[Andy Hogarth]

Hi everyone, hope you can help  me out here.

I mentioned to a few people on my post round that I used to work with a carpet cleaner (years back and usually scraping chewing gum up )

Anyhows a few expressed interest in getting me round (more for the natter me thought ) so off I trotted with an old george numatic and spend a day going round the (mainly old folks) houses. I loved it plenty of tea and made around £100 (thats two days wage more or less usually)

I'm now thinking of buying a cheap machine (spraymaster 25, I understand this isn't the best but my funds are limited and as I have a few customers already I plan to build up) this way I can supplement my poor posties income but want to look into getting a bit more pro (george makes some embarrasing noises and I don't think he'll be with us long), this would be an ideal oppurtunity, I've always wanted to be self employed and build up great rapports, also with the state of the royal mail at the mo I have no job security (plus getting up at 4am is a reet chore ), however I know how to sweet talk people, can market myself pretty well and have most afternoons available.
 I'm a bit stuck as to what chemicals to use though. I can't rely on the old vax cleaning solution from spar forever .

I'd like to know what you guys use or suggest I use, what purpose pre spray has, what other solutions i need to think about and if you can point me in the direction of any informative web sites that would be great. I'd like my customers houses to have that just cleaned smell which is impossible with the vax solution 

Hope you can help

Andy

[carpetclean]

my advice is for you to go on a course and you will learn all about chemicals and get a better idea of the right machine to use.

[Andy Hogarth]

Good advice, I've been looking into the courses. Do you know of any up north as they all seem a bit south for me?

For now though I'd just like a bit of advice on what chemicals will improve the work I'm already doing, Of course before I branch out ie maildrop and considering better machines I'll want to be armed with the knowledge gained from a course but for now I'm just looking to build experience from the likes of you guys whilst I have the opportunity

Thanks for the reply

Andy

[John_Flynn]

Get in touch with NCCA for courses, see their website.

[stains-away]

I dont know how far up north you are but i believe Extracta do some hands on type courses, i dont know how good they are as i havent been, theyre based in Newcastle,ive heard a lot of good things about the NCCA courses and plan on doing one myself very soon, theyre based in Leicester.

[Andy Hogarth]

I'm in a village just outside of York, I don't know if a course at this stage will be productive for me, I do want and will do courses but at the moment I'm working with a battered george and aspiring to a powermax 25

At the mo I'd be happy with a good old point in the right direction as to what soultions / pre spray etc to go for from guys that know.

Cheers
Andy

[Steve Chapman]

Andy,
you can't go far wrong with using prochem chemicals, there one of the best imho , i personally use the dry blend powder or extraction pro with the powerforce presray and find these are good for most jobs, not the cheapest in the world but they do what the say they should!
a course would be really advantageous though as not all jobs are straightforward and you would not want to get in the trap of overwetting etc.
Regards
steve

[Spot On cleaning]

If you are in York, travel up to Extracta at Gateshead. There course is hands on by down to earth people. Their one day course was brilliantly taught by Ken, of Kenclean, who demonstrated everything. Best of all,you get lunch from the chippie.

The Four Prochem courses i went on were essentialy okay, but it was like it was all rehearsed and was pushing their product range. All good actors.

I was lucky that i didn,t pay for any courses, or traveling or acommodation as having been made redundant, Elwa the Welsh training agency footed the bill.

Hope this helps.

Dave

[andrew chrysler]

Hi Andy.

Don't forget, whatever machine you get needs carrying round, so you may be limited by the size of your car boot.

The Karcher Puzzi 100 might be a step up from your current machine, and if you shop around you can get them new for under £350 (or pay B&Q not much more than that)

Some people just laugh at the Puzzi, and certainly it is not as powerful as the big machines, but if you are only cleaning carpets part time do you really want to spend thousands?

Bear in mind that whatever machine you buy needs to be lifted in and out of your car, up any stairs, wherever. A big machine will do the job quicker, but it might break your back, as well as break the bank!

I am new to CC (currently running 3 vans on mobile car wash & valet) and to date have only cleaned carpets in caravans (my main business is a caravan park) and I managed a decent job with a VAX.

Okay, Okay everyone, when you have quite finished laughing 

I think one of the advantages with the more powerful machines is that they leave the carpet much dryer. Not at all important with a caravan that has just been sold and won't be handed over for a few days, and maybe less important to an OAP than a busy household......

Even in the VAX machine I used Prochem "extraction pro" (5 litres for the price of a litre of vax) and that has a nice perfume.

I have bought a Prochem "steempro" machine which is sat outside my office in an Escort Van, ready for work. However, it seems that cleaning carpets is a bit more complex than cleaning cars (after all, cars dont shrink when they get wet) so before I start looking for staff and contracts I am off on a few training courses to learn more. I don't want to get a "cowboy" tag.

Seems that you intend to do a fair job for a fair price: after all the old folks aren't able to rent a "rug doctor" and do the job themselves, and as long as your price reflects the equipment you are using then you are doing no wrong. Certainly you need training, after al you don't want to make a mistake and wreck somebody's carpet.

[Andy Hogarth]

Cheers for the reply Andrew, Actually (no sn****ring please) the Karcher Puzzi 100 looks pretty good for what I need, I'd love a prochem machine or the ninja but till I've worked a fair bit part time and built up some funds a machine like that would be perfect,

I understand about the carpets not drying as well and the risk of shrinkage (looking into this one especially) But like you said I'll do a fair job at a fair price.

I'm going to do a course and a nice guy from this forum has given me the oppurtunity to get out with him for a day to get some hands on experience.

As for working out of the boot of a car I have my gimic when it comes to advertising, a 1972 vw campervan, The most reliable motor I've ever owned (vw golf as a back up though)

Glad to hear your business is doing good, Car cleaning/valeting ey...... Jot a note down for that one in the future lol

spoton, how did you get the courses for free??? It's a serious possibility that I too will be made redundant soon.

Cheers everyone for the replys

Andy