wand stroke

Dolly Llama

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Larry Capitoni
Ron Lippold said:
How far do you pull back 3 5 10 12 given a good size room

It varies depending on my mood, carpet type and soil level.
but in general, "my" comfort zone is appx 3 to 4ft.
Cody and Shane's are longer.
More like 4 - 6ft for them


..L.T.A.
 
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George Valliant
You're a genius Ronnie!

I was using the "Ron Lippold" technique today and was thinking about how much work you saved me.

Did a big house today with a few over size 400 s/f rooms. Those rooms took me a total of about 13 strokes each. Granted, they were huge 20 foot long strokes but only took about 13 single strokes each... yeah baby!!!

You da man!!!
 

Dolly Llama

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Carpet Cleaning Fool said:
Granted, they were huge 20 foot long strokes but only took about 13 single strokes each... yeah baby!!!

!

yea, I've run those mile long strokes too at times.
generally in empties and especially bed rooms.
walk in the door, and turn 90 degrees and pull one end of the room to as far as the wand will go without bumping the wall.
Then turn and pull the 3-4ft wide section straight back out the door

that's generally when I hack blasting a clean/minimal soil empty


..L.T.A.
 

RandyHilburn

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When my back is bothering me, I just start walking backwards until I run into something. I then push forward and then do the next stroke the same way! LOL
 

steve r

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most rooms i clean are in the 12 x 12 range.i pull till i hit the wall and repeat down the row turn and finish.first stroke is probably 7 or 8 ft second one about 4 or 5 ft.
 

Johnnyone

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If it a empty I backstroke into the wall or trip on the hose..
If the custy is there short 3 or 4 and not to fast.
 

Johnny

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As long as practical. Sometimes multiple steps. For me, longer strokes are faster and less tiring. Less overlap on the ends and less changing direction.
 

Ron Werner

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cleaned a huge empty commercial room in Dec, tried longer 10-15ft strokes.
also tried normal 5-6ft stokes. Seemed to go much faster with the later.
when its more trashed, I'll go to 3ft strokes.
 

B&BGaryC

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B&BGaryC
billyeadon said:
I use a stair tool. Works just fine for my stature.

That's hilarious...

Don't ruin the surprise. Some people still want to know why they call you Big Billy Yeadon.
 

The Great Oz

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bryan
4 to 6 ft. But i can clean most rooms with only 5 turns. BTW are there any pics of wand stroke patterns?
cleaningpatternedit.jpg


I swiped this from a HydraMaster manual, but I've seen similar drawings in multiple texts.

Here's the proper technique, according to Oz:

Correct use of the cleaning wand provides the best cleaning results in the shortest amount of time with the least amount of strain on the operator. Taking extra-long strokes, or single wet strokes, or lifting the wand between strokes, will all defeat some part of the way hot water extraction cleaning was designed to work. If you learn to clean using this technique you will be able to move faster through a job while doing a more thorough job of cleaning, and you’ll find you can clean far more carpet with less strain. Being able to switch from right hand to left hand and back will double the amount of cleaning you can do without strain on your body.

For left-handed use substitute left for right in these instructions.
Using the drawing as a guide and imagining you began cleaning on the left side of the carpet with the wand in your right hand:

- Stand approximately four feet from the wall. This will vary with the operator’s height and comfortable reach.
- Your feet should be shoulder width apart with your right foot at a 45% angle behind your left.
- Stand up straight with your hips aligned with the wand.

Hold the end of the wand and trigger in your right hand. The correct height should be as if you were going to hook the thumb of your right hand in your front pocket. This keeps the wand opening in proper alignment with the carpet surface for maximum water removal. If keeping the wand opening level on the carpet can’t be accomplished with the right hand at pocket level, your wand is either too short or too long for you, or the angle of the head needs adjustment. If you are going to invest years in cleaning carpet and want to maintain the health of your back and shoulders, the cost of tailoring a wand to fit is a worthwhile investment.

- Lean forward only far enough to put your left hand on the wand’s tube handle. Leaning farther forward not only greatly increases the likelihood of lower back injury; it makes the tech look like an ape.
- Reach the wand head to the wall, keeping the wand handle level.
- Pull the wand straight back until your right hand is slightly behind your front pocket. Pulling the wand farther back makes it difficult to keep the handle level, so vacuum is lost. This also makes for a more difficult beginning to the return stroke and can lead to wear injuries to the shoulder.

Now you’re properly aligned to begin cleaning.

- Key the wand trigger to start solution application.
- Push the wand directly forward to the wall and return in a straight line to the starting position. This will require twisting your hips to follow the wand and taking a small forward step with your left foot on the push stroke and corresponding step back on the pull stroke.
- Keeping the wand keyed, slide the wand to the right until it almost clears the previous cleaning pass and repeat the straight up and back motion. Do not lift the wand.
- Repeat this pattern until you have moved sideways three to four feet.
- Move back to the left, repeating the same overlaps on your return pass, with one exception: your second cleaning stroke will be slightly longer, just enough to pick up the water at the back end of your previous stroke.
- Once you’ve returned to your starting position, let go of the wand trigger. Using vacuum only, repeat the pattern one more time at about half of your cleaning speed. Slowing this stroke is one key to preventing over-wet carpet.
- Once you have finish this “block” key the wand and begin cleaning the next block. Repeat until you have finished the area.

This method uses your large leg muscles and your body mass to move the wand rather than the small muscles of your lower back and upper arms. The term “Dancing with Wand-a” was coined to remind technicians to use this technique.

Using rapid cleaning strokes and keeping the wand keyed through them implements the four pieces of the Time/Agitation/Chemical/Temperature “Cleaning Pie.” You not only allow your chemical some dwell time between strokes, you have allowed the wand to do the agitation it was designed to do, and the repeated pattern raises the temperature of the carpet surface for better soil removal.

Once you’re comfortable with this technique you can alter it to suit heavily or lightly soiled carpet, or for particular purposes, such as to “cut in” the perimeter of a room to avoid bumping the moldings.
 

Johnny

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The Hydromaster model above assumes an unglided wand, no pre-scrub, and a modest-temperature machine.
 

hogjowl

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The day I read all that crap in an effort to learn how to do something as simple as wanding will be the same day that I ask Shawn Forsythe to explain to me how to brush my tooth.

This ain't rocket science you stupid asswipes. :roll:
 
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