How long would this take you?

[Bryce C]

Commercial just wants it to look better and be put back into Service as quickly as possible if you can keep spots and spills from reappearing all the better.


It's a very common mistake that all newbies make that if they give it all they got and go over and over and over something that somebody somewhere is going to notice the difference and call them back and spread the word because of their extra effort.


When in reality you'd be far off taking a less is more approach.

Had you run an OP over that with sSagers oxy encap they would be coming in on Tuesday morning and needing sunglasses and never once considering how much soil you removed or where did it go...


In other words leave your cape and utility belt in the closet where it belongs

Whenever you older guys get a bit curmudgeon I'll chalk it up to having cleaned 10 million square feet of carpet and missing your morning cup of prune juice.

I imagine you know since I've mentioned my setup all over these boards I don't have an OP machine, but I do plan on getting one in the future. But with that said, for now I'm with Living The Dream, seems to me like a heavily soiled facility would do well to start with HWE and then followup with OP maintenance. But even with an HWE cleaning I think I'd do better running an absorbent pad over it afterwards to make it shine and help prevent wicking.

Being a newcomer with little reputation and limited tools at my disposal why doesn't it make sense to simply do the best work I can with the tools that are available? The owner got back to me this morning "You guys did great work and we'll definitely be using you again in the future." Maybe it won't turn into repeat business, maybe it will. we didn't go over and over and over as you put it. 2 wet passes in traffic lanes and 1 along the wall, only extras where 2 didn't visually clean it. But kicking arse on every job as best as I'm able to and within reason seems like a sound business move. You never know who knows who and who notices. There are 20 women that work in that office and we left a business card on each one of their desks. Highly solicitatious (:

 

[Mikey P]

Whenever you older guys get a bit curmudgeon I'll chalk it up to having cleaned 10 million square feet of carpet and missing your morning cup of prune juice.

I imagine you know since I've mentioned my setup all over these boards I don't have an OP machine, but I do plan on getting one in the future. But with that said, for now I'm with Living The Dream, seems to me like a heavily soiled facility would do well to start with HWE and then followup with OP maintenance. But even with an HWE cleaning I think I'd do better running an absorbent pad over it afterwards to make it shine and help prevent wicking.

Being a newcomer with little reputation and limited tools at my disposal why doesn't it make sense to simply do the best work I can with the tools that are available? The owner got back to me this morning "You guys did great work and we'll definitely be using you again in the future." Maybe it won't turn into repeat business, maybe it will. we didn't go over and over and over as you put it. 2 wet passes in traffic lanes and 1 along the wall, only extras where 2 didn't visually clean it. But kicking arse on every job as best as I'm able to and within reason seems like a sound business move. You never know who knows who and who notices. There are 20 women that work in that office and we left a business card on each one of their desks. Highly solicitatious (:

Less is more with commercial, the more you go over it especially with the portable, the more it's going to wick and stink on Tuesday morning


Think of an excuse to go by on Tuesday and take a look...

 

[Bryce C]

Less is more with commercial, the more you go over it especially with the portable, the more it's going to wick and stink on Tuesday morning


Think of an excuse to go by on Tuesday and take a look...

Wisdom. I'll do that, thank you for the advice. Makes me wonder if using an enzyme based cleaner like Bio Break spiked with degreaser (rather than the higher pH flex powder w/ degreaser) may help with the potential odor in the office knowing that may be an issue with hot water extracting ancient factory grease. At least on an initial restoration style cleaning if that's the way we go about it..

I warned the owner in advance of the potential for wicking since we had to use high pressure and lots of wet passes to mitigate the issue (at least with our approach). This morning he said it looked good when he stopped in to check out our work. I'll swing by though early this week to see how it really went.

 

[Mikey P]

Go get Larry's 175 as soon as you can with the brown or red pad under 100 lb machine you'll rip that grease loose like there's no tomorrow and we'll make your rinsing process a whole lot easier


The crb just tickles the grease and makes it giggle at you...

 

[sassyotto]

You'd use black/stiff crb brushes on commercial carpet?

depends on the CRB. Black if you use a Host machine, Brown if you use a Brush Pro. Other manufacturers Im not sure about

 

[Bryce C]

Go get Larry's 175 as soon as you can with the brown or red pad under 100 lb machine you'll rip that grease loose like there's no tomorrow and we'll make your rinsing process a whole lot easier


The crb just tickles the grease and makes it giggle at you...

Will do! I've never been fond of tickling. Seems like power scrubbing will be my work around until I get a proper TM. Makes sense.

 

[Dolly Llama]

until I get a proper TM

even with a TM, a rotary scrub on com before rinse extract makes them "pop"

truth is, 87.336% of CC'ers are too stoopit to figure out how to get a carpet clean without wicking and all the other problems that come with not being able to figure out how to pour water out of a boot

Truth also is, you don't have to good or thorough to make money in this racket.
as evidenced by the hacks that grind soil to the backing in a snot slurry with scrub 'n run Slimex

used to be around here, hi quality thoroughness was the standard

Now days, "good 'nuff" for the check to clear is what it's about.
I won't argue that.
Won't even say it's wrong.
just don't tell me you're doing "quality" work


..L.T.A.

 

[Bryce C]

even with a TM, a rotary scrub on com before rinse extract makes them "pop"

truth is, 87.336% of CC'ers are too stoopit to figure out how to get a carpet clean without wicking and all the other problems that come with not being able to figure out how to pour water out of a boot

Truth also is, you don't have to good or thorough to make money in this racket.
as evidenced by the hacks that grind soil to the backing in a snot slurry with scrub 'n run Slimex

used to be around here, hi quality thoroughness was the standard

Now days, "good 'nuff" for the check to clear is what it's about.
I won't argue that.
Won't even say it's wrong.
just don't tell me you're doing "quality" work


..L.T.A.

I like your attitude Larry. Hi quality thoroughness is how we operate as best as we are able to within our means and without being obsessive and ridiculous. So far I've never gotten a call back on wicking even after blasting trouble areas with our liftless portable. Seems like appropriate psi, dry passes, short 15ft hoses, and air mover assistance is keeping us out of trouble. I find in most walks of life it is easier to teach someone, ourselves included, how to tune down/lower the standard of what has become habit rather than tune up/raise the standard later on. Like teaching a fine woodworker how to do framing is much easier than teaching a framer how to do fine woodworking.

I'm probably going to be seriously happy and efficient once we step up to a TM. Starting with a weak arse machine and striving to do A+ work ever more efficiently each passing week is going to make me a proficient cleaner in good time.

 

[Dolly Llama]

I'm probably going to be seriously happy and efficient once we step up to a TM.

no "prob'ly" about it
You'll think you died and went to heaven.
Your efficiency gains will outweigh the additional costs to run a TM


..L.T.A.

 

[Kenny Hayes]

You can talk about that slimex all you want, but it’ll out scrub that 175 all day long and twice on Sunday on carpet. No doubt about it! But the 175 is a good scrubber, it’s what it’s made for.

 

[Dolly Llama]

You can talk about that slimex all you want, but it’ll out scrub that 175 all day long and twice on Sunday on carpet. No doubt about it! But the 175 is a good scrubber, it’s what it’s made for.

hey, Janitor, Try an' keep up... we're not debating whether a cimex will out scrub a rotary


..L.T.A.

 

[Bryce C]

You can talk about that slimex all you want, but it’ll out scrub that 175 all day long and twice on Sunday on carpet. No doubt about it! But the 175 is a good scrubber, it’s what it’s made for.

Would you clean a carpet soiled with excrement with an op machine? Reason I ask is there was a guy at MF boasting about having done that. I didn't say anything as I am so new, but I thought to myself wtf.

I guess a fair comparison would be if we got soiled with excrement. Would one take a hot shower or mist themselves with detergent and buff the excrement off with a clean absorbent cloth..?

 

[FredC]

You just don’t understand….

 

[Dolly Llama]

Would you clean a carpet soiled with excrement with an op machine? Reason I ask is there was a guy at MF boasting about having done that. I didn't say anything as I am so new, but I thought to myself wtf.

I guess a fair comparison would be if we got soiled with excrement. Would one take a hot shower or mist themselves with detergent and buff the excrement off with a clean absorbent cloth..?

not just poop and pee-pee (Both pet and old peoples')
but it's great for blood too!!

that's why they call it OPE
The "E" stands for extraction


you'll discover VLM'ers are a strange lot and don't think quite right.
I suspect a bacterial infection of the brain lining due to handling buckets of wet, scummy, hazmat pads.
Might even be brain worms like RFK Jr ??



..L.T.A.

 

[Kenny Hayes]

Would you clean a carpet soiled with excrement with an op machine? Reason I ask is there was a guy at MF boasting about having done that. I didn't say anything as I am so new, but I thought to myself wtf.

I guess a fair comparison would be if we got soiled with excrement. Would one take a hot shower or mist themselves with detergent and buff the excrement off with a clean absorbent cloth..?

No, but dumb ass Larry’s of the mind that if you have an OPeee or a Slimex that’s all you do. I’ve done the human excrement many times, and no I personally wouldn’t pad it. As anything, every tool has it’s place.

 

[Mikey P]

not just poop and pee-pee (Both pet and old peoples')
but it's great for blood too!!

that's why they call it OPE
The "E" stands for extraction


you'll discover VLM'ers are a strange lot and don't think quite right.
I suspect a bacterial infection of the brain lining due to handling buckets of wet, scummy, hazmat pads.
Might even be brain worms like RFK Jr ??



..L.T.A.

Funny you should say that, I'm in the process of installing a prototype
Excrement Extractor
as we speak ...

 

[Dolly Llama]

No, but dumb ass Larry’s of the mind that if you have an OPeee or a Slimex that’s all you do.

No I don't
and I might be an azzhole, but not a dumazz

..L.T.A.

 

[Mikey P]

and quite the speculator...

 

[Dolly Llama]

As anything, every tool has it’s place.

all this kid's got are a couple POS portys
If he intends to make his family's livelihood cleaning carpets and tile, he doesn't need to be dumping money "right now" into $4000 dollar VLM machines.
He's a needs a TM

the exception to that "might" be, if his biz model is 90% com and janitorial

..L.T.A.

 

[Bryce C]

all this kid's got are a couple POS portys
If he intends to make his family's livelihood cleaning carpets and tile, he doesn't need to be dumping money "right now" into $4000 dollar VLM machines.
He's a needs a TM

the exception to that "might" be, if his biz model is 90% com and janitorial

..L.T.A.

I'm a little concerned about taking on payments for a TM and Van before the dead winter months of New England set in. Considering getting a truckmount in the spring next year as soon as biz picks up. For now possibly investing in the appropriate education and equipment that will potentially make us bank over the winter months after weird weather and mishaps, and fits easily in our trailer...

 

[Dolly Llama]

and quite the speculator...

i'm not speculating shit
Post #42

"Reason I ask is there was a guy at MF boasting about having done that"

if you think that guy at your fest and Forest are the only ones that think that way, you're in denial


..L.T.A.

 

[Mikey P]

all this kid's got are a couple POS portys
If he intends to make his family's livelihood cleaning carpets and tile, he doesn't need to be dumping money "right now" into $4000 dollar VLM machines.
He's a needs a TM

the exception to that "might" be, if his biz model is 90% com and janitorial

..L.T.A.

Agreed

 

[Mikey P]

i'm not speculating shit
Post #42

"Reason I ask is there was a guy at MF boasting about having done that"

if you think that guy at your fest and Forest are the only ones that think that way, you're in denial


..L.T.A.

You don't know what he did or what he was talking about, and you're speculating that he had a "bucket full of scummy pads" when every modern Opie professional these days knows he did it all with one wonderful microfiber...

 

[Dolly Llama]

I'm a little concerned about taking on payments for a TM and Van before the dead winter months of New England set in.

don't rush
just don't blow $8 grand on de jour tools either
save that for a healthy down payment next year

you can actually do enCrap and bonnet cleaning with a rotary.
Is it as fast and idiot proof at Cimex? no
But neither is a porty compared to TM, and you're able to get it done

..L.T.A.

 

[Bryce C]

don't rush
just don't blow $8 grand on de jour tools either
save that for a healthy down payment next year

you can actually do enCrap and bonnet cleaning with a rotary.
Is it as fast and idiot proof at Cimex? no
But neither is a porty compared to TM, and you're able to get it done

..L.T.A.

Are winters really as incredibly slow as I've heard? Makes sense they would be.. I have to plan now for how I'll weather those months.

With my current setup I can only try and go after commercial to prepare for that season from what I gather. Unless I branch out.

 

[Dolly Llama]

Are winters really as incredibly slow as I've heard?

my experience, res dies when the Christmas trees go up.

empty rentals slow down too

pretty rough getting thru the winter the first 3 to 5 years if nothing else to fall back on to make a buck



..L.T.A.

 

[Bryce C]

my experience, res dies when the Christmas trees go up.

rentals slow down too

pretty rough getting thru the winter the first 3 to 5 years if nothing else to fall back on to make a buck



..L.T.A.

That sucks, and seems inevitable. I don't have anything to fall back on. I'm thinking about getting trained, insured, and equipped for wdr. Not sure how that goes normally but the weather has been weird, frozen ground and heavy rains in the middle of winter and other problems seem to happen often. There are good local trainings over the next few months.

 

[Kenny Hayes]

The two porty’s are certainly adequate, and adding an inexpensive 175 is the ticket. The 175 will allow you to be versatile. I wouldn’t recommend a Cimex at all ever in my opinion
without a ramp. I hope you’re using a ramp for the porty’s. I hope your PEX is clicking.

 

[Dolly Llama]

That sucks, and seems inevitable. I don't have anything to fall back on.

you'll do like most of us did
(that didn't have a spouse with good income and bennies to carry the load)

You do a ton of com cold calling, take on crappy restaurant jobs, motels, slumlord apts and other low pay crap to keep the lights on in the beginning
weed them out as you're able to be busy with more profitable jobs

..L.T.A.

 

[Bryce C]

The two porty’s are certainly adequate, and adding an inexpensive 175 is the ticket. The 175 will allow you to be versatile. I wouldn’t recommend a Cimex at all ever in my opinion
without a ramp. I hope you’re using a ramp for the porty’s. I hope your PEX is clicking.

The trailer doesn't have a ramp but I'm using two 2x8s with a ramp kit for wheeling the machines on and off. The PEX is clicking well! That machine is great, our fav. So light and ergonomical compared to similar models, perfect design for what it is.