Less is more when you start out and 40 years later..

Mikey P

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A truckmount's increased power will help make up for a new guy's lack of experience and understanding for sure, but to quote Dirty Harry, "a man has to know his imitations"..


Poor wand technique and a poor wand, no understanding of chemistry along with our inbred desire to be carpet cleaning super heroes, coupled with that mysterious pressure regulator, can be a recipe for over wetting disaster.


If a cleaner leaves a carpet wet for 24 hours + and smelling like an old dishtowel, you could be at $5 a room, look like Brad Pitt and speak like Morgan Freeman, they won't call you back and won't refer you so it was all for nothing.


Learn how to clean carpet properly with as little water as possible if you want to build a referral only business.
 

Willy P

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I'd like to see a moisture meter used on most extraction cleaning. I think you'll find most hold liquids longer than you think. Living in a semi arid environment, not on the coast I've noticed things drying much faster. Too many variables.
 

Mikey P

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I'd like to see a moisture meter used on most extraction cleaning. I think you'll find most hold liquids longer than you think. Living in a semi arid environment, not on the coast I've noticed things drying much faster. Too many variables.

Human performance elements and weather are variables, but equipment performance and application and solutions can be controlled and made consistent, enough.
 
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SamIam

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A truckmount's increased power will help make up for a new guy's lack of experience and understanding for sure, but to quote Dirty Harry, "a man has to know his imitations"..


Poor wand technique and a poor wand, no understanding of chemistry along with our inbred desire to be carpet cleaning super heroes, coupled with that mysterious pressure regulator, can be a recipe for over wetting disaster.


If a cleaner leaves a carpet wet for 24 hours + and smelling like an old dishtowel, you could be at $5 a room, look like Brad Pitt and speak like Morgan Freeman, they won't call you back and won't refer you so it was all for nothing.


Learn how to clean carpet properly with as little water as possible if you want to build a referral only business.
You should be nicer to your younger self hahahahah.


Ps bigger machine helps with longer hose runs, and dry times.

But yeah at 100 ft who needs a aerotech with 2 wands doing 300 sq ft each.

What idiot would ever do that.


Hahahahha joking
 

Cleanworks

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Drying time is relevant to how much solution you use. If you're only doing one pass with a wand obviously you are going to get better drying times than a heavy prespray, scrub, flush repeatedly, etc. on commercial carpet, I have had drying times as little as 3 hours, tested with a hydro-sensor. Tested before I left the building. Fastest residential drying times was aprox 8 hours, tested the same way.
 

Papa John

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I think the recent improvements in chemicals and equipment used today make VLM a valuable choice in some instances.

IMO VLM is better than the Old ChemWho bonnet method and I'm glad to have it in my arsenal.
 

Papa John

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🤔 a potential customer has installed carpet tiles over engineered wood planks.
Should I be concerned that the Thumping action of my odyssey will damage the wood planks?
 

Jim Pemberton

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This post made me think of something that I hadn't considered much before:

I get calls from a variety of organizations, businesses, and individuals looking for a "good carpet cleaner" in their area.

In three different areas, I end up recommending guys who use portable HWE.

I do this because these three people do the best work, present themselves well, and have an overall great reputation. I have customers with truck mounts in the same area that I can't find myself able to recommend due to their behavior, appearance, and/or workmanship.

Sorry Mike, they aren't VLM guys, but they do prove your point somewhat.
 

Mikey P

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This post made me think of something that I hadn't considered much before:

I get calls from a variety of organizations, businesses, and individuals looking for a "good carpet cleaner" in their area.

In three different areas, I end up recommending guys who use portable HWE.

I do this because these three people do the best work, present themselves well, and have an overall great reputation. I have customers with truck mounts in the same area that I can't find myself able to recommend due to their behavior, appearance, and/or workmanship.

Sorry Mike, they aren't VLM guys, but they do prove your point somewhat.

I wasn't promoting VLM with this thread, rather proper wand to extractor balance, so your post proves my point.


Give a Larry a truckmount and the whole world looks like a nail....
 
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Willy P

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This post made me think of something that I hadn't considered much before:

I get calls from a variety of organizations, businesses, and individuals looking for a "good carpet cleaner" in their area.

In three different areas, I end up recommending guys who use portable HWE.

I do this because these three people do the best work, present themselves well, and have an overall great reputation. I have customers with truck mounts in the same area that I can't find myself able to recommend due to their behavior, appearance, and/or workmanship.

Sorry Mike, they aren't VLM guys, but they do prove your point somewhat.
Some of us made a career out of that.:biggrin: I was given a lot of referrals from my suppliers and customers over my 40 years. When you're referred because of your work and knowledge not a machine proves it's attitude and ability.
 

Lc17smp

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Give a Larry a truckmount and the whole world looks like a nail....
I’m a Larry and I approve this message. 😂

I’m sure as I get older and it’s harder to work all day I will see the (vlm) light.
 

Mikey P

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I got called out to find out why a carpet was refusing to dry, we had to pull it up to get the answer....












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