Hi all,
I am starting up on my own and would like some recomendations on what cleaner is good value for money? i would like to do curtains and rugs as well as carpets etc so any ideas would be much appreciated.
Cheers
Ant
Going back to the original thread...
Ant, you want to do carpets, rugs, and curtains.
The curtains are different to carpets and rugs. You can buy c/c machines that have a dry solvent side to them, but a lot of c/c who have bought them have not used the facility a great deal. There are other ways to clean curtains without dry cleaning solvents (including take them off to a dry cleaners and add a harge to customer).
I reckon most c/c have not seriously touched curtains (if I am wrong there will be a response and that will be good).
Now if you had said you want to do carpets, rugs and uhholstery - that is what carpet cleaning machines do... and that what most c/c do.
So whats a good machine?
Well a Bex Bissell, or a Vax, or a Rug Doctor will clean carpets to some lesser or greater degree.
For a long time I cleaned carpets with a Numatic CTD machine which cost about £600 16 year ago, still made and cost about the same today!
Yes I cleaned carpets, but it was hard work cause I wanted the best for the client with the equipment I had.
As a main machine I wouldnot recommend any of the above.
In my opinion (IMO) one needs, 2 - 3 stage vac motors, and a pump say 300psi or above, and some heat source - either in-line or "in the tub", bit like an immersion heater. A good supply of customers hot tap water will suffice, mostly but not always available.
You will also need about 50' of both suction and solution hose so you can do the upstairs of a normal 3 bed house from downstairs.
What budget do you have to spend???
Arguably the most powerful portable machine on the uk market is a Scorpion which has 3 - 3 stage vacs, 500psi pump and runs 2" hose (most others have 1.5" hose). £2500+vat plus hoses wand hand tool etc.
A lot of the high quality machines are around this price, perhaps a bit less in some cases.
Ninja, Prochem, Speedster, Hydramaster and others are the other top players.
On Ebay there are some good machines, new, going for less then a £1000 plus VAt.
You need to know your budget cause machine is not the end.
You need the tools, cleaning fluids, carpet sprayers, carpet brush/rakes, good vac cleaner, advertising inc website,insurance and of course training, then a vehicle, the list could go on.
If you are really flushed then consider a truckmount, these are more powerful then portables and start at about £5600 +vat and go up to £20k and beyond - plus the vehicle.
If you are serious about c/c then this could be the way to go cause they will last, but its a big investment so you hve to really think about iit seriously.
Then there are other forms of carpet cleaning like low moisture (rotary machine) and very low moisture machines (counter rotating brushes etc). More investment, but these are a consideration probably to complement the main machine which I consider to be a hot water extraction type.
Hope this has helped.