soil filtration along baseboards on entire 2nd floor - ?

[Derek]

i am looking for a good idea on pricing this. i have worked on the S.F. under a door or along the occasional baseboard. but this client wants ONLY the S.F. taken care of on the 2nd floor ... no other carpet cleaning up there.

there is 274 linear feet of it.

 

[Hoody]

That's a lot of filtration soiling... I would be charging around .75-1.00 a LF

 

[Royal Man]

I just include it with my regular pricing. Usually I would charge for rotary scrubbing in a situation like that anyway. It's really just a few minutes more work. So, no big deal.

Even though you are calling it soil filtration. From my experience. If it is everywhere. Usually it is from burning candles or a fireplace.

Suggest they trim the wicks on their candles. If it is from candles.

That soot has to go somewhere. It flows to the walls and then drops to the edges. Taller walls can be more problematic resulting on more soot soiling on staircase.

 

[Jim Martin]

I just include it with my regular pricing. Usually I would charge for rotary scrubbing in a situation like that anyway. It's really just a few minutes more work. So, no big deal.

so.............. what rotary are you using to remove filter soil at the bace boards.......

 

[Royal Man]

I use a 12" Oreck for edges and staircases. With some Purple Power and sometimes a citrus solvent boost.

It really is now very much work if the rooms ore being scrubbed it the walkways anyway.

(But, What do I care my helper does the work anyway.)

 

[rwcarpet]

I've got down on my hands and knees, along with an upholstery tools, strong PS, and a stiff brush. Some of that soiling is so persistant, I've even had custy call my installer and just have the carpet stretched and trimmed to eliminate the really bad filtration soiling. When you ask the custy if they ever burn candles, they will say "oh, once in a while" ....then you see candles in every room.

You gotta charge at least some extra for the filtration cleaning. Pre-conditioning the custy is the key.

At least, if this is a good custy, charge for your time there. If it's an hour....$100

 

[alazo1]

The pmf 4" stand up wand is good for edges. I wouldn't know how much to charge without knowing how easy it will come off....if it even comes out.

 

[Able 1]

What are you guys using? I use Fels with a brush and hand scrub, works great!

Prochems filter out is a joke, to say the least!!

 

[handdi]

i just charge an ,5 a sq ft on the whole job
we have 4 ft crevis tools does not take long to do
just hit with pre spray and extract not too hard
we see it a lot here

 

[Dolly Llama]

Derek, Not all FS is created equal .
Some comes out easy, some is very difficult (or impossible) to completely remove 100% depending on carpet and severity .

270 lineal ft is a lot .
Best advise I could give is to demo a small area for the lady .
It will not only show the lady what she can expect, but will also give YOU an idea of how easy or difficult it will be .
From there, it's just a mater of how much your time and effort is worth to you as far as what to charge

What are you guys using? I use Fels with a brush and hand scrub, works great!

same here, Keith

Thank Terry "Odin" Brevic for the Fels cheerleaders (of which I'm one)
It's not very easy to rinse out...but as long as the operator is aware good/thorough flushing is required, it's great stuff for a whole host of spotting needs ...AND it's down right cheap compared to other spotters

we never leave home without it !gotcha!

..L.T.A.

 

[Derek]

tx for the help fellas! i am not dying to get this job, the client is one that makes me nervous. i am happy to service the carpet in their offices. but they seem the "type" to always dicker on the price :x i went with $1 per foot with no guarantee of complete removal. i think most of it should come out. based on their Ethnicity, i think it is from candles :mrgreen: and i dont think they will stop lighting them. so complete removal is relative...they will slowly start showing up again the next day.


tx again --- Derek.

 

[XTREME1]

grout brush and hell gel is much easier.

Again yoakum you show what a complete moron you are, a rotary scrub will not do shit for filtration. It may get it pushed back to a quarter inch but will not be precise enough to get the crevice area. It is amazing after 80 yrs in business you still have no clue

 

[lance]

Even after cleaning won't the filter lines come back in a year or two? I would think that having the windows open during the summer time would also contribute to the problem because of air pollution, depending on where you live.

What do you guys say if the customer asks if the lines will return? I think it would be great if you could lift up the carpet off the tack stripe, chaulk under the drywall, clean the filter soiling, and then put the carpet back over the tack strip. I know that is a lot of work but you would only have to do it once, wouldnt you?

On average, what percentage of your customers notice the filter lines, especially after you have cleaned a room or area? I do notice in a lot of youtube videos but I am looking for it also.

 

[Hoody]

dirty air ducts also contribute to filtration soiling... if duct cleaning is a service you provide, pointing out filtration soiling is an easy sell.

 

[Royal Man]

grout brush and hell gel is much easier.

yoakum a rotary scrub will not do shit for filtration. It may get it pushed back to a quarter inch but will not be precise enough to get the crevice area. It is amazing after 80 yrs in business you still have no clue

My little Oreck will get right up to the edges. If not we use a brush. If it won't budge with the Oreck. The brush won't make a difference. (Just depends on the type of soot and carpet sometimes)

Note to Greg:

Different strokes Greg.

You haven't figured this out yet, in all your years. But, in this biz and in life there are many ways to accomplish the same thing, different goals and different talents & abilities.

It is not Greg's way or the highway. When you make your accusatory statements it shows all how naive and swallow you are.

Keep it up if you wish. (You likely can't change anyway)

It just exposes you for all to see you in a bad light.

But, it also affects your life and past and present relationships.

Take a breath and let it go buddy and you'll see your life improve or at least others will be able to be around you easier.

Dr Dave-

 

[Jim Martin]

filtration soil is caused by a negative air pull..
it is more apparent in 2 story homes and stair cases because of there construction and in door ways if people keep there door closed all the time..

when the A/C comes on..(positive air)..it starts to circulate thru out the home..the return..(negative air)...pulls the dead air out of the house and back to the air handler on the A/C unit.....

when they build 2 story homes the stair case and the entire second floor is made of wood and they are not sealed where the wall and the floor come together..and on a stair case..they are not sealed where the seams meet....

so the negative air is pulling everything that is floating around thru these tiny areas causing filtration soil...

same situation with door ways...if they are kept closed and are sitting to low to the carpet...the negative air is pulling under the door.....

more fun facts to know and tell all your friends...........

 

[renegade_cowboy]

Even after cleaning won't the filter lines come back in a year or two? I would think that having the windows open during the summer time would also contribute to the problem because of air pollution, depending on where you live.

What do you guys say if the customer asks if the lines will return? I think it would be great if you could lift up the carpet off the tack stripe, chaulk under the drywall, clean the filter soiling, and then put the carpet back over the tack strip. I know that is a lot of work but you would only have to do it once, wouldnt you?

On average, what percentage of your customers notice the filter lines, especially after you have cleaned a room or area? I do notice in a lot of youtube videos but I am looking for it also.

The filtration lines do take years to develop unless you have a serious IAQ issue or you left resudue along the baseboards.

Filtration lines are THEIR job to keep up on. I always tell them during the consultation that its important to vacuum along the baseboards at least once a month.

With this job it comes down to communication. If you see potential issues with the jobs ie.. stains, traffic areas, damage or in this case filtration lines... you need to discuss it with the customer before the cleaning so you dont make THEIR problem, your problem. Not to mention noting it on the invoice.

So to answer your question above.. maybe 50% or more of my customers have filtration issues, even the Street of Dream house.. Like i mention above, they become aware of the filtration lines prior to cleaning. Along with realistic expectation of removal.

 

[dday]

...Prochems filter out is a joke, to say the least!!

I agree - that ranks up close to the top of the list of "totally useless chemicals I have wasted money on."

Cobb's Powermax with agitation works most of the time for me. For real tough ones, I like a squirt of Vacaway's CycloneVLM version also does well - but it is a pricey solution to be sure.

 

[Derek]

my explanation to the client was the forced air. after reading here about candles, i am thinking it IS candles. would the forced air problem leave S.F. along every baseboard on the 2nd floor? if not, then it must be candles.

 

[Hoody]

Candles will make the problem worse leaving an oily residue, and they will come back more often. Doesn't have to be candles, but if they're as dark as they sound like they are, its most likely.

 

[Art Kelley]

On this one Yoakum is most correct. A strong prespray (Purple Power is a little hackish but effective) and sometimes an additional d-limoline followed by a rotary scrubbing (I used to use an oversized brush on my 175 that goes right to the wall ((and sometimes through it)) ) now using the RV 360i that compresses the housing so the machine cleans and FLUSHES right to the wall. Simple and quick, and really no big deal. Since I always follow with a wand when RVing (to remove swirls) it is sometimes helpful to spray directly (facing the wall) and extract going along chopping away at the edges that might still show.

I use a 12" Oreck for edges and staircases. With some Purple Power and sometimes a citrus solvent boost.

It really is now very much work if the rooms ore being scrubbed it the walkways anyway.

(But, What do I care my helper does the work anyway.)