[Joe W Brown]

Splattered All the way down from the landing too hall. Had been there under 24 hours.

I prevacced, presprayed with shockwave and then got my solvents out.


Tried about every solvent i have - special rx, gum off it, eco pog, prochem pog remover.


Even after 10-15 minutes dwell none of the solvents where helping much. I tried agitating with brush, but not much luck.

In the end I had to use my finger nails to scrape it down. Then blot off, then scrape more, blot more, scrape more, blot more, finally hot water rinse.


Most of it came off and it was barely visible by the time I had repeated the process for just about every stair, plus the hall and landing which where covered in it.


3 hours later I had a happy client, but a not so happy me as i took my £45 (lucky to break a loss after the 300ml+ of solvent which must have been applied.


How should I have gone about it? How much would you have charged?

[Neil Jones]

Don't think there is much more you could of done if solvents where not working. You got it out which is the main thing, you'll just know to charge a lot more than £45 next time.
You will have a happy customer though and they will probably use you again and even refer you, maybe send out some vouchers to them with an offer on for their friends, they will probably pass them around.

[Chris Straker]

Gloss paint needs solvent/spirit based removal but I usually get emulsion out with normal M Power prespray run that I would do on most carpets !!

May have to dwell on marks that customers have had a go at but generally out in one 

[Jamie Pearson]

For a large spill I would soak a towel in POG put it on top then add some weight and leave it for 15 to 20 mins. Then a spray of Solvex followed by rinsing.

As Chris says if the cust/painter has had a wipe at it that sometimes requires an additional application.

[james roffey]

I use Solvex which i find to be about the best for paint spills.

[Doctor Carpet (Ret'd)]

Joe

Personally I would have charged on a time basis. There are many ways you can do this. For example:

For the first period of time (30 minutes, 60 minutes or whatever) you charge perhaps your minimum charge/standard stain call out fee. Thereafter you charge £x per 15 minutes (or other period of time).

Obviously many clients might think you will abuse this but if you have good reasons which you can explain to them then in many cases the potential client will go with you rather than another, cheaper, cc who could simply be implying that if he hasn't fixed the problem in a short period of time he'll take his fee and still leave the client with the problem.

Often by reviewing the stain at the end of the first period of time you can explain to the client that the stain is coming out and that you now have a far better idea of how long it will take/cost which gives the client the opportunity to then agree to the extra cost with the (almost) certainty of the stain removal. Alternatively the client may choose to cut thier losses, pay up your minimum charge, and live with the remains of the stain. Either way you actually get paid for the amount of time you put in on a reasonably pro rata basis.

Hope this suggestion helps.

Rog

[Joe W Brown]

Thanks for the advice Rog.

It certainly helps.

[Joe W Brown]

And thanks everyone.