Host does it again!

[Mikey P]

This year we had areas cleaned by:
Clark's OP system,
Prochem's CRB system,
Hruby's OP,
Chem Dry/Rx 20,
Vortex w/ pre and post pad,
White Magic TM and Drag Wand,
Cimex,
Mytee Portable with their booster and Bentley wand,
Steaman Deamon
and finally the Host method.

Last year the host guy was late getting there so he got the cleanest area to show his stuff off on. I commented on how that area stayed looking good the longest. This year Debra Lema insisted that they get the worse area to work on so I left them the player's bench area which is crusted over with spit, Gatorade and other drinks. The faux hockey players that sit there sweating and spitting and dripping and then grind it all in with their skates. What develops is a gray crust on the top of the heavily distorted fibers.
I have attempted to steam/red pad and Cimex this area many times with pretty bad results.

Steve the Host guy put me to shame.

Watching Steve do his stuff was impressive to say the least.
First the carpet was pile lifted with the big Host robot looking gadget using their tile and grout brush rolls. That alone ripped off that nasty caked on junk and fluffed up the wasted Berber fibers to the point that all 12 people who were watching were uttering expletives that would put even Danny to shame. Almost a black and white difference. Next the sponges were applied by hand and then agitated into the fibers, followed by the same machine extracting the visibly soiled sponges. The soil containment/cup thingy was loaded with heavy sticky dirt and the filthy sponges.

Big time.

The machine certainly has it's limits though. The gum was not removed (but could have been frozen off if he had the time) the edges were not reachable or the edge along the bench's supports and the sponges fell into some gaps along the base boards. Any area narrower then the machine's head would be real challenge to deal with to say the least.
But, if I managed a hotel or office that had lots of clear open space and only Lupita Lunchpail to operate a cleaning machine/method, Host would be my first choice.

Super easy to use and really no way to screw any thing up as long as the vacuum system is Host's and is working properly.

We as residential cleaners have all ran into a "Hosted" job at one time or another that was left "soaking" in sponges. I can only bet that this machine was not used to extract out the compound.

Unfortunately most of the attendees had left by the time Steve did his cleaning. Someone got it on film so I can only hope they put the video up here.

 

[green research]

Mike,

Thanks for your thoughts and for inviting us to come out there and play. And thanks for saving that nasty area for him to work on.

Sorry to hear no HOST professional cleaners showed up for the festivities; when I sent the MF flyer out I thought there was a chance that at least a few might not be shy. But I suppose it's a bit like frogs going to the chicken dance.

Why do athletes spit so much? I never understood that.

 

[Fon Johnson]

Why do athletes spit so much? I never understood that.

Are you sure you want to know why? Some might find it slightly disgusting, however it is how the human body works..

 

[green research]

After thinking about it for about 10 seconds, yes, I do want to know.

 

[steve frasier]

where were all the, my favorite prespray never fails me as long as I boost it guy, when it comes to cleaning the nasty one in front of everybody

truth is your prespray ain't what you say it is

 

[Guest]

This year we had areas cleaned by:
Clark's OP system,
Prochem's CRB system,
Hruby's OP,
Chem Dry/Rx 20,
Vortex w/ pre and post pad,
White Magic TM and Drag Wand,
Cimex,
Mytee Portable with their booster and Bentley wand,
Steaman Deamon
and finally the Host method.

Last year the host guy was late getting there so he got the cleanest area to show his stuff off on. I commented on how that area stayed looking good the longest. This year Debra Lema insisted that they get the worse area to work on so I left them the player's bench area which is crusted over with spit, Gatorade and other drinks. The faux hockey players that sit there sweating and spitting and dripping and then grind it all in with their skates. What develops is a gray crust on the top of the heavily distorted fibers.
I have attempted to steam/red pad and Cimex this area many times with pretty bad results.

Steve the Host guy put me to shame.

Watching Steve do his stuff was impressive to say the least.
First the carpet was pile lifted with the big Host robot looking gadget using their tile and grout brush rolls. That alone ripped off that nasty caked on junk and fluffed up the wasted Berber fibers to the point that all 12 people who were watching were uttering expletives that would put even Danny to shame. Almost a black and white difference. Next the sponges were applied by hand and then agitated into the fibers, followed by the same machine extracting the visibly soiled sponges. The soil containment/cup thingy was loaded with heavy sticky dirt and the filthy sponges.

Big time.

The machine certainly has it's limits though. The gum was not removed (but could have been frozen off if he had the time) the edges were not reachable or the edge along the bench's supports and the sponges fell into some gaps along the base boards. Any area narrower then the machine's head would be real challenge to deal with to say the least.
But, if I managed a hotel or office that had lots of clear open space and only Lupita Lunchpail to operate a cleaning machine/method, Host would be my first choice.

Super easy to use and really no way to screw any thing up as long as the vacuum system is Host's and is working properly.

We as residential cleaners have all ran into a "Hosted" job at one time or another that was left "soaking" in sponges. I can only bet that this machine was not used to extract out the compound.

Unfortunately most of the attendees had left by the time Steve did his cleaning. Someone got it on film so I can only hope they put the video up here.

I'm interested in possibly adding this as a service maybe next year for those who need the 1 minute dry marketing and it compliments my green marketing. My questions about this process are:

1. How much faster is this process vs. a good HWE job (pre vac, pre spray, agitate, extract)?
2. How much would you charge for this process (same as HWE or less)?
3. For residential use, is it possible to do a good job on stairs as well?
4. Any chance for a demonstration at the next MikeyFest?

Here is a funny video, in case it hasn't been posted before.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnolVfsVI3s

 

[RandyHilburn]

Rosie weighs 105 lbs and has what looks to be 6" wheels. How would you get her up the stairs?

 

[RandyHilburn]

I've only seen the pictures, so maybe I shouldn't even comment on this post, but to me it looks like equipment best suited for the janitorial staff in an office building - cleaning foyers and hallways. Highend portables usually have 10" and 12" wheels for both ease of use and for protection of the purchaser's investment. The rear wheels just looked small to me.

Stair risers come in all sizes/materials, and my concern is that a steady diet of 8" concrete risers (between one's vehicle and the customer's front door) will take a hard toll on this unique design. Sure you can drag it from the street to the house without any wheels, but what would it look like in three to six months?

 

[Dolly Llama]

and it compliments my green marketing.

how does solvent soaked ground corn cob media compliment "green" marketing?

..L.T.A.

 

[green research]

Oh Larry. Sounds like you've been listening to the propaganda.

 

[Guest]

So Im thinking the biggest advantage is its agitation,is it cylintrical?I think a pile lifter would help any method.Do they have a banner here?

 

[Desk Jockey]

Debbie what are the costs per sq/ft for Host cleaning?

 

[Bill Soukoreff]

You will find the price of host per/sq is quite a shocking. Many quys think it will be faster when it actually takes longer. It is impossible to get it all out of the carpet.

 

[Joel D]

I'm wondering if any crb like my gls with the stiffest brushes could have been used for the first step followed by hwe and achieved the same results.

 

[green research]

Debbie what are the costs per sq/ft for Host cleaning?

Product costs only? For the standard host product, the average experienced user working on normal soiling spends 1-2 cents per sq. ft. Note though that these numbers relate to actual application, not the square feet in an area. For instance: the smart host user only applies what is needed where. Much of the time this means product is applied to maybe 30% of an area. So when someone is calculating their costs to clean 1000 sq ft area with host, the coverage might only be 300 sq ft. The customer is left with 1000 sq ft of cleaned carpet, but cost calculations are based on 300.

Almost all host users find themselves using too much when they start out (myself included), which not only increases cost, but creates the often-complained-about vacuuming issues. I shudder to think about how much money I flung about my house the first time I cleaned with it.

 

[Mark Imbesi]

So to a HWE guy, that's like not prespraying under the sofa, etc... But we still rinse that area with a wand. Without applying the product, you're not cleaning, where as the wand still rinses the carpet, therefore cleaned. So with that being said, aren't you stealing 70% from your clients? This sounds worse then the Encap arguement.

 

[green research]

It is kind of like not prespraying under the sofa, application-wise, except that the machine in use spreads the cleaner to all areas. The better host cleaners have this technique down well; the less experienced ones tend to spend more. While a HWE guy usually starts cleaning in the far side of a room, a host guy using this partial-application approach starts (after a pre-vac/pile lift of course) from where most of the soil is and works outwards. So the entire carpet is indeed cleaned. Of course, many times host guys are hired to just do the dirty parts so that's all they clean and charge for.

 

[Desk Jockey]

I've used it many times, but far from an experienced Host cleaner.

I like the clean smell and the machine works well for grinding it in but in the past I was always disappointed in that total removal of the products was not accomplished.

I'd like to try the Liberator someday and see what my removal results are like.

For what we've used it on it did a decent job. However it was slow, awkward and really messy.

Seems more of a do it yourself method, than professional to me.

 

[Willy P]

My Liberator is the most versatile tool I have ever owned. It walks up stairs easily. It does a great job on encap. Scrubber? A+. Pile lifter/vacuum. Yes and yes.
And the bonus is the add on services. I get double my regular rate and do a credible job with the sponges. Wicking spots? Nope. There is a learning curve, but once you "get it" , it's pretty easy.
BTW- There's a tool called the Zapper to handle hard to reach places.


I'll PM you my address for that cheque Debbie. :wink:

 

[Jim Pemberton]

I don't sell the product, but no one that I know who has been properly trained in the system's use is unhappy with it.

I'd compare it to what kind of results we see from people who don't know how to use HWE properly. And, sadly, few instructors in our industry who show the system as a part of their training programs really understand it enough to give a fair presentation.

I am embarrassed to admit that I used to be one of them.

Debbie was kind enough to send a representative to my place to help me to understand it better. Not a sale came from it for her, nor did she or her rep expect it, but I'm better at what I do as a trainer because of his visit and the time he took to demonstrate and explain the system to me.

 

[Mark Imbesi]

I don't sell the product, but no one that I know who has been properly trained in the system's use is unhappy with it.

I'd compare it to what kind of results we see from people who don't know how to use HWE properly. And, sadly, few instructors in our industry who show the system as a part of their training programs really understand it enough to give a fair presentation.

I am embarrassed to admit that I used to be one of them.

Debbie was kind enough to send a representative to my place to help me to understand it better. Not a sale came from it for her, nor did she or her rep expect it, but I'm better at what I do as a trainer because of his visit and the time he took to demonstrate and explain the system to me.

And THAT, my friends, is what this industry should be all about! Great post, Jim!

 

[Lee Stockwell]

agreed!

 

[Guest]

Great stuff, I don't see a complete slam by the HWE guys, so this tells me they respect it, or might not fully understand it to comment. I sent away for more information and hope to see a demo myself. So do you think you can charge more of a premium for the fact that there is zero dry time when done? Can you still sell and spray a protectant down after you vacuum all the sponges up?

 

[Greenie]

There is no question about it, Host's preferred arena is commercial carpet, it's perfectly suited for inhouse weekly maint. You can easily clean professionally with it, even some dirty carpet, but I feel it's strength is keeping carpet clean on a schedule, it's nice to mist an area with Prep, hit real quick with a hand full of sponges, pile lift and dry extract, and have it dry and back in service in minutes, with 0 chance of a wick back, it is the system I came from when first entering this industry, and there are "some" situations nothing can touch host....it stays clean.

80 oz. nylons are a different arena.

 

[ronbeatty]

I have a complete Host Liberator setup for sale. Will post pictures and description tomorrow.

 

[Nate The Great]

I'll tell you what, Nothing beats my Liberator. It will never be for sale. A damn good tool. :mrgreen:

http://www.liberator.com/

 

[Greenie]

:shock:

 

[DavidVB]

Like Greenie, Host was my introduction to carpet cleaning back in the early 80"s. When they had to get rid of the trichlor and go to delimonene (all they told us was it had a new orange fragrance) our results dropped drastically. Maybe its better now.

To keep the Host off everything it came close to, we developed skirts for the machine and had masonite strips to place around items to try and cut down the clean up. It was so much fun to clean a closet and have sponges all over peoples shoes or to clean a card shop and have it all over the displays. If cleaning a set of open stairs we had to cover up anything underneath or sponges would fly onto the tops of furniture.

We had a maintenance account we had cleaned the entry areas monthly for a couple years. Medium blue cut pile CGD. The first time we extracted it we got a call back. The carpet looked gold colored. We extracted it about 4 times. Still a gold film. Guess what was causing that? Fixed it with a bonnet though we never could extract again without the problem.

The cost of the product is prohibitive if competing for most commercial accounts. Host is not the only way to only clean 30% of a carpet that is soiled.

I was thrilled when we could move to HWE. I agree that it is an in house maintenance system which is supported by the supply chain being janitorial supply.

I guess if you live long enough, everything comes back around.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Sponges....LOL! Closer to sawdust.

Yea, it's the extra work cleaning up after "the cleaning" that's irritating to me. We only use Host when there is no better alternative.

 

[green research]

We only use Host when there is no better alternative.

Then you must use it CONSTANTLY! :wink: