Pretty New to the Game

[TomKing]

This is from the Mohawk Care recommendations booklet
https://www.mohawkflooring.com/assets/files/Mohawk_Carpet_Warranty_Brochure.pdf
Page 28 in the iBook

Even with regular vacuuming, soil particles and oily dirt will cling to carpet bers. Foot traf c drives these particles and dirt deep into the carpet. Mohawk requires professional hot water extraction every 18 months using cleaning products, equipment or systems that carry the Carpet and Rug Institute Seal

of Approval. (Visit www.carpet-rug.org for a complete list of certi ed products.) Periodic cleaning by a certi ed carpet care professional using the hot water extraction method will refresh carpet appearance.

 

[TomKing]

Masland Carpet they are apart of the Dixie group that owns Fabrica Masland and Dixie Home

notice they go as far as saying rental units may be inferior.
Does it sound like they value us a PROFESSIONAL?

To retain its luster and beauty, your carpet should be deep-cleaned every 12 to 18 months, depending upon 1) the life-style of the household, 2) frequency of vacuuming, and 3) whether the carpet is a light or dark color. You want to deep clean your carpet BEFORE it becomes excessively soiled.

Professional carpet cleaners can keep your carpet looking fresh and new longer. Many are trained and certified to care for carpets manufactured from today’s state-of-the-art fibers.

For deep-cleaning, we recommend hot water (also known as steam) extraction. With this method, a detergent solution is sprayed on the carpet and removed by extracting the dirt and solution with a powerful vacuum from either a truck-mounted or portable unit. We recommend a professional for this type of cleaning. A professional has been trained to use the equipment properly so that the carpet will not be damaged. Additionally, the equipment he uses is much more powerful than rental units available to you.

 

[TomKing]

Karastan Carpet Care Recomendations

I doubt very many see this on a regular basis

Dry Foam and Absorbent Pad
Fluffy detergent foam is worked into pile by a variety of machines. Once dry, the residue is vacuumed out. This method uses little water, dries fast, and cleans the surface well. Limitation: Overbrushing can damage some carpets.

Dry Powder
Absorbent particles are worked into the pile with a machine and removed by vacuum. This method uses no water, little skill is required, and the carpet is ready for use immediately. This is a professional or do-it-yourself method. Limitations: It can be difficult to remove all cleaning residue from deep pile. This method also is not that effective for heavily soiled or matted areas.

Steam Cleaning (Hot Water Extraction)
Extraction of the cleaning solution and soil leaves little residue and no pile damage. Recommended for all carpet types, this method is most effective when performed by a professional using an external hot water extraction unit. Limitations: Avoid using too much detergent. Follow up with plain water, but caution is required to prevent overwetting.

Carpet pilating or grooming should be incorporated with all professional cleanings. A professional pile lifter vacuum may be effective in restoring matted or ridged carpeting.

Caution: Methods and Products to Avoid
The rotary brush wet shampoo method is not recommended for residential carpet as damage may result. Moreover, some do-it-yourself products in aerosol cans may cause rapid re-soiling due to excessive residues. Test on a scrap of carpet first. If the dried product feels sticky, don’t use it. Also avoid all cleaning agents containing an optical brightener (fluorescence) such as those found in many laundry detergents and some carpet cleaning systems.

 

[TomKing]

Fabrica
This is one of the finest carpet not a lot of this on a weekly basis.

At least twice per year, it is necessary to remove the oil and soil which cannot be removed by vacuuming. This is done using a dry extraction method. The system that FABRICA recommends is called HOST©, manufactured by Racine Industries. This system employs a pre-cleaning spray solution for spots and heavy soil, a cleaning compound for all areas, and a lightweight electric machine.

The advantages of this system are:

• Removes deep-down soil from all types of carpet. No need to remove furniture. Traf c areas may be cleaned and blended in with the surrounding area.
• No danger of shrinkage or overwetting because water is not used. Carpet may be walked on during cleaning.

• Convenient because carpets may be used immediately after cleaning.
• Traces of dry compound left in the carpet help retard re- soiling, and continue to clean. Used on a regular basis, this will maintain a high level of cleanliness all year long.

• Simple and easy; no complicated instructions. The machine is easier to push than a vacuum.

The cleaning chemicals and machine may be rented from a nearby dealer at a very reasonable cost.

If you choose to do the cleaning yourself, follow the manufacturer’s directions. HOST© cleaning may also be done by an outside professional. Consult with your local FABRICA dealer or call HOST© for your nearest representative.

• Sometimes, a more aggressive method of soil and stain removal is necessary, such as the Hot Water Extraction method. This method is ideal when properly performed by a certi ed professional and allowed to dry COMPLETELY. Always test a small area in an inconspicuous location for colorfastness before using any cleaning products on your new carpet. For recommendations, please call your FABRICA dealer.

• FABRICA does not recommend topical treatments (topical treatments are advertised soil repellents applied after carpet is manufactured) and will accept no claims where they have been applied. FABRICA product warranties will be voided if topical treatments are utilized.

 

[TomKing]

So there you have it most of the carpet in America is from those manufactures.

Not a lot of room for running a buffer over your carpet and calling it professional.

The Host guys get a bone as a interim cleaning system on two of the high end carpets that very few people have in their homes but it is clearly not for deep cleaning.

HWE is by far the preferred method of most of the carpet in America.
Truck mount or portable that is the way to start your business.

I would like to be called a professional and it appears these manufactures consider someone who does HWE one.

I rest my case your honor.

 

[Kellie Hiler]

And there ya have it.....thank you Tom.

 

[Mikey P]

I'd let Will clean my carpet.

 

[Mikey P]

I clean his Mom's after all..

 

[WillS]

You said there are proven study results by these manufactures or CRI that shows HWE over VLM for soil removal and cleanliness? Where is that link? I'd be interested to know if the HWE recommendations by these manufactuers was put in place before VLM cleaning came along or what their influence was. Was it from study? Was it from cleaning one carpet for a certain amount of time w HWE and cleaning another w VLM? One produced better results then the other? Maybe Stanley Steemer had an influence on this with their millions of dollars to sway more customers into needing steam cleaning.

Conspiracy.

 

[bob vawter]

Josh...you need to do a ride along wit someone on this board that lives close to you.....
cuz you got it ALL wrong.......

jus sayin"


BTW...welcome to the best board in the industry!

 

[Josh at Prestige West Texas]

Go to the Jon Don booth ask for Bill Yeadon.
He is by far one of the top 3 guys you should know in this industry. He is the director of Training and does work for most major carpet manufactures testing products, being called in for consultation on proper cleaning methods.
Tell him the boys at MB sent you.

I'm definitely going to visit

 

[Josh at Prestige West Texas]

I'm just curious what chemical line you guys use?

 

[Kellie Hiler]

Josh, take Bob's advice above as well if you can.
We all want to see you succeed, we also want to protect our industry. Every incompetent cleaner out there creates scared customers. I cannot tell you how many homeowners I have had to assure and educate because of a previous cleaner damaging their carpet due to not caring, or lack of knowledge.
Hell, I don't let a tech go out on their own until they've been working for me at least a year and has proven to me that they can handle any situation.
Re-work your website and your marketing approach based on what you have learned in this thread.
Go after customers who need porty cleaning that way, as you grow you don't have to suddenly re-educate your customers as to why all of a sudden HWE is better. And maintain their trust.

 

[Mikey P]

damn Kellie is going to hit 1000 posts by midnight

 

[Kellie Hiler]

I'm just curious what chemical line you guys use?

We all use different things for different applications. You need to know the carpet types, the soil types and the warranty recommendations.
If you have a supply house close by, go in and talk to someone about what is best to carry on your truck for all situations, they will point you to all the right things you need in any given situation. And they can explain how to use each one.
Always ask the homeowner if their carpet is still under warranty, especially before using a high PH product.
Any rental property is automatically voided of warranty so you don't have to worry about those.
Maybe look into doing vacant apartments. There can be good money as a starter and they can be more forgiving as well.

 

[Kellie Hiler]

damn Kellie is going to hit 1000 posts by midnight

LMAO'!!! Am I there yet?!
I forgot to warn you, I can be very talkative sometimes....whodathunk?

 

[Mikey P]

knock knock..

 

[Kellie Hiler]

Who's there?

 

[Kellie Hiler]

Awww darn....I guess no one.
But I just made my 1000th post!

 

[FB19087]

I'd be interested to know if the HWE recommendations by these manufactuers was put in place before VLM cleaning came along.

The 1930s?

Performance under warranty is where I'd guess the recommendations came from (buffers causing fiber damage etc)......................that and the CRI testing.

 

[Spurlington]

Just don't throw these scare tactics out there, it hurts everyone.

 

[Spurlington]

I dont know much about wands

Ive discovered matching the right wand with the right machine will give you the best performance. I use the Galaxy 2700 for my commercial account which is the 500 psi model, (but only use 200 - 250) and has dual 3 stage vac motors. With the Glidemaster made by Edic single jet wand I am able to recover enough to just about fill my recovery tank (which I was never able to do with my TM wand) with one full fresh fill. BTW - this machine I use has the original vac motors from 7-8 years ago. (I use it on average 10 hrs a month). Pic below shows the dirty water up and under the shut off float ball.

 

[Josh at Prestige West Texas]

Ive discovered matching the right wand with the right machine will give you the best performance. I use the Galaxy 2700 for my commercial account which is the 500 psi model, (but only use 200 - 250) and has dual 3 stage vac motors. With the Glidemaster made by Edic single jet wand I am able to recover enough to just about fill my recovery tank (which I was never able to do with my TM wand) with one full fresh fill. BTW - this machine I use has the original vac motors from 7-8 years ago. (I use it on average 10 hrs a month). Pic below shows the dirty water up and under the shut off float ball.



View attachment 10998

I have the same machine

 

[Spurlington]

I have the same machine

I dont how youre able to lift that up and down the stairs .. I can barely get it on the truck. Are u using a helper? Its the 2700 with 17 gallon capacity right?

 

[Josh at Prestige West Texas]

Guess I read it wrong mine is the 13 gallon one. I can lift it easy

 

[Josh at Prestige West Texas]

I have ramps also

 

[Nate The Great]

I dont how youre able to lift that up and down the stairs .. I can barely get it on the truck. Are u using a helper? Its the 2700 with 17 gallon capacity right?

I've heard people complain the 13gallon is too front heavy to take up stairs... The 17gallon is more balanced....?

 

[Spurlington]

 

[Kellie Hiler]

I can pick up the 13 gallon and load it my truck.....of course my back would be killing me for days afterwards now lol, but I used to do it all the time. Never tried the 17 gallon Windsor that I have though...that one might be tough.
I got telescoping ramps off of amazon but they suck, because the front wheels on the porty are closer together than the rear ones. It'd be nice to find a one piece lightweight ramp that would take up too much van space though.