[Jaybee]

So how did you get into carpet cleaning? I doubt anyone went to see their careers advisors at school/college/uni and said "I just want to clean carpets mate, SHOW ME THE CARPETS, SHOW ME THE CARPETS." I am guessing that that most people stumbled upon carpet cleaning by chance/accident/desperation and realised it was a decent way to make a similar income as GP or accountant etc. but with considerably less training involved.

So what's your story?

[Len Gribble]

I used too sub all my cc business out to a TM’er, and then I went out and brought a Ninja.

Len

[spindle]

wife runs a maid service............

any many people were asking if they knew anyone.......so they started using a local cc to do their jobs............

when the wife saw the potential of cc...........i was sent on a few courses

bought a ninja.........still got it gunny!!!

dont do it f/t but goes a loooooooong way to help paying bills!!

[The Great One]

Hi

Brother was guarntor for his son (my Nephew) in a flat.

He got thrown out for making too much noise and racing cars down the street.

Brother went in to clean & paint as he wanted the deposit back.

they told he x, y & z needed cleaning and as the flat is 2 mins away and he lives 12 miles away, I went and did it.

Light bulb went on above head that maybe I could make a business of it.

Got 2 small EOT jobs in the september
2 small jobs in October
3 jobs in November

 Was asked if I cleaned carpets, said no but I am about to do a course, 4 dec 2003 went for prochem course and that month turned over £2200.

Four years later still in EOT & CC.

Regards

Martin

[carpetguy]

I had a pretty big common area cleaning business and bought a tiny Numatic for spot treatments, this resulted in enquiries from residents, which required a bigger machine, etc, etc.

When I decided to take it seriously, I got a fantastic machine, which was sold along with the new " at that time " microsplitters and in spite of some of the drivel posted by one particular individual, I found the machine in question, to give superb, deep cleaning results, with rapid drying.

I have tried just about everything and made decisions based on the accessability, parking, noise, costs, etc.

If I was starting today, I would be looking at the versatility of the Prowler, as the machine that ticks most boxes, but with over twenty years of using machines, realise the need for a lightweight portable and a rotary system, for particular situations.

So J B, you are good at asking questions and have been getting a fair bit of feed back, but who are you. Are you just seeking knowledge, lacking confidence, or what ?

rob

[Joe H]

Hi Carpetguy.

Reading between the lines am I right in thinking it was a CFR machine you had??

[carpetguy]

Joe

Yes I'm referring to the CFR and have caused one or two people to get a bit hot under the collar, by my comments, but,,,,,,,,,,,,what's VERY, VERY important, is the person and the product and the standard the person works to.

I've seen many peoples work, not just c/c, where they really think they are the bees knees and others would be shocked, disgusted and dismayed at the results.

Equally, I have witnessed someone getting astonishing results from using the little Karcher Puzzi albeit, using prespray  properly, aggitating adequately and basically using the machine effectively.

Much of what's achieved in this business, is not due to power ( although it obviously gives an advantage ) but diligence, personal application and working tools and chemicals to the maximum of their capability.

rob m

[Joe H]

Rob M

I agree with what you say.

and I have a CFR and love it - but appreciate its not everyones cup of tea, and thats ok with me.

Martin_606 (couple of posts earlier) is very much into Envirodi machine and sponges, - by all accounts he gets very good results because he has persevered and developed his technique - but he gets slated a lot for expressing what works for him and letting others know.

As for getting into the carpet cleaning business - I have a business cleaning houses and smaller offices (16 years now) and was getting asked about carpet claning. Bought a Pneumatic CTD572 for about £600 (still have it) and developed from there.

Now I dont promote the house clening - just the carpet cleaningcause I love it so much more. Great satisfaction.... and now with powerful presrays like Nemisis Super, M Power and Microsplitters I really think the CTD572 could do a good job - might try that one day when feeling adventurous!!

[AquaMagic]

Worked in IT for years, got fed up of sat behind a desk so i went on the tinterweb and sent off for 50 franchise info packs, read them all decided that the carpet cleaning franchise looked good, went and had a look but didnt have the money to buy a franchise so set up my self after going on training courses and reading on here every day.  Love it.

Dene

[John Gregory]

Dene ,  you menthoned you were in IT , Did you do your own web site I've just been onit and im well impressed

[Fresh Clean]

j/b! mind your own flaming business!!!!!!!!

[AquaMagic]

No John i never did HTML programming, this was done by our lasses mates hubby, had to clean his lounge and his mothers lounge for it, not bad eh?

Im sure if i ask him for you he will knock you a site together i believe he is reasonable with his prices.

Dene

[John Gregory]

Dene   me niece is in the process of building  one for me . can i pinch some of the ideas off yours?

john

[Mike Osbourne]

I got into carpet cleaning when I lost all my savings, my career and the house.

The initial spark came from something on the net that listed 100 ways to make money. I got a pin and the rest is history....

[lands]

I was in a park one day eating me lunch and from nowhere a tardis appeared in front of me. A white haired, intelligent looking man stepped out and said, do you have a spare rizla? I duly obliged (I only had kingsize on me but he was happy with that) and we got talking. After much discussion about the emotions that a carpet has deep down I asked the passionate (about carpets) his name and he said John  Bolton and the rest was history.

Pete

[Shaun_Ashmore]

At 18 I was bored working for a firm of accountants and so got a job with Service Master then went to WE Franklins and then a brief spell at another cleaning firm but I'd already set my heart on going solo.

Shaun

[Ian Gourlay]

My Childrens Auntie commited Suicide. The House smelt of Cigaerettes.

We need to clean the blood etc in order to sell the House.

The Relator said we had worked a mirricle

So I thought I will stop thinking about it I will do it for real

So went out and bought a machine

[Neil Williams]

I was a police officer (8 years) and had reached the point where I hated it. Saw an advert saying earn £30k as self employed (with hindsight this required working 8 days per week, 12 hours per day and selling too). But like you do I went for it.
Reality was that for every £100 job I did, I received £21. After 12 months of this it didn't take a genius to work out that if I charged the customer £50, they would get the job half price and I would get twice as  much.
By 2 years I had built up enough potential clients etc to go it along.

This is a shortened storey but a lesson in why you should respect your staff etc.

The company name. Well I'd best not name them but they used to frequent Hants, Berks, Surrey, Sussex under different names. Build up a debt, go bust, start up again from the same locations but under different names.

[vangaurd]

i got into carpet cleaning, by starting to clean them booooooooom

[stuart_clark]

I worked in retail from leaving school, worked for various companies in that time and in management, by the time I was 32 i was pig sick and needed a change I had a HGV licence and loved driving but diddn't like working by myself all day, A friend of mine had got into carpet cleaning a few years before and was doing realy well, I went on a few big jobs with him and thats what got me interested ! he moved out of the area, and thats when I set up in business july 1992