Idiot Customer, curious kid

[Acp]

What about when you are doing a large house and you finish in the basement then have to back your hose upstairs and run it into a different part of the house, do you go out and shut down the TM? or keep the wand connected while you move the hose? just curious

 

[DAT]

I think there is a safety plug you can get.. not sure

 

[Cleanworks]

What about when you are doing a large house and you finish in the basement then have to back your hose upstairs and run it into a different part of the house, do you go out and shut down the TM? or keep the wand connected while you move the hose? just curious

I usually leave the wand connected. It's not just cats and little kids, you would be amazed at what a loose hose can suck down. Towels, face cloths, toys, you name it.

 

[Bob Pruitt]

If the machine is on my vac hose is always connected or in my hand to be switched to a different tool.
"Idiot?" More likely a overly trusting Customer...and she has probably learned her lesson...hope you have too.

 

[hogjowl]

If you’re going to throw the IDIOT bomb, be firm and resolute!
No question marks allowed!

 

[Cleanworks]

IDIOT!

 

[hogjowl]

So proud

 

[Mikey P]

I had virtually the same happen to me in the Coit days.

I ran out to the truck to kill it..

Not smart enough to stand on the hose.



He lived





I think.

 

[steve_64]

I usually leave the wand connected. It's not just cats and little kids, you would be amazed at what a loose hose can suck down. Towels, face cloths, toys, you name it.

I've taken down curtains.

 

[Nomad74]

You don't even want to hear my stories.

 

[SamIam]

You don't even want to hear my stories.

What lost your balls somewhere?

 

[Hack Attack]

Not me but someone I know (yeah right!) removed cuff off wand to get muck out of corner beside the couch, couldnt quite reach beside couch so moved the couch and a white mouse ran from under the couch straight up the vacuum hose... at which point a lil girl popped her head round the corner have you seen my pet mouse??

 

[SamIam]

Not me but someone I know (yeah right!) removed cuff off wand to get muck out of corner beside the couch, couldnt quite reach beside couch so moved the couch and a white mouse ran from under the couch straight up the vacuum hose... at which point a lil girl popped her head round the corner have you seen my pet mouse??

Hard to build a better mouse trap!

 

[bob vawter]

i had a chipmunk sneak in the open door once....
we were all running around tryin to shooo him back out
a well aimed throw of the hose

took him out!

 

[bob vawter]

I've taken down curtains.

somehow you can never make them look the same
before Mrs Phift gets back......

 

[hogjowl]

You don't even want to hear my stories.

Oh yeah I do!
I can’t sleep anyway.

 

[Old Coastie]

I remember some of you meatheads saying you pee into your vac hose...

 

[Nomad74]

Oh yeah I do!
I can’t sleep anyway.

I can't either. Had a really long, low paying, day. But at least my little stock is doing well.

Dealt with a nutty customer, an abandoned cat that crapped and peed all over the abandon house because the guy is in jail and the county paid me to clean it, a vacant rental with tape all over the floor from the painters, and an apartment complex I had told never to call me again but somehow they got on today's schedule. What a day!

 

[bob vawter]

I remember some of you meatheads saying you pee into your vac hose...

if you practice you can bend a stream.....

 

[Nomad74]

I once was cleaning in a questionable neighborhood. My TM was running full blast. I went into the back of my van to get something and the wind blew my back doors shut. You can't open the back doors from the inside because the locks are busted, so I was stuck. My diesel fired Amtex was running so it was HOT in there. I reached my hand around to the front of the TM and turned it off. The Amtex was too big for me to crawl over the top of it to the front seat. It would have also burned the crap out of me if I tried. I pulled out my cell phone but there was no signal. I was stuck!!!!

Then it hit me like a ton of bricks. I had to go to the bathroom! Why now! Stuck in the back of my van, my vision of the near future consisted of me holding a 2" hose to my rear and then getting intimate with some spotting towels. Then the cold sweats hit me. It was a hopeless situation.

I looked out the back window and could see some crack-head walking on the sidewalk. Should I bang on my window and get him to let me out? I thought this would be the perfect opportunity for him to rob me. I decided to risk it. My fear of pooping in my remaining reeled up suction hose was greater than my fear of getting robbed.

I started banging on the back windows and yelling for help. My back windows are tinted and the guy couldn't see me. I stuck my face out the side opening and started yelling. He eventually came over and opened my back door. That was a learning day for me. Now I don't climb in the back of my Express van unless both doors are open and secured.

 

[Jim Pemberton]

You don't even want to hear my stories.

I'm imagining those stories go something like this Damon:

 

[Jim Pemberton]

I once was cleaning in a questionable neighborhood. My TM was running full blast. I went into the back of my van to get something and the wind blew my back doors shut. You can't open the back doors from the inside because the locks are busted, so I was stuck. My diesel fired Amtex was running so it was HOT in there. I reached my hand around to the front of the TM and turned it off. The Amtex was too big for me to crawl over the top of it to the front seat. It would have also burned the crap out of me if I tried. I pulled out my cell phone but there was no signal. I was stuck!!!!

Then it hit me like a ton of bricks. I had to go to the bathroom! Why now! Stuck in the back of my van, my vision of the near future consisted of me holding a 2" hose to my rear and then getting intimate with some spotting towels. Then the cold sweats hit me. It was a hopeless situation.

I looked out the back window and could see some crack-head walking on the sidewalk. Should I bang on my window and get him to let me out? I thought this would be the perfect opportunity for him to rob me. I decided to risk it. My fear of pooping in my remaining reeled up suction hose was greater than my fear of getting robbed.

I started banging on the back windows and yelling for help. My back windows are tinted and the guy couldn't see me. I stuck my face out the side opening and started yelling. He eventually came over and opened my back door. That was a learning day for me. Now I don't climb in the back of my Express van unless both doors are open and secured.

Thank you Damon!

That was the best laugh I've had in I don't know how long.

You rival Mikey in your story telling ability...

 

[Mark Saiger]

This happens too much. We could have pages on commentary on inattentive parents.

My favorite remains the guy who was talking to a lady and found his back was getting wet and looked up to find a little boy urinating on him from the second level railing. If it was told here, details would be great, as my memory has faded.

I do seem to remember that the mother was unfazed by it.

And this cleaner is a friend of mine ....great cleaner and super nice guy.

This story was something when he told me about it...

 

[Mark Saiger]

Open unattended hose always a big concern for me....

and I let the guys know the same and pretty insistent on watching this and keep hoses on equipment when have to leave unattended

Even if were considered right by a lawyer or go to court....in public court(social media) IT WILL BE DETRIMENTAL!

We all have done stupid things....and lived and luckily everyone else.....

Thanks for sharing....

 

[steve_64]

You don't even want to hear my stories.

Marty wants the video.

 

[Brian H]

actually my girlfriend works at a law firm, she confirmed with someone at the office that its very unlikely they could put fault on us because they were warned.

If there never was given any kind of info about keeping children away then yes its our fault.

Along the same lines of what Mark said, even when you are right, you will lose. I am sure your girlfriend will be able to tell you how much an attorney costs per hour just to defend yourself. We just got done paying around $10,000 in attorney fees defending ourselves in a lawsuit in which we literally did did nothing wrong.

 

[Brian H]

I'm imagining those stories go something like this Damon:

Over the years, we have had more than one helper go fishing in the waste tank for an arm cap.

And remind me sometime to tell you the story of the parakeet.

 

[Acp]

If I have to fart and the customer is close, I fart into the vac line.

Works great, I tell my guys to do the same

 

[Kenny Hayes]

I definitely did, this literally happened in a matter of 5 seconds.. never take your eye off small curious kids.

a lot of customers do leave during the job, mostly because they dont have time to sit and watch... Im at least going to try and convince the rest that we need the house for a couple hrs

Now your talking. You can’t take your eyes off of them, or at least know their whereabouts. But crap can still happen. Be glad it was just a vacuum hose.

 

[Acp]

I had a hose burst in a $2 mil condo in December. Can imagine how bad it could have been if a kid was somehow in the bathroom at the same time.

Luckily it was in a bathroom all sand stone that we were cleaning, literally had to flat mop the ceiling... 220 degree black sludge everywhere