a spawning salmon headed upstream

Mikey P

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would be easier to convince to turn around and go back out to see then trying to convince you old school hot water die hards that less is more when it comes to cleaning extremely soiled carpet.

Wicking, browning, streaking, solvent residues, bacteria, abused fibers and whatever else I am forgetting that comes from trying to be a superhero and correcting the sins that home and business owners commit on their carpets..


Less is more my friends, less is more...
 
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Jim Pemberton

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Jim Pemberton
It has always been thus in the history of this industry:

When my father started to clean carpet and rugs in the home with dry foam in 1960, he was badly treated by inplant cleaners...the most polite thing he was called was "scum of the earth"

The advent of "steam cleaning" (hot water extraction in those days) brought about a war between the "steam" and "shampoo" people that almost brought cleaners to physical altercations at trade shows.

There were similar issues with meetings with mills that pitted dry compound, foam, shampoo, and hot water extraction proponents against each other.

What was and is little understood is that what drove these changes was the changes from rugs to wall to wall carpet, and wool to synthetic fibers.

Today's trend toward horrible polyester fiber carpet (and only slightly less horrible Triexta) and area rugs in the home where "traffic areas" are controlled by mats and hard surfaces, is leaving room for VLM cleaning to make more sense. The high cost of gasoline, large vans, and truck mounts, as well as limited availability of vans and truck mounts is contributing to this as well.

I think sleeping in Ed York's house has gotten you possessed by his iconoclastic spirit Mike.

Ed was often infuriating with his vitriol, but what angered people most was when he came close to the truth.
 
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Mikey P

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AlienAgent

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Sep 27, 2020
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Ohio
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Joe Gingerich
I have a theory about the increase in VLM being another symptom of “the cheapening of America”.

Our old house, built in the late 40’s to early 50’s has a level of construction and durability that my parents home (mid 90’s construction) doesn’t even come close to. Everything just gets thinner, cheaper, and more disposable. All thanks to the Fed/Treasury, off shoring, and gov policies.

I’ve often said, as the decades roll by the price of carpet cleaning just stays the same. The price of our services has not kept up with inflation. We all just turn to faster production equipment and increased volume.

At this point, when a commercial client is barely willing to pay the same or less than I was charging 10 years ago (and the guy that got me started was charging 10 years before that…) I’m no longer interested in providing an over the top, every last bit flushed out, super duper cleaning. They’re gonna get the Cimex or Phoenix full of encap and peroxide. Or if it’s easier, crank the LG#4 and melt it out. Looks good, smells good, is good.

Now all that being said, Mike has a good point with the less is more concept and I agree with him on that. There are plenty of situations where trying to be the hero will turn you into a zero due to wick back, over wetting, excess labor performed in vain, etc.

Again, looks good? Smells good? Is good!

*the crocodile is on the right with the skinny, v shaped snout.
 

Trip Moses

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Sep 19, 2018
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Savannah GA
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Trip Moses
would be easier to convince to turn around and go back out to see then trying to convince you old school hot water die hards that less is more when it comes to cleaning extremely soiled carpet.

Wicking, browning, streaking, solvent residues, bacteria, abused fibers and whatever else I am forgetting that comes from trying to be a superhero and correcting the sins that home and business owners commit on their carpets..


Less is more my friends, less is more...
I quit cleaning what should be replaced. Not my problem, Yo!














Well, mostly…..
 
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Cleanworks

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Oct 22, 2012
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New Westminster,BC
Name
Ron Marriott
would be easier to convince to turn around and go back out to see then trying to convince you old school hot water die hards that less is more when it comes to cleaning extremely soiled carpet.

Wicking, browning, streaking, solvent residues, bacteria, abused fibers and whatever else I am forgetting that comes from trying to be a superhero and correcting the sins that home and business owners commit on their carpets..


Less is more my friends, less is more...
Recently put the Phoenix up against a Vortex. Operations manager says he's never seen the carpets that clean. What takes the Vortex 1 hour, takes me 15 minutes with the Phoenix. Kind of important when you have a million square feet to clean.
 
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Willy P

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Oct 2, 2007
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Location
Vancouver
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Willy P
Janitorial company. Who knows how they're actually using it or if they even prespray or do dry strokes. They use the Vortex for all accessible areas and ride on extractors for the rest. Both systems have drying and wicking problems.
Did they buy that from CRS - I know they bought a Vortex for the airport contract and promptly lost the contract.
 

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