I thought I would air my personal views both for the forum and those “lurkers” out there that are trying to learn the art of carpet cleaning.
There now seems in the last few months a slew towards low moisture carpet cleaning on domestics.
I was under the distinct impression that low moisture cleaning using various brands was for low profile polypropylene rubber backed carpets. As they are used in mainly office situations where the use of a Truckmount or portable would not be the first choice, because of access, or noise, the solutions have been formulated in a totally different way than for say wool mix carpets. The rotary system (then a spin-off of Texatherm and dri fusion were added by manufacturers to get drying times down so that office carpets could be used immediately or within say 30 minutes.)The dirt still stays in the carpet it just crystallises and then is extracted in the normal vacuuming process. But here’s the rub. Before you low moisture you have to remove as much soil from the carpet as possible by vacuuming NS & WE. Then you can begin low moisture cleaning.
In my opinion all that happens is a few brighteners are put in with the crystallisation formula, that makes the carpet look clean, and the carpet has now had a “maintenance” clean. Its not a full clean as that would be a full hot water extraction clean, removing the soil from the carpet. Sometimes this is all that can be done if you are 3 or 4 floors up, so I accept that as an argument. Also I am not knocking the LM solution manufacturers it's just how I interpret the use of solutions.
So I have a Truckmount. I use say 300psi at 220F and remove most of the soiling from the carpets I clean. I use this as my preferred method and even on low profile carpets. I then bonnet them off if necessary to prevent any wick back. Do I use LM…yes of course but only if I cannot get access. When I LM it looks OK on the surface, but on heavily trafficked areas and in say kitchens with grease and milk spills, it just does not cut the mustard. I can look in a vacuum bag the following day, or week later to see the dirt, or I can look in the bottom of my waste tank - and there is no comparison to the sludge and stink in my waste tank.
Now to domestics: To my mind you need to hot water extract domestic carpets. I own a portable and I am not trying to have the debate about Truckmounts v Portables, I am just saying that to use hot water extraction is like washing your hands in hot water to clean the dishes or use cold. Same solution, just using hotter water, for miles better results. Using a micro-splitter was developed, I understood to be able to clean in lower temperatures, down to cold on portables; that would accommodate those carpet cleaners who did not have a heater, or access to hotter water.
So LM on End Of Tenancy cleans? LM on curry grease in a home. LM on tea and coffee on wool carpets?
And do the LM guys vacuum before they get an oreck out.............or are you all using Klindex Rocky's?
You may convince the customer that you have done a great job and spend time “educating” them, but those people who have never had a carpet cleaned before don’t know any better, and I maintain that if we are not careful we have a race to the bottom……..
What’s the cheapest equipment I can get: what’s the best dilution rates? : how can I get in and out of a customer’s house as quickly as possible for the largest amount of gross profit I can get? These are all valid points but not if it means that the carpet cleaning industry dives to the bottom.
As for me I am not trying to be a dinosaur………. I base my business on doing the best job that I can. I lose jobs on price, of course, but have never, never lost one on quality.
Now I am sure that there are a lot of people on the forum who are “keyboard warriors” who always beef up what they do. They never have a bad day, or a bad week, and never hear the phrase "I'll think about it", or "I will speak to my husband and call you back". . Yes I have little old ladies who I am sure I could get away with not cleaning under the settee, for example, but to my mind I try to do the best, using the best equipment that I can buy. That is the basis of good quality referrals in my business.
All I say is that if you are lurking on this forum don’t take everything at face value. Get on a training course as a start and invest in the best equipment appropriate for the cleaning you need to achieve.
As for a Truckmount? I went to the TACCA day and it was a light bulb moment where the top guys ribbed me for my little portable setup, and I moved up to a Truckmount and have not looked back. Why, because I need the best tools I believe for the job area I am in , even though I am perhaps that dinosaur.
Please don’t think that I am having a pop at anyone, but let’s not get carried away with what I consider using office based systems on domestic carpets. Be careful.
The economy may just be starting to pick up, so keep the price and pick up the standards so that all of us are reaching for the top.
TACCA is on next weekend and you don’t have to be member to learn more in one day than you will learn in a week searching on a forum. I will be there and if someone want a go with my truckmount on the day you are more than happy to have a play with it.
And please please correct me if I am totally wrong as no doubt I will be extinct in just a few years!!!!
Respectfully
Tony