[lcwalker]

Hi newbie here, im thinking of adding carpet cleaning to my current domestic services business that includes gardening,window cleaning and painting.But where do i start as it wont be a full time thing so i dont want to spend silly money out on a carpet cleaning machine, i just need one that will do a good job and it doesn't have to be new a used machine would be fine. But i dont really know what im looking for so i thought id join this forum as there must be alot of people with alot of experiance of this kind of thing so any help will be great thanks luke

[vacman]

Hope you don't mind me asking BUT you seem to offer a variety of services.....so it begs the question, are they not bringing in enough work 

I only do domestic and light commercial general cleaning and yet i'm flat out at the moment.

[lcwalker]

Hi i see your point the thing is ive been mainly gardening for about 8 years i do offer the other services but dont do much of that, to be honest ive got a bit fed up of the gardening but dont want to give it up totally, idealy i would like a variation of these services.Also there isn't a great deal of gardening work in the winter so i do need something indoors.

[daysdeepclean]

Unless you're going to throw a lot of weight and money into Carpet Cleaning, you'd do the industry no favours turning up with poor equipment and doing an inadequate job. Training is paramount or at least, a substantial ammount of experience with another qualified carpet cleaner....

I used to think along the lines of having loads of ad ons, and indeed I do have oven cleaning to fall back on in quiet periods of carpet/upholstery work. But I looked closly to what equipment I would really require to do a professional job and I know that if I turned up to cut someone's grass with a £40 Flymo, they'd tell me to sod off.... It's pretty much the same with any industry....

Imagine a paramedic turning up with a £9.99 DIY First Aid Kit, or a plumber turning up with a Fisher Price tool kit!

You have made a step in the right direction by coming on here and I wish you good luck.

[lcwalker]

As i dont have experiance atall, is carpet cleaning that hard to do with a quality machine? what are the potential problems that could arise?.Like you said i agree on the lines that regarding equipment for my gardening i have good quality gear,what sort of money in you opinion would i need to spend on a decent carpet cleaner? and what are decent cleaners? if someone could give me some rough figures it will be a great help deciding what way to go thanks for the adivce i have had up to now.

[Simon@arenaclean]

A good used machine will be around a £1000. You may find cheaper, ebay and the for sale section here are good places to start but keep looking as often they pop up and are sold before you know it.  Look for Prochem, Ashby's, CFR or perfect heat, Alltec.Try this link http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=82218.0 for an alternative. You will need a twin vac machine with at least a 100/135psi pump. The machine is not the be all and end all however, low priced new machines lack serious power and could lead to overwetting.
 
There are things to look out for, it can be hard graft but is rewarding but I echo Colin's suggestion training is really important and should be first on your list before you clean a customers carpet. It's not difficult but you should be aware of what's waiting for you, I can cut grass but have no idea what a weed or plant would look like, you have knowledge I don't, your gardening is simple to you now but there are basics you would of needed to know. Carpet cleaning is the same so give yourself a chance. Alltec, Cleansmart and Prochem etc all offer training as does the National Carpet Cleaners Association (NCCA).

Have a good read around the forum, there is lots of advice, just spend an hour or two clicking the topics, there is a few with questions from others starting out and are well worth a look.

Good luck.
Simon

[Barry Livingstone]

JAck of all MAster Of Non...... :

[Daria Taylor]

Hope you don't mind me asking BUT you seem to offer a variety of services.....so it begs the question, are they not bringing in enough work 

I only do domestic and light commercial general cleaning and yet i'm flat out at the moment.

how do you advertise?

[lcwalker]

Thanks for all your help.I think my main problem has been advertising and being caught in 2 minds what really to do.I do, do some window cleaning so im in 2 minds whether to put my efforts in to that and put the carpet thing on hold for a while.But as some of you have said and i agree i think i need to get out and advertise more.thanks

[vacman]

Hope you don't mind me asking BUT you seem to offer a variety of services.....so it begs the question, are they not bringing in enough work 

I only do domestic and light commercial general cleaning and yet i'm flat out at the moment.

how do you advertise?

At the moment i don't. When we had staff then we'd advertise mainly in local trade directories (the sort that go out 2 or 3 times a year and people stick them to the fridge) as we found that it worked very well for us. But even then it was mostly word of mouth. At the moment all our work is word of mouth now that there are only 2 of us doing the work, we don't need to advertise like we did.

[A+CleaningService]

I know a few gardeners who are always busy in the winter months. Or do you just cut grass?

[lcwalker]

I know a few gardeners who are always busy in the winter months. Or do you just cut grass?

Yes i mainly cut grass, strimming and i do hedges, Hedges are what i mostly get in the winter.

[GWCS]

It doesn't matter what service you do if you dont advertise right and keep at it, you will fail whatever service you take on.

Im a window cleaner, and i have plenty of work because im specialised in one trade and push the advertising with repeat one off work (1 or 2 times a year stuff) or regular work, glass restoration, CCU's etc.

If i wanted i could add gardening or CC on to my services, but i dont see the need. I dont want to either.

Basically if you dont promote and advertise your services well, look the part and charge cheap silly prices you will never get enough work - people will just look at you from a height, and wont be willing to pay more money!

Charge well, do a great job, and look the part. Advertise well and increase the prices.

[will01]

Icwalker:

Can I ask how you would go about cleaning a Belgian Wilton with your new machine?.

[Simon Gerrard]

Icwalker,

If you're serious about becoming a carpet cleaner then you must realise one thing. There are so-called carpet cleaners, people who just buy any old machine and set themselves up as carpet cleaners without any training, knowledge or skills and there are professional carpet cleaners, serious people who get all of the proper training and equipment and are intent on delivering high quality carpet cleaning to their customers. If you are intending to offer carpet cleaning to your existing customers from the other services you do then you had better get it right otherwise not only will you lose them as carpet cleaning customers but as gardening, painting and window cleaning customers too when you do what most so-called carpet cleaners do - generate a trail of disgruntled customers who wish they'd never trusted you.

Simon

[lcwalker]

Hi is a Shuttle Series 4000 Hot Water Carpet Cleaning  twin vac 135psi anygood?.

[lcwalker]

Icwalker,

If you're serious about becoming a carpet cleaner then you must realise one thing. There are so-called carpet cleaners, people who just buy any old machine and set themselves up as carpet cleaners without any training, knowledge or skills and there are professional carpet cleaners, serious people who get all of the proper training and equipment and are intent on delivering high quality carpet cleaning to their customers. If you are intending to offer carpet cleaning to your existing customers from the other services you do then you had better get it right otherwise not only will you lose them as carpet cleaning customers but as gardening, painting and window cleaning customers too when you do what most so-called carpet cleaners do - generate a trail of disgruntled customers who wish they'd never trusted you.

Simon

I take your point and agree to a point, but training and a top quality machine will all cost a lot of money which i dont have, quite alot of my gardening gear is older stuff i have picked up on ebay and papers and that has all served me well.Also what ever job i take on and do i do it as it's my own, i have quite high standards and belive if i finish a job and happy with it myself the customer will be happy, it's like with anyone you can only do your best.Thats why ive come on here for advice and there has been a great deal of help,but has every carpet cleaner on here had the training or are some self taught?.Every service i have done has been self taught ive never had training and got on fine, but is carpet cleaning that different couldn't i learn it myself?How hard is it? i take all points on this forum very seriously so thanks for your advice.

[lcwalker]

Icwalker:

Can I ask how you would go about cleaning a Belgian Wilton with your new machine?.

A Belgian Wilton would have to be dry cleaned. as they are synthetic Water would shrink them so a carpet cleaning machine couldn't be used.So another method would have to be used am i correct?

[MAX Carpets]

I have a steampro 120psi with heat & run on ebay at the moment, great starter machine. You can call me on 07592 898298.

[Simon Gerrard]

Self taught?
How pathetic is that? The last thing this industry needs is yet another amateur carpet cleaner posing as a professional. Don't you think that your customers have a right to expect you to know what you're doing when they book you, because they won't be expecting someone to turn up to clean their carpets who hasn't got a clue and is merely using their job as a learning experience. If When you start ruining people's carpets and when they come to you expecting you to rectify or replace them, you'll soon wish you had spent what is a paltry sum of money getting proper training.

Simon