Bob Foster said:
I thought about doing an OP only operation but just couldn't bring myself to do it out of my own sense of right and wrong.
There are plenty of advantages and uses for OP but only when you need to use it as an adjunct to a cleaning program such as interim commercial cleaning or post cleaning work on wicking or berber.
I recently used my OP machine as a last resort about a month ago where I had only a 1 hour window to get a place suitable for a new tenant. I still gave this property manager the alternatives and he chose the OP over HWE fully aware of the differences and at the same price.
A professional in this business respects and knows the difference it makes to the customer and their long-term reputation.
That may be old school but it still endures as a reality. If it was such a good method why isn't every multi-truck operation in this country scrambling to go to OPs instead of HWE? It's because the business model doesn't work due to the flaw it the quality of the results inspite of huge differences in capital costs and costs of sales between HWE and OP.
There are no quick bucks or easy money in this business.
Sorry, didn't have time to respond last night.
I think the chemistry behind OPing now (given you use the right chems) has come a long way. I don't see the difference in a clean carpet cleaned by my OP method or HWE...yes I've done both.
If it's saturated with urine you AND your customer should know that not even a TM isn't going to "suck" that stuff completely out.
You can either choose to pull the carpet and pad...which the customer almost always won't pay for
Or you can choose to remedy the situation topically.
The process is just a step.
Using the right chems is what's going to "clean" that carpet or at least make it livable again.
Even with HWE it's the chems. You can't just spray water and suck it out and expect the carpet to be clean.
As stated above, you need to prespray and scrub and THEN extract.
With OP, you still prespray and scrub AND extract....just with a different procedure.
I understand that you think your way is the only way. There is serious money to made with that kind of thinking...more power to them.
I've been certified a few times, have years of experience in this industry both cleaning and marketing.
At the end of the day if the carpet is clean....the customer is happy.
Your "God" complex of cleaning is only a way of fooling yourself into thinking that those carpets you are cleaning are actually "clean". They are not. You leave chems behind...even if you water rinse. Hell, even water in most parts of this country and yours are not suitable to be left behind. Water softener? Same kinda thing....You'll be leaving something in the carpet.
Air is about the only thing you can get away with when cleaning a carpet. IE: Dry vac. Before and after AND periodically there after.
Like I said. HWE with a TM makes it easier to clean but it isn't easier to swallow.
Like the band Styx..."your fooling yourself and you don't believe it"
Anything else? I'm sure you have questions.
