[djhaydn]

Hi guys
you may of seen me over on the window cleaning side of the forum, as well as doing the window cleaning using the WFP system, i thought id branch out a little bit and get into the carpet and upholstery cleaning, leaflets have gone out to my window customers and i have a few jobs booked already, and some custies interested.
so i have just purchased a little Numatic george to do some small jobs and am about to purchase a Karcher unit off someone that is more capable of doing the big jobs, my friends brother does this line of work professionally and gave me some tips on some materials,
as the guys on the window cleaning side helped me out big time when i started the Wfp system, i thought id come over here and pick your brains and get some tips, you help and advice will be gratefully apprieciated.

cheers
Haydn

[maxcarpets]

In my humble opinion your choice of machinery is'nt good enough and I would suggest getting some proper training. I think this should have been done before leaflets, alot more problems can arise from carpets & upholstery than windows. Sorry, dont wont to put a downer on it, just telling the truth. Good luck antway.

Cheers

Justin

[Doug Holloway]

Hi Haydyn

Justin is spot on,  carpet and particularly upholstery cleaning is much more complicated than window cleaning.

I would not buy the Karcher as you will then have two low powered machines.

Your profile does not give an area as if it did there may be someone who would let you see him clean a carpet or two so that you get some idea of whats involved.

Cheers

Doug

[djhaydn]

cheers for that, i am near norwich and i have been out with someone and watched and had a go at cleaning carpets, the karcher is a industrial cleaner so why would this be under powered? i take in what has been said so far and agree training should be taken on board, i am one of those people that if someone shows me how to work and tell me what to do i pick up on it quickly, i also understand that carpet cleaning and window cleaning are two seperate issues,
tahnks so far.
we will see how it goes.

[*paul_moss]

Hayden the only people who state That they are comercial cleaners are Karcher  .

The info given above is spot on.
If you do go ahead with it then best of luck.

[gwrightson]

Hayden,
you are doing the right thing seeking advise,
but advise already given, you seem to be questioning!! 
the advise you will be given will be varying to some degree, you need to take notice and make your own mind up. if you decide to go ahead with a karcher, good luck but take in the advise given.

Geoff

[maxcarpets]

What is your budget for "industrial" machine? Sorry but K'archer will not cut it.

Cheers

Justin

[Ken Wainwright]

Haydn

Good advice already given.

It's not a case of moving a machine over a carpet.

Any course worth it's salt will spend the first half day educating you about how to identify different carpet constructions, face fibres, backing fibres, their susceptibility to shrinkage, stretching etc. etc.  Then you will learn about how to test and identify different fibres. They will have different types of dye applied so you'll need to know how to deal with that.  Then you'll learn about pH, acid and alkaline, probably the effects of buffering............. All of this is VERY important if you don't want to be paying out for lots of new carpets and suites. And you haven't yet seen aven a bucket of water!

Without a reasonable understanding of the theory of fibres, fabrics and cleaning, you'll be a disaster waiting to happen. Get trained first!

Oh, and the specification of the Karcher. This is of the highest spec available to the industry. Well it was in 1981 

Safe and happy cleaning
Ken

[Bill Robinson]

hi haydn
this is a good little machine to start off on

http://www.extracta.co.uk/exel.htm

its what ive started off on i recommend you buy a new one and not seccond hand
i use on a lot of jobs formular 90. for wool i use "one clean" theres all kind of stain kits you can get.
endurance is the key

bill

[Joe H]

Hi Hayden
Its good you asking the questions now before oyu spend rather then after.

Just Google "carpet cleaning machines", once you go down past the sponsored links you then get (in listing order)
Cleansmart
World of Clean
Express Cleaning Supplies (who are the sponsors of this site

take a good look at the machines they have for sale - particularly the specifications.
compare the specs with that of the Karcher you thinking to buy.
You should see a difference ie number of vac motors, psi of the pump, even water capacity matters (dont want to be refilling every 2 minutes).

Thats just 3 suppliers, there are lots more out there.

Keep on asking questions, there are biased opinions on the forums (thats natural-we have our personal preferences) but also good advice based on lots of experiance.

If you want to provide your clients with the best carpet clean they have ever had then you just need to open your eyes to see the wider picturre of availability.
and we are only talking machines so far.

Someone mentioned training earlier.
NCCA have a course in Feb (next one then is April) so try to get on the next NCCA course - based in Leicester so not too bad for you in Norwich.

[Ian Gourlay]

As you are in Norwich? I would suggest you take a drive to Cranes in Acle

You have been advised of three good companies, but they are not within easy driving distance.

However Alltec is just a few miles off M11 so also goggle Alltec


If you were making a day of it you could also visit Woodbridge Commercial at Harlow also   just off M11

WFP s are not cheap have you got all you can out of this enterprise ie enough customers for a month.  If not you need to concentrate on your marketing before considering another enterprise

[djhaydn]

cheers again for all your replies, i dont take heart to any one who thinks i cant cut it, as i go with the flow and do what i want to do.
a few answer to some of the replies.

yes i am looking at training in the near future as the enquiries ive had are not wanting carpets cleaned untill spring,

the karcher idea has gone out of the door now, and im now looking at the larger numatic machines,

i go to hugh cranes quite offten so ill have a look when im there next,

my window cleaning round is now up to 17 rounds per month and im quite happy with that and im not canvessing for more work in this field,

im only looking at taking on 2 or 3 jobs a month in the carpet line,

as well as doing window cleaning, im also a retained firefighter and a DJ, so with this in mind i cant take to much more on or id burn out before i get to 50.

again thanks fo rall your replies and i have read them with great thought

Haydn

[Ian Gourlay]

Hi,

A decent machine will cost  £3000 including vat plus extra tools. If you want to go down that route you need twin vacs plus psi 300 to 400 If you buy anything less you will be wanting a new toy very soon. Prochem machines which is Cranes stock  only have low psi.

But being the other side of Norfolk seeking independance from  dominance of Norwich  and Yarmouth
I have not been to Cranes for years and they may stock other makes such as CFR

Unless you are taking on help I do not feel you would get a return on your investment with two or three jobs a month.

There are people such as Lionheart who in the past few years have developed Cleaning Companies which include Window Cleaning, Office Cleaning, Domest Cleaning , Builders Cleans, and Carpet Cleaning.


So it could be done.

PS Burn out at 50  There is Guy 71 years old running to be President.

[Joe H]

Hayden
With you saying you are only planning to do 2 or 3 carpet jobs a month maybe its not worth the investment in something major.
As a major player int he carpet cleaning the Karcher and other similar spec'd machines just dont make it
HOWEVER
they do a job, and a lot of the time its the skill of the operator that makes it all work right.

For many years in side my domestic cleaning business I used a Numatic CTD575 (I think they still do it or something very similar). It had advantages of being small and light etc but being small meant I had to keep refilling and it had no heater, but I made it work. If I did a few carpets at a time I was jiggered, another disadvantage, cause I did have to make it work. Now, with a much more powerful machine, I can do the same number of carpets in a day and not feel half as jiggered.

The point is, perhaps not worth you spending a lot, just make a little work harder.
Do the training though - you will enjoy it.