog hair and debris, and how special attention, particularly with the carpet they had, was needed to keep these clean.
He took it all in. Now whether they do or not I might see in 12 months time.
Did you take your husband out cleaning yesterday Joe :: :-X :-X
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We do not always pre vac, but i think if you do it is better for your machine.
Rather fluff grit etc went into the sebo bag, than give it a chance to go thru your vac or blower.
Cleaned our lounge carpet recently, and wife asked why water wasnt as dirty as customers waste,
told her it was because we us a sebo 360 daily, even tho ours looked grubbier than customers.
Andrew
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I'd agree with Andrew, it can look clean but it only takes a pin or a staple to do some damage.
Paul
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Even with a porty grit and bits should get nowhere near the vac motors. The only time I prevac is when my Glided wand wont pick the bits up. With typical /normal domestic carpets its more bother than its worth. You more than double the time taken and the gain is zero to marginal at best. Re pet hair I just ignore it and clean. The pile brush will pick up what the wand misses. For sideboards/wall unts most custys dont want to empty them so I dont clean behind them, unless theres acess under them. I also dont move TV's unless the custy wants them moved, in which case I offer to help them pull them out the way. Too easy to pull a cable out and if it doesnt work when it goes back, your the one who broke it, so put the onus on them. Seems to have worked for the last 8 years for me.
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I’m a dedicated non pre-vac’er domestically but commercially I find out how often then lol
Dave
Thanks for the info
Len
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no probs Len, just found the part no 06901
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I hear what you're saying Robert, using the car service comparison. Like many, I don't check my oil, windscreen fluid, tyre pressures every day/week. But if I took my car to the garage for a service, I would expect them to check everything and not cut corners.
How many of us pre-vaccers have experience of madam saying "Oh, that looks terrific, and it's already dry too!" To which we reply, "I've only vacuumed so far madam!" I have NEVER had any customer, unless I've taught them, who can vacuum a carpet to anywhere near the standard that I set for myself.
Have you ever noticed that not only do IICRC, NCCA, Woolsafe and BICSC teach us to always pre-vac carpets, but so too do T/M manufacturer/suppliers such as Prochem, HydraMaster, Alltec et al.
Safe and happy cleaning :)
The Ken
Ken
A few years ago I found on a Website the marketing matrerial of a leading schoolof alltec fast tracker and he had the option not to pre vac, he encouraged his customers to do it before he arrives
He also encouraged customers to move as much funiture as possible
I could post it but I do want to run into any problems with Alltec etc.
THe reason NCCA and all other organizations reccomend Pre Vacing is if itsa dirty carpet it is wise to do on a clean carpet its part of the show.
Im with Robert
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im with Ken, i have NEVER come across a custy who says they have vaced and done it properly...they only ever do the bits you can see
i always vac and allways will.....and charge for it
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And dont you just!!! ;)
Dave.
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Nobody has come up with the Scientific Evedence
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Guy's. We are, are we not, offering a service. The customer (remember them) is the person who will decide if the service we offer is acceptable. The majority of my customers are women. The first hurdle is getting through the door to do the audit and explain what and how we will do the job. Let's face it, it is the lady of the house who will decide who will get the job. How many, and there will be some, go to visit wearing a grubby pair of shoe's with a ciggy hanging out of your mouth?
These "ladies" know how to clean. If you don't agree I challenge you to tell your next customer that she hasn't got a clue; will you get the job? As professionals we will have our own view on the rights or wrongs of pre-vacuuming. Ultimately, so long as the lady is satisfied her "nest" has been cleaned to her standard, will we have done our job. The value of that job will be decided by the customer.
Regarding scientific evidence, if proved or disproved, will we take the report along to show the customer, I think not; just as we don't show one detergent against another. The customer assumes we know what we are doing.
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This is the type of debate where knowone is right/wrong. Personally though i believe that the majority of time pre vac is a waste of time / money. If the customer has already vacuumed the carpet then the chances are you wont need to. 99% of the time customers will vac not just the parts of the carpet that are walked on but also under the sofas before you get there. Pre vac in my opinion will not make a difference to your quality of clean. Obviously pre vac is required if the carpet hasnt been vacuumed before you get there and is covered in bits. Everyone has there own way of cleaning carpets.
Richie.
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Ultimately, so long as the lady is satisfied her "nest" has been cleaned to her standard, will we have done our job.
This is a statement where I slightly disagree with Adi. Particularly with new customers, I don't try to work to their standards, I work to MY standards and expect to exceed their expectations. This will begin at the time of arrival where I wear shoe covers for the audit, talk through processes, problems, on-the-day requirements etc. On the day of the clean it will start with wearing indoor shoes, waterproof barrier mat, vaccing to a standard they have never before witnessed and through to the final groom prior to exit.
Always exceed their expectations in every aspect of your presence in their home/office/shop and there is every chance that it will be you called back next year rather than them letting their "fingers do the walking".
As for scientific evidence to support dry vacuuming, I am not aware of any published papers, but Dr Eric Brown of Cleaning Research International, in his book An Introduction to Carpet Cleaning, when writting of dry particulate soil removal prior to spray-extraction cleaning, he writes: ".....For these reasons, it is not acceptable that the carpet cleaner should rely upon the machines of his client. Nor is it acceptable to assume- if spray extraction is to be used - that the vacuum on the extractor will be adequate........."
Anecdotally, when I was cleaning carpets for the then Midland Bank, pre-specification tests were carried out to ascertain the level of soiling in their banking halls (customer areas). A new carpet was fitted in a branch and normal everyday maintenance was carried out by the daily cleaning contractor. After 6 weeks the carpet still looked good, but was uplifted and returned to a lab. for soiling level tests. It was found that, despite daily vacuuming maintenance, that the carpet had DOUBLED it's weight with the extra dry particulate soiling. This soil, after just 6 weeks, was not yet visible, but accelerated wear and fibre abrasion was taking place which would ultimately effect the point whereby the carpet was too "ugly" to be acceptable.
To add to this, my view with woven carpets especially and probably most upholstery fabrics, is that dry particulate will be present in the backing. When the carpet is wet, natural backing yarn fibres will swell which will then grip onto the particulates. Wet cleaning processes are unlikely to remove these locked-in soils. The best way is the dry extraction/vacuuming process with a twin motor vacuum or better still a pile lifter for commercial installations.
Safe and happy cleaning :)
The Ken
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On occassions, I have used the Envirodri on a dry carpet ie prior to prespray.
I could see the carpet had not been vaccd very well and due to the length of the pile I decided to Enviro it.
The bits that came to the surface was suprising. These easily vaccd away, then it was on with the prespray, aggitation with the Envirodri, short dwell, and extract.
I reckon a much thorough job was done.
If the client can see you using tools of the trade that they have not got, they appreciate the charge we make all the more.
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The Ken,
I agree with your statement re: cleaning to their standard. I realised after posting I had left myself open to potential criticism. Perhaps I should have included the words "at least" to the sentence.
Perhaps a little out of date these days (and I will probably be laughed at by some) but my goal is to do the best job I can for the customer who's paying me their hard earned money. Customer service is all to often forgotten in the rush to get to the next job. If that mean's my spending time pre-vaccing then so be it.
I was taught how to clean carpets by Paul Pearce (The one true God). Paul always pre-vac's. If it's good enough for someone of Paul's experience it's good enough for me.
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Paul admits a lot of what he does is putting on a show.
Ken has come close with his evidence from Dr Brown but that book is now quite old and is still not a Scientfic Study
Just an opinion
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I'm sure anyone who's used a Royal upright vac will agree that they vibrate an astonishing amount of dry soil out of an up-turned rug onto the surface below.
Now do that on a carpet the right way up... oops I've beaten all the dirt down into the backing :o Just another viewpoint/theory but who's to say it's not right? Could Pre-vaccing actually be counter-productive? There are countless arguments for and against anything.
The proof of the pudding is in the eating, as they say (very apt for this time of the year, burp! :)). We all know when we've finished a carpet clean if it's a good job or not, or whether we could have done better, and I'd say that the greater % of us would do something about it if we were making a balls of it.
Dr Brown is a wise man, and very knowledgeable. But recently a different type of doctor prescribed beconase nasal spray to my father in a bungled attempt to cure the complaint which turned out to be cancer growing in his throat. I'm sure he followed his text book down to the last letter ::)
What sort of extraction equipment is Dr Brown referring to? His expertise in the industry is rooted in the times of single vac portable machinery. Problem is, when you've published material saying one thing, it's not easy to make a U-turn is it!
Lots of stuff makes sense on paper, you can follow a flow chart to diagnose a problem, and there are many "right ways" to do many things which have been proven in some way at some point in time. Theory is theory, but what happens in the real world can vary somewhat!
Time moves on, people thought the early aviation pioneers were a bunch of wackos but now look at us flying round the world in our thousands.
The only true test is when we keep putting smiles on faces, retaining customers, generating referrals and putting honourably earned money in the bank.
Have a happy new year everyone, doing it however you feel is best for you 8)
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Guy's. We are, are we not, offering a service. The customer (remember them) is the person who will decide if the service we offer is acceptable. The majority of my customers are women. The first hurdle is getting through the door to do the audit and explain what and how we will do the job. Let's face it, it is the lady of the house who will decide who will get the job. How many, and there will be some, go to visit wearing a grubby pair of shoe's with a ciggy hanging out of your mouth?
These "ladies" know how to clean. If you don't agree I challenge you to tell your next customer that she hasn't got a clue; will you get the job? As professionals we will have our own view on the rights or wrongs of pre-vacuuming. Ultimately, so long as the lady is satisfied her "nest" has been cleaned to her standard, will we have done our job. The value of that job will be decided by the customer.
Regarding scientific evidence, if proved or disproved, will we take the report along to show the customer, I think not; just as we don't show one detergent against another. The customer assumes we know what we are doing.
When DUSTMITES were the fashion Dr Manders report was taken along
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Morning Ian,
Quote from Jim: "The only true test is when we keep putting smiles on faces, retaining customers, generating referrals and putting honourably earned money in the bank".
Quote from Paul Pearce: "The more diligent the pre-vacuuming, the better the end result".
Quote from me: "my goal is to do the best job I can for the customer who's paying me their hard earned money".
Adi.