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Mark Lane-Matthews

  • Posts: 303
Re: upholstery cleaning
« Reply #20 on: September 22, 2007, 10:37:33 pm »
Good luck carpet guy ,sounds like you are the ultimate cleaning machine.Out of interest do you put protective covering down before you start cleaning such as PVC sheeting and dustsheets, or are you so skilled that you are accident proof therefore never need to so also saving time ,unlike the rest of us.

                                                      Mark

carpet guy

Re: upholstery cleaning
« Reply #21 on: September 22, 2007, 10:56:53 pm »
Pedantic or what....................

I have always used cotton , or linen sheets, as the use of non porous sheets would be prone to spills when taking them out.

I'm sure there are many who work in a similar way to myself and take a similar time to clean suites and I forgot to mention. I use turbo driers when necessary.

Funny thing is I am not claiming to be super duper, or attempting to justify a high charge, or claiming to be better, just because I take longer, to achieve a similar result.

In my earliest days I once took almost 5 hours to clean a suite, which was fithy and included nicotine staining. I learned from that experience.......I was not adequately prepared  and suffered the consequences, but, I LEARNED FROM THAT EARLY DISASTER

will01

  • Posts: 256
Re: upholstery cleaning
« Reply #22 on: September 22, 2007, 11:21:44 pm »
Carpetguy:

So if the backs and/or sides of a suite are clean then you would leave them and just concentrate on the rest of the suite?

best Rgds

Will

carpet guy

Re: upholstery cleaning
« Reply #23 on: September 22, 2007, 11:27:11 pm »
Not what I said Will and not what I do !

will01

  • Posts: 256
Re: upholstery cleaning
« Reply #24 on: September 22, 2007, 11:38:15 pm »
Carpetguy:

So you didn't type " I don't waste time on the backs , or sides, they are cleaned according to the degree of soiling, which in most cases is slight"?.

Will


stuart_clark

  • Posts: 1879
Re: upholstery cleaning
« Reply #25 on: September 22, 2007, 11:54:31 pm »
We take approx 3 hours to clean a five seat suite, we cleaned a two and three seater today in sunny sunderland, charged the customer £150 and they were delighted with the results, We put down plastic sheets and cotton drop sheets over the top before any work commences, then we pre vac the whole suite, pre condition then rinse and dry with 5 turbo dryers

will01

  • Posts: 256
Re: upholstery cleaning
« Reply #26 on: September 23, 2007, 12:00:24 am »
It takes us approx 3 hours to clean a suite properly depending on degree of soiling and fabric type and whether it's a 321 or a 311.

Will

carpet guy

Re: upholstery cleaning
« Reply #27 on: September 23, 2007, 07:21:54 am »
Will

They are cleaned according to the degree of soiling...................thought that was clear enough !

I and I'm sure the vast majority of people, who clean carpets, or suites for a living, clean each area     " according to the degree of soiling " otherwise and this would be pointed out on ANY competent training course, you are wasting time and money, by using chemicals where they do not need to be used !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you are wasting time, effort and the same chemicals, on areas with minimal soiling, as on traffic lanes, or the more heavily soiled areas of suites, you are being just plain stupid and wasting product.

As the backs and sides of most suites are considerably less heavily soiledthan the rest of the suite, common sense, good time management and good business sense dictates that they require less cleaning than the more heavily soiled areas.

Maybe you just have'nt got to that page yet  ???

Your comments about using FIVE turbo driers on ANY suite I'm afraid makes me wonder about your actual cleaning and what in God's name is going on in anyones head that makes them feel the need to carry out such a ridiculous act.

Taking longer does NOT make someone better, just as using the biggest machine, or having the biggest van doesn't make anyone better at the job they do.

You are happy with your mindset, which gives you the same hourly return as me, or does it, as you are saying " we take 3 hours, we put down, etc ". Does this mean there are two of you and it takes 3 hours, so you are earning half of what I'm earning

That's £25 per hour, which was my rate 15 - 20 years ago.

Try to remember, the purpose of running a business, is to make money. If you are only taking £25 per man hour you need to re think your strategies. Then you could have Saturday off.

I am leaving shortly, to collect my girls, returning from a cruise in the Carribean, so I will sign off and leave you, hopefully with something to think about.

rob m







Mark Lane-Matthews

  • Posts: 303
Re: upholstery cleaning
« Reply #28 on: September 23, 2007, 08:38:20 am »
Non porous sheeting is laid first, cotton sheeting 2nd for obvious reasons.

ollie

  • Posts: 378
Re: upholstery cleaning
« Reply #29 on: September 23, 2007, 08:43:01 am »
I heve to say when i started (about 2.5 yrs ago) I was taking 3-4 hours on a suite, my average now is 1.5- 2 hours, thats not cutting corners thats just fine tuning a process. most of my work comes from referalls or repeat business and ive never had a complaint yet. I do get some really dirty suites that take up to 4 hours but i can understand where carpet guy is coming from.
ollie
ollie

markpowell

  • Posts: 2279
Re: upholstery cleaning
« Reply #30 on: September 23, 2007, 09:32:59 am »
Well said carpet guy i couldnt have put it any better myself, a little common sense.
Why on earth would anyone fire 5 turbo dryers up to dry a suite, Dear me
Yes £150 to clean a suite is good but when the funds are going 2 ways, the sums dont add up.
I only spend time cleaning the bits tht require cleaning and usually the backs and sides dont need the same effort or time as the arms and cushions !!!!!!!!!!!
Mark

will01

  • Posts: 256
Re: upholstery cleaning
« Reply #31 on: September 23, 2007, 10:29:01 am »
Carpetguy:

Firstly I think your getting me mixed up with another poster. I never said that I use five turbo dryers so I would appreciate it if you would read the thread again and direct your comments elsewhere.

I totally agree with you in that the backs and sides of a suite are rarely soiled.
However as Im sure you're aware water marking can be a problem on some fabric types. Granted, immediate turbo drying can eliminate this but to be on the safe side we would sometimes "Lightly" clean the backs and sides.

Best Rgds

Will




stuart_clark

  • Posts: 1879
Re: upholstery cleaning
« Reply #32 on: September 23, 2007, 11:02:49 am »
90 mins to clean a three piece suite! sounds a bit slap dash 2 me, and it must be left wringing wet, I use 5 air movers so I can guarantee that the suite is dry enough to sit on before i leave the customers house! not everyone offers this service but if you speak to the guys that have a lot of respect in our industry like derek and john bolton they will tell you it takes longer than one and a half hours to clean a three piece suite

darren72

  • Posts: 155
Re: upholstery cleaning
« Reply #33 on: September 23, 2007, 11:14:12 am »
I clean about 3 suites a week usually takes between 1.5to2hrs to clean thats prevac prespray then work in with tampico brush then extract and then towell dry dont usually use air movers i use a chemspec low moisture upholstery tool never left a suite wringing wet yet.

stuart_clark

  • Posts: 1879
Re: upholstery cleaning
« Reply #34 on: September 23, 2007, 11:19:44 am »
yes darren but the Chemspec low moisture tool only cleans the surface and cant rinse the fibres I had one and got rid of it , it was useless and used loads of water

carpet guy

Re: upholstery cleaning
« Reply #35 on: September 23, 2007, 11:34:13 am »
Blaming the tools now Stu  ???

I have always customised my machines and tools since starting in this business 24 years ago. Darren is on the right track as far as I'm concerned.

Shaun_Ashmore

  • Posts: 11382
Re: upholstery cleaning
« Reply #36 on: September 23, 2007, 11:36:13 am »
2-2.5 hours dependant on size and soiling I leave them dry also infact I bet it's dry to sit on but I recommend that it is left for 1-2 hours.

Stuart 5 turbo driers! where do you find all of the sockets?

Shaun

darren72

  • Posts: 155
Re: upholstery cleaning
« Reply #37 on: September 23, 2007, 11:54:15 am »
Ive been using the chemspec upholstery tool for over 2 years does a great job i used to have the prochem uphol tool used to get as much solution on the walls as i did on the suite.I got a new machine 300psi i find i have to turn the psi down when using the low moisture upholstery tool Stuart you dont have to soak a suite to clean it and then you will not need your 5 air movers to dry it .

stuart_clark

  • Posts: 1879
Re: upholstery cleaning
« Reply #38 on: September 23, 2007, 03:00:47 pm »
Shaun, all the air movers connect together so there is only one three pin plug, they are Clean care air movers 1hp each,I dont have to use five air movers but find that using five will always leave the piece of upholstery just about bone dry, Also three of them blow out heat as well, I have used as little as two air movers but I can't guarantee them dry before we leave! i always have room in the van so why not ? as for the low moisture tool,I pirchased about ten years ago after doing an IICRC low moisture upholstery cleaning coarse, I diddn't gell with it and found it used a hell of a lot of water! a friend of mine also stated it just about emptied the fresh water tank mon his Bane, In fact you are the only person that has said anything good about them, I am not confusing it with a CFR low moisture tool, this is a differant animal altogether

stuart_clark

  • Posts: 1879
Re: upholstery cleaning
« Reply #39 on: September 23, 2007, 03:08:03 pm »
I am suprised you would need to use a towel after cleaning with the Chemspec low moisture tool, it hardly wets the surface!
Dont get me wrong I love chemspecs products just ask Julie Roberts, I just dont like there low moisture tool as i dont think you can get a thorough clean with it, it only cleans the surface fibres and thats ok on cotton prints but thats about all!