This thread was originally going to be a bitch fest. But its a lesson of transformation and love.
About a month ago I had an elderly lady call me and book. She kept referring to me as “The rug cleaner”. I had to clarify with her the difference but I wasn’t getting anywhere. The day before the appointment she canceled. She called back weeks later and booked again. Once again saying she needed her rugs cleaned, meaning carpet, but whatever. She said she rents rooms to boarders and the house is fully occupied. Lovely.
I arrived to the house this morning. She answers the door and says “The Rug guy is here”. I walked into her house and nothing was ready for me. The house was packed to the gills with classy old lady furniture and tufted wool rugs. Her boarders were still in bed and gave her attitude when she told them to clear out for the rug cleaner.
One of the tenants pulled the “can you start in that room,bla bla bla”. I replied “No” and explained I always start from the furthest point and work my way out as I clean. He shrugged and put on his pants then left for some gas station coffee.
I started feeling bad for the old lady because she had no help. The boarders weren't helping her at all. I started feeling sorry for her. My anger at her lack of preparednes turned into gratitude and I went to work stacking her rickety furniture in the kitchen and up onto her bed and couch.
She then went on telling me about her wool rugs and that she wanted them cleaned along with her wall-to-wall nailed down to tac strip rugs (aka carpet). I started going rug nerd on her explaining how it was not good to clean her big wool rug on the floor and she should let me take it to my shop. She stated that her old cleaner always just went over it with his wand. Inspecting the rug, it was all browned out in areas and all the fringe was brown. I explained to her why that happened and if she promised not to get mad at me for bleeding or damage I would clean it as she wished. The rug was also filled with little ankle biter dog urine.
I cleaned her furniture packed home and wool rugs. I felt so bad for her I ended up giving her a discount and only charged her $150. I ended up turning up the acid rinse on my TM and got the browning out. I didn’t do any urine work. She was on a budget.
She was thrilled with my results. She said I blew her other cleaner away and will be only using me from now on. I know who the other cleaner is and he’s a bit of a hack. Anyway, I’m fine if she calls him again because I don’t like working in old lady furniture packed houses with lazy boarders and pissy little dogs. But I do feel good to have helped her out. She turned out to be a very nice lady.


About a month ago I had an elderly lady call me and book. She kept referring to me as “The rug cleaner”. I had to clarify with her the difference but I wasn’t getting anywhere. The day before the appointment she canceled. She called back weeks later and booked again. Once again saying she needed her rugs cleaned, meaning carpet, but whatever. She said she rents rooms to boarders and the house is fully occupied. Lovely.
I arrived to the house this morning. She answers the door and says “The Rug guy is here”. I walked into her house and nothing was ready for me. The house was packed to the gills with classy old lady furniture and tufted wool rugs. Her boarders were still in bed and gave her attitude when she told them to clear out for the rug cleaner.
One of the tenants pulled the “can you start in that room,bla bla bla”. I replied “No” and explained I always start from the furthest point and work my way out as I clean. He shrugged and put on his pants then left for some gas station coffee.
I started feeling bad for the old lady because she had no help. The boarders weren't helping her at all. I started feeling sorry for her. My anger at her lack of preparednes turned into gratitude and I went to work stacking her rickety furniture in the kitchen and up onto her bed and couch.
She then went on telling me about her wool rugs and that she wanted them cleaned along with her wall-to-wall nailed down to tac strip rugs (aka carpet). I started going rug nerd on her explaining how it was not good to clean her big wool rug on the floor and she should let me take it to my shop. She stated that her old cleaner always just went over it with his wand. Inspecting the rug, it was all browned out in areas and all the fringe was brown. I explained to her why that happened and if she promised not to get mad at me for bleeding or damage I would clean it as she wished. The rug was also filled with little ankle biter dog urine.
I cleaned her furniture packed home and wool rugs. I felt so bad for her I ended up giving her a discount and only charged her $150. I ended up turning up the acid rinse on my TM and got the browning out. I didn’t do any urine work. She was on a budget.
She was thrilled with my results. She said I blew her other cleaner away and will be only using me from now on. I know who the other cleaner is and he’s a bit of a hack. Anyway, I’m fine if she calls him again because I don’t like working in old lady furniture packed houses with lazy boarders and pissy little dogs. But I do feel good to have helped her out. She turned out to be a very nice lady.


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