Clean It Up
UK Floor Cleaning Forum => Carpet Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Ben Lugg on February 03, 2010, 08:44:14 pm
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Hi,
going to a job on Friday in a large Manor house, very big, very grand !! I've got to clean the carpets in two rooms both approx. 35 metre square. The fibre is wool and a natural backing and laid in approx. 2 foot wide strips. These are very old carpets and are slightly threadbare in places. They are in a bit of a state and the owner just wants them cleaned/freshened up, with a view to being replaced in the short term. One carpet is a plain mid brown colour, the other is an olive green, also plain.
I read somewhere that this kind of carpet was called 'body carpet' and the seams were hand sewn - does this sound familiar to anyone?
Anyway, I'm planning to give them a light clean with prespray gold and fibre/fabric rinse using my prochem powermax, plenty of dry strokes, and air movers.
Do you think there is anything I should be cautious about, apart from obviously the seams and threadbare sections.
Many thanks
Ben
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Ben just take your time when you inspect the carpet note down all the pre-existing condition check all seams carefully try to gauge customer expectation and get some signatures on the pre-existing condition. But never be afraid to walk away if in any doubt life is too short.
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Done similar a few years ago carpets laid in 1938 don’t forget your grooming broom ;)
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Got everything noted down and ready for customer to sign on Friday.Going to be brave and proceed with caution, thanks Richard.
Len did you encounter any problems on that job?
Ben.
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Ben you need to be really sure to not overwet this carpet, especially in the places it looks most worn. Really stick the ends of your fingers in to feel how much volume of pile is actually there. As long as there's plenty, I'd go carefully with HWE. If not I'd bonnet them, you can still get a really good visual difference, but a very thorough vac with a good upright is essential.
If you've quoted for HWE but switch to bonneting, you don't need to feel like you're over-charging or conning the customer - you're applying the most appropriate measure, all things considered. As long as you put the same amount of effort into the job and they're happy, you've done what you promised ;)
"We're going to rip them up in a few months" is a load of balls to be honest, people say things like this to save face because they're too bloody tight to buy new carpet! You could go back there in 5 years time and you'll still find the same carpets ::)
The lord of the manor is always like this, he'll buy 50 year old whisky at £500 a bottle but won't pay for any maintenance ::) Why would he bother spending good money on cleaning the carpets and then go and rip them up?
Just be careful he's not trying to get a claim out of you.
I'd work only on 25ft of hose at all times to get the best vac performance from your machine. I'd be a lot happier using more airflow to get more moisture out, don't skimp on the drying and put the fans on a section at a time after you've extracted and groomed. Have fun :)
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Just be careful he's not trying to get a claim out of you.
Just what I thought as I read the post, especially a he said with a view to being replaced IN THE SHORT TERM.
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Hi Ben,
Shame i'm stacked out on Friday or I would have lent you my Low Moisture System. I have done quite a few of these, the importance of spending time vacuuming to remove the dry soil (probably never received a good vacuuming schedule before). Keep spray light and wand strokes light. Do you have a pile brush to agitate with and reset pile? Let us know how you got on!
Regards
Gary
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Check to see if the seams are glued or stitched, if they are glued avoid solvents for obvious reasons. As Jim said if the soiling isnt too bad i would bonnet them.
Good luck Mark
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Done loads of them and its true about 'just give them a quick going over'.
As above, give it a really good going over with your rake/groomer to get the pile up, then vac, vac, and vac again. You have to get all of that old dust out of the pile, and I would bonnet it, and groom it to get the pile up.
If you use too strong a vac extraction on it you risk bringing all the dry soil to the top and getting those dirty wand marks.
Good luck anyway.
Murky
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Agree with the above posts on bonneting.
Even then i would get the turbo dryers on each part as you clean and even go over with a dryish bonnet and get s much moisture i could.
As richard said dont be afraid to walk if your not sure.
Dont get into any avenue that he can claim from you..
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Thanks for all the advice, such good all round knowledge as usual.
Gary; thanks for offering v. kind.
I'll put some pictures on after Friday thanks all.
Ben.
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Don't let us put you off though :D :D
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Ben
Not really apart from access and grooming which took ages
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Ben
Not really apart from access and grooming which took ages
Len cheers for cleaning my holiday home
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Richard
I wondered who brought it £5.5mil and it’s got history.
Len
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Hi
Did this job today - what a killer !
Lots of vacuuming on hands and knees with upholstery attachment on the carpet seams.
Lots of dry strokes with the wand, lots of grooming, etc.
The water was filthy and black and plenty of it.
Had air movers going the whole time, and by the time I finished the carpets were virtually dry.
No signs of shrinkage anywhere or other problems.
"He who dares, Rodney!"
I'm trying to add some photos but twice the system has not let me, but I'll see if I can put them in a separate post following this one.
Cheers!
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Sorry mates, for some reason the system won't let me load photos, not even one on it's own!
I'm happy to email if anyone wants to see them.
Cheers Ben
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Ben
e-mail them to me I will try for you oh wont use them
Len (lenpg@btinternet.com)
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You've got mail Len.
Ben.
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well done Ben :)
send the pics to me, i'll resize them and upload them for you ;)
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ben's pictures
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ben's
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ben's
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Thanks for that Len,
would of taken more but of course the battery ran out !
Ben.
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To Ben goodwork
To the customer rent a room get a lodger you can use the income for the much needed carpet replacment. looks like a case of alapesha in that first picture ;D
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Ben
Not a problem! As I said similar think the carpets were under the listed buildings act ;) ;D
Len
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Hi Ben,
Well done, the pictures do the carpet clean
justice! Another one to put in the experience locker
Regards
Gary
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Thanks Gary,
i was a little nervous going in, but made sure i followed advice given and it turned out ok. Already led to more work and a letting agent aswell :D
All the best,
Ben.
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Well done for a skill approach......what temperature did you go in at?
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Countryfresh,
Tried in one corner first but had the heat and run unit on all the time so probably around 130/150'f and no ill effects. Although lots of stopping and starting so average temp. will be lower.
Ben.