[Simon@arenaclean]

Have to agree do not HWE. As above explain why to your customer and advise them. If they want to get someone else to do it that's their choice. If it shrinks it will drive you nuts and life really is TOO short

[james roffey]

James,
with over 22yrs in the business, YES

If you dont believe me just spray it and see but make sure the grippers are firmly nailed down, it will pull them out too

Regards

Daryl

Daryl it was the wink i thought you may be gesting.

 many thanks

[james roffey]

Many thanks for the advice lads, i will advise the customer accordingly, at least i spotted that this carpet may cause me problems, better than telling you all i shrunk it and ask why
 better safe than sorry.
The carpet is on the hall stairs and landing and a cat has been sick on it so really wanted to HWE it.
Could a solvent cleaner  with a terry towel be used on the carpet just thinking how to advice the customer a way of cleaning it.

[cleaningmaster]

James,

You dont have to be afraid to tell the customer the truth.

Around 6yrs ago,whilst i was with SM, i got called to one of our regular custy's , she had just spent £000's doing the hall up and was having the carpet done in the rooms off. I asked her what type of carpet she was having and she promptly went and got a sample (£80 sqym), to show me. I told her that if she wanted us to clean it not to call us because we wouldn't be able to clean it as it was un-cleanable. At that her husband came in and gave me a right mouth full about "do you know how much it cost's etc, etc, F this Jeff That" i said" i was sorry but your wife asked me and i told her what i thought". He stormed off to phone the manufacturer, i thought OH poo! he's not happy. Around 20mins later his wife came to me to tell me i was right, and it could not be cleaned. Strange thing is her husband never came to offer an apology. ;

Regards

Daryl   

[richie]

What really annoys me is that carpet shops know that some carpets cant be cleaned using a system (HWE) that is the only system to REALLY clean a carpet, yet dont / wont mention this to their customers.  Surely that been open n honest with the customer would be the best policy.  It seems obvious in been honest the customer would pick something else to the same value that can be cleaned.

Richie.

[james roffey]

By way of an update i thought i would let you all know how this one ended, i explained to the customer that it would not be advisable to HWE this carpet as it would shrink, she said i have found an off cut i can try that if it does not shrink, come back and clean our carpet 
 i have now been to the house which is about 4 miles away 3 times the job was only £60
i must be mad but they have other carpet in the house so keep them sweet i suppose :
Anyway got the sample back home i penciled a line around the carpet and then gave it a prespray i half expected it to turn up at the ends which it did not, so after 20 minutes gave it a bit more prespray again nothing, until i offered it up to the template and it had indeed shrunk, this piece was about 2 ft sq and it shrunk about half an inch, so i was right to be wary and you were all right in confirming i am glad you were all right because if you had said differently i would be in trouble now   what a stupid carpet though it has a urine stain on it too and cost a packet

[Dave_Lee]

What really annoys me is that carpet shops know that some carpets cant be cleaned using a system (HWE) that is the only system to REALLY clean a carpet, yet dont / wont mention this to their customers.  Surely that been open n honest with the customer would be the best policy.  It seems obvious in been honest the customer would pick something else to the same value that can be cleaned.
Richie.

Richie,
I fitted carpets for a few carpet retailers including big stores, for a period of about 10 years, before telling them where to go.
It was clear that they didn't even know what they were selling and didn't have a clue about cleaning. They would say and make up anything to sell a carpet and talk cr-p when asked about cleaning, just to make it looked like they were knowledgeable.
A major carpet retailer in the town where I live, a family firm, although they were one of the best around, always told customers that carpets should never be cleaned apart from vacuuming. A few years ago the owner retired and his son took over the business. Shortly after he retired, he asked me to clean some carpets and the suite. Ive been doing them ever since.
Dave.

[Michael Smallwood]

This whole busines of floor coverings being sold as carpets is something the NCCA and hopefully CLEAN should/will take up with trading standards. Perhaps they could lobby for better inormation to be given to customers at the time they buy the carpet.

I suppose it is the old case of let the buyer beware, though when Crucial Trading avoid straight answers to straight questions on their website arning bells should ring.

It can be quite hard work when you tell an estabished customer that they have just bought a product that will be difficult and expensive to merely try to clean.

Any jobs going as a postman?