A few questions for VLM'ers that clean residential...

[Walrus Gumboot]

I'm envious of your cost of equipment, but have a few serious questions. (not in order of importance)

1- How do you clean corners?
2- Can you get trashed carpets clean without spending all day trying?
3- How do you clean Tile with a Trinity or similar machine? Do also use a portable for vac?
4- Same question ^^^ for Hardwoods

Mikey has me really screwed up with his latest transformation, but it's been that way for many years now. Once I get up to speed with one thing, he darts in another direction.
It's like chasing a squirrel.

 

[Mikey P]

I'm envious of your lost cost equipment, but have a few serious questions. (not in order of importance)

1- How do you clean corners?
2- Can you get trashed carpets clean without spending all day trying?
3- How do you clean Tile with a Trinity or similar machine? Do also use a portable for vac?
4- Same question ^^^ for Hardwoods

Mikey has me really screwed up with his latest transformation, but it's been that way for many years now. Once I get up to speed with one thing, he darts in another direction.
It's like chasing a squirrel.

I don't know why you people think I'm only providing one method..

I would never do any of the scenarios you mentioned with low moisture.

The homes that I use by Trinity on have clean corners by the way


I couldn't imagine the bigger nightmare and only going out with a single VLM method to clean every situation we run into in a given day as carpet cleaners.

 

[Mikey P]

Put a Phoenix in your truck along with a pile of pads and a gallon of good juice and when the situation arises go for it.

Again I'll explain it. Read carefully and slowly and don't read anything into it..

Although this usually pertains to repeat customers where I know their habits and how they live in their home I have had a few new customers recently where it's pretty obvious that they too could benefit from a low moisture cleaning.

These are homes with an elderly couple with either no pets or very well behaved ones.

They either vacuum all the time or their housekeeper does..

if you were to turn their entire flooring upside down and beat it with a broom maybe a cup of dirt would come out throughout the whole house..

they have an equivalent of 4 oz of coffee or wine spread throughout the whole house of carpet..

they have a bunch of low-end rugs throughout the home and possibly even a nice one or two that are in no need of pit washing, they just have a few spots and maybe a little dingy from being too close to the kitchen

It's either summer or winter and the idea of keeping the doors closed is highly appealing as is sub one hour dry times

When I (honestly) explain to them how the microfiber foam core pads work and how 5 gal of filthy water will come out of the demo situation, they are more than satisfied

they like the idea that the entire house will be cleaned with less than 3 oz of chemistry

these are not price shopper or method shopper type customers to begin with they came from a strong referral and the types that will say will do whatever you would do in your own house.....

 

[Walrus Gumboot]

Umm... Guess I should have clarified these questions are for those that use VLM only.
I would love to have less than $8000 in equipment, and, there are a few companies around here that are doing fairly well with it.

 

[Dolly Llama]

it's pretty obvious that they too could benefit from a low moisture cleaning.

Due to dry times?
or are there other benefits to them?

..LTA.

 

[Old Coastie]

VLM-only types would be selective. That said, not all VLM is padding with an OP machine. CRB machines that can recover slops are very effective in severely soiled carpet. Compound cleaning works well, too, but you might have to augment with spray.

 

[Dolly Llama]

CRB machines that can recover slops are very effective in severely soiled carpet.

Severely soiled ??
CRB??


..L.T.A.

 

[Walrus Gumboot]

VLM-only types would be selective.

Does that mean you have to walk away from the heavily soiled ones?

 

[Cleanworks]

Put a Phoenix in your truck along with a pile of pads and a gallon of good juice and when the situation arises go for it.

Again I'll explain it. Read carefully and slowly and don't read anything into it..

Although this usually pertains to repeat customers where I know their habits and how they live in their home I have had a few new customers recently where it's pretty obvious that they too could benefit from a low moisture cleaning.

These are homes with an elderly couple with either no pets or very well behaved ones.

They either vacuum all the time or their housekeeper does..

if you were to turn their entire flooring upside down and beat it with a broom maybe a cup of dirt would come out throughout the whole house..

they have an equivalent of 4 oz of coffee or wine spread throughout the whole house of carpet..

they have a bunch of low-end rugs throughout the home and possibly even a nice one or two that are in no need of pit washing, they just have a few spots and maybe a little dingy from being too close to the kitchen

It's either summer or winter and the idea of keeping the doors closed is highly appealing as is sub one hour dry times

When I (honestly) explain to them how the microfiber foam core pads work and how 5 gal of filthy water will come out of the demo situation, they are more than satisfied

they like the idea that the entire house will be cleaned with less than 3 oz of chemistry

these are not price shopper or method shopper type customers to begin with they came from a strong referral and the types that will say will do whatever you would do in your own house.....

I had one this morning that I easily could have padded. Empty house, let myself in with the door code, no one to watch me, (unless they have hidden cameras) carpets were already vacuumed by the cleaning crew on the weekend and we're absolutely spotless. No one but me would have known the difference. The only problem is, I don't know the condition of the carpets until I get there. I suspect my afternoon job is a pig sty based on comments from the management. If I was vlm only, I expect I would be turning down certain jobs because I wouldn't feel I would be doing acceptable work, even if it looked clean. I love it for my commercial work, where we are cleaning carpet a 1/4 of an inch thick but I have my doubts for mainstream residential.

 

[Mikey P]

Due to dry times?
or are there other benefits to them?

..LTA.

far less chemical in the home for earthy types

Less disruptive at the moment

free polyguard.

 

[Old Coastie]

Does that mean you have to walk away from the heavily soiled ones?

Depends on the soil. It is the sort of decision you learn as you go.

 

[Walrus Gumboot]

Depends on the soil. It is the sort of decision you learn as you go.

I appreciate your response. Do you do an in person estimate/inspection of every job? We don't, and most often the customer is depending on us to clean their carpet the day it is scheduled. We have never showed up and then turned the job down because the carpet is dirty beyond our capabilty to clean it.
That's not a snipe at you. I genuinely wanted to know the answer to these questions.
We clean some rat nasties that make us wonder how the VLM competition would handle it.
We do VLM some commercial accounts.

 

[Mikey P]

We clean some rat nasties that make us wonder how the VLM competition would handle it.

you already know the answer, assuming you've actually cleaned carpet for a few years

 

[Trip Moses]

I’ve only used VLM on residential when I had no truckmount access or the homeowner requested it. I don’t have a portable. Not buying one either. VLM is the best for commercial. It will surprise you on residential once you have the technique down.

As far as rat nasties go... Does it really matter which method. The carpet still needs replacement.

Normal house with normal traffic patterns...
Customers will appreciate a one hour dry time from a professional cleaner.

Residue and dry time conscious customers.... Give them the option and let them choose.

I still would not show up to a job with VLM only in mind.

 

[Acp]

the successful VLM only companies are either 99% commercial or a huge national franchise who have so much marketing backing them up they dont care if they blow it on some jobs or they get some bad reviews

or a few die hard o/o who are willing to spend hours and 15 pads on some jobs when most would just flush it with a TM

we use it in really clean homes and mostly upstairs while the TM is hitting the stairs and heavy use areas on main floor, or really expensive homes that are also super clean and you just dont really feel like running a ton of hose all over the perfectly polished marble... dont even want to lay our runners over it just in case.

 

[Cleanworks]

Here is one today I would never think vlm. Hell I didn't even want to put my vacuum on it but had to because of all the debris. Urine saturated, will have to wash my vacuum before I ever use it again. Elderly people with negligent care aide as far as I can see. I improved it but I would never call it clean.

 

[Walrus Gumboot]

you already know the answer, assuming you've actually cleaned carpet for a few years

Since 1988

 

[Walrus Gumboot]

Got my first Steamway TM in 94. Got out of the biz about 10 years ago and put my son in it about 2 years ago.
We're kicking ass.

 

[Trip Moses]

This one could’ve been jiggled.

 

[Mikey P]

Since 1988

than you should know by now that no one/company should be a one method cleaner.

 

[Walrus Gumboot]

than you should know by now that no one/company should be a one method cleaner.

My post was legitimate, and I appreciate those that responded. We have a Cimex and use it on some commercial accounts as stated before. My curiosity was pertaining to those that use VLM on residential.
The answers have been educational.

 

[Mikey P]

If you're really serious about it I would hire the three VLM only franchises to come out to your own home or a rental or your kids' house and watch what they do, Chem-Dry, Heaven's Best and those CRB only idiots in the Smart cars

 

[Walrus Gumboot]

If you're really serious about it I would hire the three VLM only franchises to come out to your own home or a rental or your kids' house and watch what they do, Chem-Dry, Heaven's Best and those CRB only idiots in the Smart cars

Oh, I'm not that serious about it. I'm content with the distance learning I've recieved here.
Mission accomplished.

 

[Cleanworks]

Chemdry is no longer vlm here.

 

[Old Coastie]

I appreciate your response. Do you do an in person estimate/inspection of every job? We don't, and most often the customer is depending on us to clean their carpet the day it is scheduled. We have never showed up and then turned the job down because the carpet is dirty beyond our capabilty to clean it.
That's not a snipe at you. I genuinely wanted to know the answer to these questions.
We clean some rat nasties that make us wonder how the VLM competition would handle it.
We do VLM some commercial accounts.

I quote as many as I can ahead of time, usually at the end of a day Or on off days. But I never show up with only one way to clean. VLM has its place on the menu from time to time.

 

[steve_64]

When I worked for CD in the 80s all jobs were preinspected and prices given before I got there.
Corners don't get much if any traffic so just toweling them off is usually enough.
I turn down a few jobs a year that were scheduled to clean the to needing replacement. People think I can clean anything.

 

[Steve Shotwell]

I VLM 95%-98% of every job I do....including the nastys....but I do agree with other comments in that you need the right tools on your truck. I carry 2 Trinity Phoenix, a portable and CRB daily...I've been at this 22yrs.

 

[Steve Shotwell]

Oh, I'm not that serious about it. I'm content with the distance learning I've recieved here.
Mission accomplished.

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[Steve Shotwell]

 

[BIG WOOD]

I like that vacuum you used to post vac