Mohawk's "License to Spill" Event

[Mark Saiger]

Just did a Mohawk's "License to Spill" Event with one of my local carpet stores.

Had an absolute blast, but boy am I a bit tired!

We unfortunately did not get pictures when we got super busy and this white smart strand rug was plastered with ground in Mustard, Ketchup, pure food coloring dye....if there would have been a kitchen sink there....It would have been on the carpet.

It was a great opportunity to show the clients the stain resistance to smart strand, impress people with cleaning knowledge, make connections with your locals, had great conversations with the Mohawk rep....all in all....a WIN-WIN!

It was great to be able to educate the people with how to safely remove stains, spills and problems they encounter at their homes with their NON Smart Strand Carpets.

We did some local Newspaper for a couple of weeks, did some radio spots, even some live radio spots, served free hot dogs and burgers (which the Mohawk Rep paid for). It was a minimal investment for the carpet store and myself.

I do have to say, I am tired though after that day of being up and down removing stains....and if you ever consider doing one of these, get ahold of me so I can share a few more QUICK stain removal techniques that can only be done to the smart strand. (I could be a bit sore from the large commercial carpet, Tile and Grout job I had right after this too )

The red in the pics is Iron Ore which is very common around here. Stains a lot of things, but even if not a Smart Strand, we can get that out of other materials.

I booked about 5 jobs the day of the show and yesterday (Saturday) 5 more jobs came in from the event.











































Mark Saiger
www.saigers.com
"Bring on the Blue!"

 

[Mikey P]

What chems did you use Mark?

Did you ever fail?

How many onlookers came by over the course of the day?

 

[Mark Saiger]

What chems did you use Mark?

Did you ever fail?

How many onlookers came by over the course of the day?

Stuck to basic prespray and chems as were to clean in a home. Was using a Alkaline based through the system at the time due to some of the crazy type stains they were constantly throwing at it such as the Iron ore (Normally would have used a neutral cleaner).

I will be honest, when it got crazy busy, I thought I was toast!

It was hard for people to understand that things don't just "POP" right out and I was up and down a lot for spotting.

The honest to goodness magic bullet for the smart strand in this case was just as the Rep said and handed me....diluted bleach and water

Not a safe thing to attempt in a home and I would be buying new carpet!

You can do that to a smart strand....BUT...I had to keep running it home to everyone and I mean EVERYONE that you CANNOT....CANNOT use bleach on any other carpet!!!!

I was using all the spot removal tools in the bag and as I told everyone (Including the rep) that we would not use a bleach water even if the
CLIENTS INSISTED it was a smart strand.

I did not fail....but it was a tough challenge.

Permanent Magic Marker (especially Black) did take a bit longer to remove all the properties. Bleach water would not take that and the Rep was very impressed as he watched how we patiently took our time to safely remove that stain and others so not to damage the fibers with heavy agitation.

The thing that was making it tough was they were not just spilling the items on the carpet....they were GRINDING and SMASHING it in!

We seriously showed people how to remove most of the items with dry rags, then a bit of soapy water and basic items they would have at their disposal (Hydrogen Peroxide and time, ect....)

We also told them, they might not be able to get out all of these types of stains, but a carpet cleaning company should be able too.

For on lookers.....we ran out of hot dogs and burgers early and had to make another run....so we are thinking at one time, about 300 on lookers.....We were so busy like I mentioned that we couldn't even break away to take pics when the larger crowd was there from about 11:30 am to 1:30 pm. (Lunch Rush you could say) We ran the event from 11 am to 6 pm - Friday.

The Rep for Mohawk asked if I would travel and help put on these events. Liked the way we took time to answer questions and talk and demonstrate during the event and kept people interested.

Told him it sounded like fun and I would help in any way I could even if it was finding another good cleaner in an area he was looking to run an event. Heck for the right price....I can be had

The Carpet store and us are considering doing something similar again during one of our indoor Spring Home shows. We think it could be fun and add some value.

We are going to control how much is dumped on at one time though

 

[Steve Toburen]

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The Carpet store and us are considering doing something similar again during one of our indoor Spring Home shows. We think it could be fun and add some value.

Sounds like a great "show and tell", Mark!

Steve

PS We used to do the same thing (without a carpet store tie in) at our Spring Home Show. But in this event we actually had people bring their dirty rugs and loose carpet to us. We would clean around 800 carpets over the two day event. And you found out today what I discovered early on. It is exhausting work and especially if you are trying to connect with the onlookers too! We rotated eight techs and several office staff and everyone was still beat. So line up some help for the spring!

 

[Mark Saiger]

Sounds like a great "show and tell", Mark!

Steve

PS We used to do the same thing (without a carpet store tie in) at our Spring Home Show. But in this event we actually had people bring their dirty rugs and loose carpet to us. We would clean around 800 carpets over the two day event. And you found out today what I discovered early on. It is exhausting work and especially if you are trying to connect with the onlookers too! We rotated eight techs and several office staff and everyone was still beat. So line up some help for the spring!

Thanks Steve.

I have seen your posts on home shows and really liked what you have done. Always been looking for a way we could pull it off...dang cold weather last few years has kind of limited our ability to pull it off, but we have some ideas how to do it inside now....use spot machines, small portable...but best yet, the booking committee will let us have a truck mount by and outside door just for ourselves and run the hoses to our booth. and with our new door drape, we think it will work well!

PS....maybe take a look at the same post I did on TMF....not as positive of results going on there....LOL!

Tried to show them this is not about the carpet type, but building relationships....and totally went the opposite way.

Thank you for the kind words and understanding the intentions of the post.

PSS: I had to do a PS since it was you

 

[Ron Werner]

so even the mustard was not staining the carpet? What did you use for mustard?
Is the SStrand a solution dyed carpet?

I've heard they don't even want any protectant applied to them. A rep at Home Depot said that any application of protectant could void the warrantee.

 

[Mark Saiger]

so even the mustard was not staining the carpet? What did you use for mustard?
Is the SStrand a solution dyed carpet?

I've heard they don't even want any protectant applied to them. A rep at Home Depot said that any application of protectant could void the warrantee.

The mustard was tough....

For this "SHOW"....and keep in mind this was a bit of a "Dog and Pony Show" the actually quickest thing to take the mustard out and many other food stains was a bleach water.....

And as I said, you have to ram home that this was only possible on a Smartstrand type carpet.

I was removing stains the traditional way and I explained to many and the rep, we would never use a Bleach Water solution (and he agreed and also said that continuous use could damage it), but the people were also here to see the "Let's get it out fast" Show.

I have had good luck cleaning and removing stains in traditional styles, but I was impressed with how fast a bleach and water solution removed stains so quickly and safely.

The carpet is going to be used again in the future by us....and we were not kind to it at all during this show!


I have not had the chance to experiment with Smart Strand and protectant applications, but it was wild to see what kinds of staining type spills would just roll off the fiber and how some would suddenly penetrate due to different surfactancy properties.

I was surprised at some of the items.

I would really encourage if you had time to get some samples and see for yourself what types of spills just beaded up....and what penetrated fast....

Also, experiment with trying to stain it...

The fiber make up is what makes it stain resistance.....nothing to do with any protectant application...

It is an interesting fiber....and yes, I know it is a poly and not a nylon, but we all have to learn it's properties and try to learn to clean it.

Let's just say I had my eyes opened up even more this day

 

[Desk Jockey]

Congrats! What a great event!

300 is amazing, the value of an event will be measured over years. You'll still hear people calling you years from now because they saw you at the showdown.

 

[Mark Saiger]

Congrats! What a great event!

300 is amazing, the value of an event will be measured over years. You'll still hear people calling you years from now because they saw you at the showdown.

Thanks Richard!

We were totally blown away with the amount of people that showed up

As I mentioned, we ran out of food early and had to get more, so we obviously underestimated what to expect (and of course are more than pleased!)

It's 9:35 pm and today was supposed to be an easier day....we got pounded again!

We are still reaping the benefits from the event with some unbelievable high end referrals that came from this.

The entire week is looking just crazy....and the work just keeps coming in.

Just grabbed shower and something to eat and heading to bed so can get up early and do some office work and get out and pound the route again tomorrow.

Woo....woo....

 

[Willy P]

Your wife can't be more than 30. How does an old codger like you get hooked up with a young thing like that?

 

[Able 1]

The problem with smartstrand isn't staining it's how horrible it wears!

Good job BTW Mark!

 

[Mark Saiger]

Your wife can't be more than 30. How does an old codger like you get hooked up with a young thing like that?

Well, Actually Willy....the gal in those pics is one of the carpet store owners....LOL!

But my wife does look a bit young too

My wife is on the far Right and these are her 3 daughters.

Figured I better point her out so someone doesn't think I was "really robbing the cradle"



She's still the good looking one on the Right here as well





But thank you for the compliment.....

 

[Desk Jockey]

She does look young and attractive. Lucky man!

Beautiful daughters too!

 

[ruff]

That's looks like an awesome event and family, Mark.

I hate it though when manufacturer's make these kind of claims and advertises it. It does give the public a license to spill and neglect their carpet and then expect it to look brand new when we're done. And usually we're the ones who have to deal with their unrealistic expectations.

Treating a carpet with a chlorine mixture, even diluted, is really unhealthy both for the home owner and the cleaner.

These manufacturers never learn, do they?

 

[mirf]

Sounds like a great event. Any sales yet?

 

[Mark Saiger]

Sounds like a great event. Any sales yet?

We did very well. I think 10 nice size jobs booked off the event just in the past few days.

 

[Mark Saiger]

That's looks like an awesome event and family, Mark.

I hate it though when manufacturer's make these kind of claims and advertises it. It does give the public a license to spill and neglect their carpet and then expect it to look brand new when we're done. And usually we're the ones who have to deal with their unrealistic expectations.

Treating a carpet with a chlorine mixture, even diluted, is really unhealthy both for the home owner and the cleaner.

These manufacturers never learn, do they?

Yeah....I was pretty busy with the Stainzone for awhile on the mustard....then finally folded and went with Rep suggested because things were too fast and furious to keep up.

I kept ramming home....DO NOT DO THIS AT HOME OR ON ANY OTHER CARPET....AND I MEAN I SAID IT A LOT!