[gaz1984mcc]

I stopped doing joinery 3 years ago at the time it was hard to get constant work month to month i still do a bit now

...and you spent 8 years at it as well as going to college? Good  joiners have no problem in getting constant work & can make a very decent living from it.   Same applies to good carpet cleaners who know what they are doing. If your approach is that there ain't much to this business - then I reckon you won't last even half the time you lasted in the joinery business

Elliot you're talking out your arse mate big time I've worked with some amazing joiners proper craftsmen with 30 years+ experience and 3 years ago even they were struggling so put a sock in it mate

[Paul Moss]

Gary, more experienced guys are giving advice here or stating their point of view throuh years of experience.
You on the other hand have very little experience on cleaning as your very new to this game.

Here is a quote from you from 2009 on the window cleaning section when you first started cleaning windows.

 has anyone ever tried Cif cleaner formally known as Jif it's a bit expensive to use all of the time but wondered if it would damage pvc?

I think you need the sock mate 

[Neil Williams]

.  iT WAS STATED THAT SHE WOULD HAVE SURVIVED HAD SHE BEEN RESCUED BY THE EXPERIENCED PEOPLE WHO KNEW THEIR JOB.
Not intended as an analogy which it's not but there's a message in there.

And anyone who has served any length of time in the army will know this analogy.
The number of cock ups I witnessed because the Officer with degrees and 12 months at Sandhurst thought he knew better than the simple squaddie with zero qualifications but 3 years army experience.
I once saw a bridge disappear into the River Medway because the Officer wouldn't listen to the Corporal about not putting anymore sections on until it had been balanced correctly. Whilst the splash was impressive I'm sure it was the end of one persons career.

[gaz1984mcc]

Gary, more experienced guys are giving advice here or stating their point of view throuh years of experience.
You on the other hand have very little experience on cleaning as your very new to this game.

Here is a quote from you from 2009 on the window cleaning section when you first started cleaning windows.

 has anyone ever tried Cif cleaner formally known as Jif it's a bit expensive to use all of the time but wondered if it would damage pvc?

Paul moss WTF are you talking about like i said I was a joiner that also involved fitting windows. It's well known in the building trade that alot of window fitters use cream cleaner (cif) to clean the PVC that's the plastic bit Paul not the glass ya numpty. I wanted to know if it was safe to use it.
 

I think you need the sock mate  

[Tony Rowley]

Gaz

You should be flattered , he took the time to go through your posts to try and discredit you!! How bizarre is that!!!

[Doug Holloway]

Hi Guys

My vision as Technical Director of  Clean was to set up really meaningful training  which was both in depth and ongoing and I still believe this is the best way forward.

Whether this is done by class room based, reading based , practical demonstrations and of course experience or all of these is obviously open to debate.

It's always much easier to knock and some are experts at it!

Cheers

Doug

[robert meldrum]

I think you've covered the basic requirements Doug for practical skills which is essentially what carpet cleaning is.

Tell them what you want them to do..
Show them how to do it...
Get them to do it..
Ensure learning has taken place by checking results....
Get them to show their skills again and appraise...
Or repeat all of the above until the required standard is achieved.

There are around 12 established training providers around the UK who could deliver a course after getting it approved by the appropriate accreditation board

[mike roberts]

Gaz

You should be flattered , he took the time to go through your posts to try and discredit you!! How bizarre is that!!!

 why is that bizarre ? It allows you to find out who ur talking to via previous posts.....what i find bizarre is Gaz has been carpet cleaning less than 2 mths yet he is now giving advice   hence this stupid debate about training :

[Jim_77]

No, what is bizzare is that I've just dedicated the last 20 minutes of my life reading through this sh*t !!

[mike roberts]

No, what is bizzare is that I've just dedicated the last 20 minutes of my life reading through this sh*t !!

[Carl Anderson]

Wow!

This as one slightly off topic hasnt it? All i was basically asking was for any dangers to look out for with the combo of chemicals i have purchased such as is using powerburst pre spray safe to use with a crystal green extractor chemical for example?
I will be sticking strictly to the dilution directions of course was just wondering if any of the chemicals mentioned combined (not in the same machine or sprayer) would be ill advised.

To the gent that said it doesnt sound like you know what you are doing i  took no offence and to a small degree you are probably correct. It is my decision to get as much training as possible because i at least want to be competing with my local competitors and if it gives me a slight edge over those that havent then it will be a good investment. I also agree however that gettin out there and gettin hands on experience is invaluable, im sure i willl come across situations that wont be taught to me in a classroom when im out and about so gainin that experience to deal with such circumstances will be essential.

I am doing probably 10-20 jobs in december and early january for friends and family but have told them all to be patient because i will need to gain some more knowlede prior to cleaning professionally for them. The last thing i want to do is cause damage to friends and families carpets.

I have public liabilty insurance as of the 1st of december and am looking forward to my course and gettin out into the real world in 2012.

P.s the bickering is quite amusing  :   

[Paul Redden Countryfresh]

Carl, with respect you will need treatment risks on your ins to cover you for what your working on. Very important.  You dont want to be sued for say a leaky hose on a massive commercial job say a hotel carpet.

As regards car carpet its almost bullet proof with it's construction, where as carpets can be a minefield.
For instance Belgian Wilton or sisal woven with fibres with horizontal yarns.

Best advice get to every course you can.

Good luck in your new venture

[james roffey]

and honestly i wonder how many of you and i mean truthfully no bull here guys? did the training courses before they first cleaned a carpet.

I did the NCCA course plus 2 day spot and stain removal then a rug cleaning course, then spent a day cleaning with Pete Sweeney in Kent and two days cleaning with Pierre de wet near Cambridge both very competent guys before i cleaned any carpet, "honestly"

I agree maybe it isnt rocket science, but stain removal is a science well it is if you are good at it, as has already been said its about being professional and giving the customer a quality service that you can charge accordingly for. you could find yourself burning your bridges somewhat should you make a costly mistake. i always look at every job thinking what can go wrong and a couple of time i have come across a carpet i am certain would have shrunk (crucial trading carpets) if i had not gained the basic knowledge of the dangers that can befall the ignorant.
You sound like you dislike carpet cleaning and would have no pride in what you do, if this is how you feel then your customers will pick up on it, maybe you are just trying to stir things up on the forum, it been done before, but the guys on here can be very useful to running a successful business, and the advice they give and time they give to respond to other carpet cleaners who may at times be quite desperate should not be taken for granted. 

[jim mca]

.  iT WAS STATED THAT SHE WOULD HAVE SURVIVED HAD SHE BEEN RESCUED BY THE EXPERIENCED PEOPLE WHO KNEW THEIR JOB.
Not intended as an analogy which it's not but there's a message in there.

And anyone who has served any length of time in the army will know this analogy.
The number of cock ups I witnessed because the Officer with degrees and 12 months at Sandhurst thought he knew better than the simple squaddie with zero qualifications but 3 years army experience.
I once saw a bridge disappear into the River Medway because the Officer wouldn't listen to the Corporal about not putting anymore sections on until it had been balanced correctly. Whilst the slash was impressive I'm sure it was the end of one persons career.

Neil

The squaddies had basic training to get them started.

Gaz

It costs £100 for a days training with derek boulton at cleansmart or restoromate as a tradesman who came into the cleaning business I would recommend the 2 days as your insurance might not cover you if you cant prove you are competent to carry out the work you are doing it will also give you access to derek how is a real help if things go wrong dont under estimate this business as it can really bite you and replacing carpets or upholstery is not cheap.

Jim

[Dave_Lee]

And anyone who has served any length of time in the army will know this analogy.
The number of cock ups I witnessed because the Officer with degrees and 12 months at Sandhurst thought he knew better than the simple squaddie with zero qualifications but 3 years army experience.
I once saw a bridge disappear into the River Medway because the Officer wouldn't listen to the Corporal about not putting anymore sections on until it had been balanced correctly. Whilst the splash was impressive I'm sure it was the end of one persons career.
[/quote]

Off subject (Thank the Lord) but during my 9 year RE, we never had an officer in charge of bridge building it was always a Staff Sergeant in main control with a full Corporal in charge of the build. How does adding more sections make the bridge topple when they are added, land side and not vice versa? Just curious.
Dave.