advice on new wand...

[sassyotto]

I just tried the new Devastator wand. First I will post my comments on the wand but I do have a question that I need advice on posted at the end. Keep in mind that I currently use an older style Prochem 3 jet wand.

The new Devastator wand:

1. its lightweight! A big plus
2. its longer than my current wand which is a big plus because Im a tall guy and my current wand is not back friendly.
3. site tube! big plus I always wondered if it would change how I clean. It didnt change too much but it is a great feature so I can see how much liquid is being removed.
4. it is a 1.5 inch tube. A big plus. even though I have large hands, its much easier to grip a 1.5 inch wand than a 2 inch wand.
5. drying times. maybe a tad better than my current wand
6. the swivel. I can see how it would be a big plus for some cleaners, but not so much for me. Since I hand tool around the edges and tight corners (where the glide does not let the wand face get to) anyway, the swivel isnt that important to me. Plus the fact that there are more moving parts and over time moving parts wear out. so if a non-swivel model was made, I would prefer that.
7. the 2 inch to 1.5 inch hose. You have to go from 1.5 inch wand tube to 2 inch vac hose. The adapter hose is a great idea, but this is the biggest problem for me. I use a Prochem upholstery tool that I use to do the edging which is adaptable to a 2 inch cuff. If I got the wand I would need to figure out a way I could use the wand and switch to using the upholstery tool with little effort. At this point I could use a 2 inch to 1.5 inch cuff on the wand over an existing 2 inch cuff (which is what I did for my trial) but there is so much pressure on the cuff that it bends plus there is a vaccum loss between the cuffs. The other option is to use a 2 inch to 2 inch connector cuff to go from my vac hose to the adapter hose but then every time I edge, i would need to switch cuffs which would be very time consuming. If anyone has any suggestions on this, buying this wand would be a no brainer.

 

[hogjowl]

Im not willing to think that hard on this subject

 

[Cleanworks]

I just tried the new Devastator wand. First I will post my comments on the wand but I do have a question that I need advice on posted at the end. Keep in mind that I currently use an older style Prochem 3 jet wand.

The new Devastator wand:

1. its lightweight! A big plus
2. its longer than my current wand which is a big plus because Im a tall guy and my current wand is not back friendly.
3. site tube! big plus I always wondered if it would change how I clean. It didnt change too much but it is a great feature so I can see how much liquid is being removed.
4. it is a 1.5 inch tube. A big plus. even though I have large hands, its much easier to grip a 1.5 inch wand than a 2 inch wand.
5. drying times. maybe a tad better than my current wand
6. the swivel. I can see how it would be a big plus for some cleaners, but not so much for me. Since I hand tool around the edges and tight corners (where the glide does not let the wand face get to) anyway, the swivel isnt that important to me. Plus the fact that there are more moving parts and over time moving parts wear out. so if a non-swivel model was made, I would prefer that.
7. the 2 inch to 1.5 inch hose. You have to go from 1.5 inch wand tube to 2 inch vac hose. The adapter hose is a great idea, but this is the biggest problem for me. I use a Prochem upholstery tool that I use to do the edging which is adaptable to a 2 inch cuff. If I got the wand I would need to figure out a way I could use the wand and switch to using the upholstery tool with little effort. At this point I could use a 2 inch to 1.5 inch cuff on the wand over an existing 2 inch cuff (which is what I did for my trial) but there is so much pressure on the cuff that it bends plus there is a vaccum loss between the cuffs. The other option is to use a 2 inch to 2 inch connector cuff to go from my vac hose to the adapter hose but then every time I edge, i would need to switch cuffs which would be very time consuming. If anyone has any suggestions on this, buying this wand would be a no brainer.

I don't have that wand yet but I often switch between 2 inch and 1.5 inch tools. I have 2 whip hoses hanging up in the truck with flash cuffs. 2 inch for the wand and other tools and 1.5 for stair and upholstery tools. I just put on the appropriate whip hose.

 

[Wand Slinger]

This might help.

 

[Mikey P]

You clean ALL edges with an upholstery tool?



Man, we're a weird bunch...

 

[Mikey P]

What flow is your Prochem 3 jet set to?
3, 4.5, 6, or 9?

 

[hogjowl]

You clean ALL edges with an upholstery tool?



Man, we're a weird bunch...

I suspect it’s an ICS kind of post

 

[dealtimeman]

The man stated his findings and his opinions why can’t y’all take them at face value?

Isn’t that the reason the wand is being demoed in the first place?

 

[Mikey P]

oh shut up.




My questions are legit.

 

[dealtimeman]

Your asking a question he answered in his original post yet you ask the question as if he mistakenly posted it and you want to give him a chance to say he doesn’t detail the corners and edges.

 

[Mikey P]

Are all Texans idiots?

I want to know his flow and I'd like to know why he feels the need to hand edge.


33 years and I've hand edged maybe 3.3 times

 

[sassyotto]

You clean ALL edges with an upholstery tool?



Man, we're a weird bunch...

I know Id get hit for that but yes. You would be surprised how how much dirt/gunk is along the base that a glided wand just cant get to. On your hands and knees you get to see it. Plus when your charging top dollar, the customer appreciates the detail.

People are friends with like people. Fussy customers are friends with fussy people which is the base of my customers.

A lot of cleaners say they dont cut corners, I actually dont.

 

[sassyotto]

What flow is your Prochem 3 jet set to?
3, 4.5, 6, or 9?

they dont make the Prochem 3 jet anymore. It was a nice lightweight wand back in the day. I just never got around to looking into getting a different one. I do have a Prochem 4 jet brand new as a backup but its just too heavy compared to the 3 jet.

Plus the 3 jet has a smaller head which is nice for residential.

3 02 jets so 6 flow just like the Devastator 4 015 jets

 

[Mikey P]

I know Id get hit for that but yes. You would be surprised how how much dirt/gunk is along the base that a glided wand just cant get to. On your hands and knees you get to see it. Plus when your charging top dollar, the customer appreciates the detail.

People are friends with like people. Fussy customers are friends with fussy people which is the base of my customers.

A lot of cleaners say they dont cut corners, I actually dont.

I'll assume you pre vac the edges, right?
Is hand edging included in your normal rate?
Do you do it regardless or just as needed?

 

[BIG WOOD]

I know Id get hit for that but yes. You would be surprised how how much dirt/gunk is along the base that a glided wand just cant get to. On your hands and knees you get to see it. Plus when your charging top dollar, the customer appreciates the detail.

People are friends with like people. Fussy customers are friends with fussy people which is the base of my customers.

A lot of cleaners say they dont cut corners, I actually dont.

I like that you're giving the customer what they paid for. I have one question. Have you used the PMF Mach wand with their big open glide? It gets right up to the edge when you push the wand perpendicular to the wall and tilt up the head on one side, unlike the popular slotted glides that are on all the other wands. It might save you from using a hand tool on all the edges. Save time, Save Money

 

[sassyotto]

I'll assume you pre vac the edges, right?
Is hand edging included in your normal rate?
Do you do it regardless or just as needed?

I'll assume you pre vac the edges, right?
no I dont prevac the edges as its not just solids I pick up with the upholstery tool. Theres often soil there too - filtration. See below...
Is hand edging included in your normal rate? I dont claim to have a 30 step process Its just what I do on each job. The only time I charge extra is for heavily soiled carpet, urine and red removal and things like that.
Do you do it regardless or just as needed? I do it always. See below...

Heres the way I look at it. If a cleaner only does things "as they need it" then there comes a time when the step is skipped here and there and eventually skipped entirely so best to just do it always.

Maybe this will help explain it (where I get my cleaning trait from) I grew up in a Cape Cod house. Parents had a bedroom downstairs and the kids upstairs. It was the kids responsibility to keep the upstairs clean. One day my parents were going to visit my Dads brother. I really didnt like to go along because his brother didnt have kids and there wasnt anything for me to do there. So my Mom said if I cleaned the upstairs and she didnt find any dust that I didnt have to go. I spent all morning cleaning the upstairs. I finished in the bathroom and made it sparkling clean. just before I finished I glanced at the two light fixtures on each side of the mirrors and to this day dont know why I didnt wipe the top of them. When my Mom came to inspect my work THE FIRST place she checked was above those two light fixtures.

Ive take that cleaning work ethic along with me on each job. The customer is not going to have any reason not to like my workmanship. I really dont mean to brag but I dont even do a walk through at the end of the job simply because my standards are higher than any customers. Now if there is something I just cant get out or a special situation, then of course I will go over that with the customer before I leave.

I will always remember what Joe Polish said - you have to differentiate your service from the rest of the pack. Corner Guards, Seal A Door, pile lifting, the Hugger, fans, hard floor protectors, caution mats, and the list goes on. Thing is when a customer is seeing you on your hands and knees doing detail work, do they really think that they can get any better service than that?

Its like finding a great mechanic that does good work and never tries to upsell you on something your car doesnt need. If you find one, you dont keep on looking.

 

[sassyotto]

Have you used the PMF Mach wand with their big open glide? It gets right up to the edge when you push the wand perpendicular to the wall and tilt up the head on one side

no, have not used that wand and I used to use an unglided wand perpendicular to the wall but there still are a lot of areas a wand just cant get to especially in an owner occupied home so I have to pull out the detail tool anyway

Which brings up a good point. One question that is brought up on occasion is when a cleaner does square foot pricing and cleaning a furnished room but only cleaning the exposed carpet do you charge for the entire size of the room or a percentage of the room. My explanation is that you charge for the entire size of the room because what we are really selling is our TIME and it takes longer to clean a furnished room exposed carpet that it does to clean the same room if it was vacant. Detailing doesnt really take that long when you consider your performing a premium service.

 

[Cleanworks]

no, have not used that wand and I used to use an unglided wand perpendicular to the wall but there still are a lot of areas a wand just cant get to especially in an owner occupied home so I have to pull out the detail tool anyway

Which brings up a good point. One question that is brought up on occasion is when a cleaner does square foot pricing and cleaning a furnished room but only cleaning the exposed carpet do you charge for the entire size of the room or a percentage of the room. My explanation is that you charge for the entire size of the room because what we are really selling is our TIME and it takes longer to clean a furnished room exposed carpet that it does to clean the same room if it was vacant. Detailing doesnt really take that long when you consider your performing a premium service.

Good for you for providing exceptional work. Rather than an upholstery tool, you should get a full length crevice tool from pmf. Great for filtration and tight corners.

 

[Mikey P]

Sassy did you ship the wand to Sam Miller?

 

[sassyotto]

went to Minnesota. got the message too late sorry

Im going to buy one BTW.

 

[Old Coastie]

went to Minnesota. got the message too late sorry

Im going to buy one BTW.

You will NOT regret it. I just tore up a 1500 square foot room and stairs and it was nearly dry when I left.

The lady tipped me well and I can still walk upright.

 

[Mikey P]

went to Minnesota. got the message too late sorry

Im going to buy one BTW.

Can you ship it soon?

 

[hogjowl]

I bet that gets really frustrating

 

[Mikey P]

I think after Sam, I'm done.

 

[Bob Savage]

Are all Texans idiots?

I want to know his flow and I'd like to know why he feels the need to hand edge.


33 years and I've hand edged maybe 3.3 times

Here's what I've used on edges a few times:




It works very well!

 

[Bruce Humphrey]

Im not willing to think that hard on this subject

Not willing or Not Capable?

 

[hogjowl]

Same result either way

 

[Donwand]

I know Id get hit for that but yes. You would be surprised how how much dirt/gunk is along the base that a glided wand just cant get to. On your hands and knees you get to see it. Plus when your charging top dollar, the customer appreciates the detail.

I do the same thing but I use a 9" wide PMF stair tool with the 40" long handle. It's also great for getting all the way under beds.

 

[Dolly Llama]

I think after Sam, I'm done.

I'm curious why you even did it
going the extra mile for an advertiser?
(I'm assuming Tom buys ads)

..L.T.A.

 

[Small town janitorial]

I just used my new 1.5 devestator for a couple 10 hr days. I teamed up with another cleaner to knock out dozens of expensive cabins on one of the top resort golf courses in the nation. They only close for a couple days, so it takes a few truckmounts to do it. Really clean carpet, but because it is on the beach and a golf course you suck up loads of sand. The other cleaner had a 12in titanium pmf and a bonzer. The devastator sucked more sand than anything else. We used disposable filters to measure and each unit was identicle. Also they had these wierd staircases with bands in them. Because we were focusing on speed and it wasnt very dirty at all we used regular wands for the stairs. The devastator was perfect with the swivel to get all the angles that the other guys struggled with.