Kids are about to go back to school and the Summer is almost over. I know many have put off cleaning their carpets until the kids are back in school. We understand and want to offer a two for one special. When you take advantage of our two room carpet cleaning we will give you one free room of cleaning. So don't delay. Call Sandee today and book your appointment.

Rob Allen
President of www.drynclean.com
1-757-495-3626

PS:here is a video sample of how we clean and treat your fine furnishings!

Originally Posted by Rob Allen

Probably one of the biggest reasons for customer dissatisfaction (behind spots that come back or are not removed) is carpets that take too long to dry. Mrs Homemaker loves it when her carpets dry fast. This leaves a lasting impression upon her about your company and service. So especially for newbies name anything and everything that can be done to make carpets dry faster after cleaning.

:AddEmoticons04233:

Originally Posted by Rob Allen

After a year of tv ads I am catching on about tv advertising and their tricks. I have been studying it closer I have learned like any other business they take short cuts and deliver a less quality product than we deserve. Kind of like low end or thoughtless carpet cleaners who over promise and under deliver. Not to pick on carpet cleaners because I am sure it happens in all professions,just making a point. I have learned that they will sell you slots just to fill up empty spots to make quota's and commission. So I have ordered the 1st,2nd and 3rd quarter complete 15 & 30 second avails. Then I am going to study show rankings and demographics on my own because they give you stats. But we all know stats can be skewed. Therefore I am doing my homework before signing up again this year because it works but it can work better I am learning.

This got me to wondering,what shows do carpet cleaners wives watch? And I mean actually watch,not DVR a pre-record a show. When women watch pre-recorded shows they don't watch the tv commercials. They fast forward them. So do tell. My wife is a big fan of a few daytime tv shows that she pre-records and watches the highlights. But at night she likes watching the cooking shows and Lifetime movies. What about yours??

Rob

Originally Posted by Rob Allen

Recently we developed some videos for my website www.drynclean.com for each of our services offered. We have 7 of the 12 services that we offer done and will have the rest up real soon.
Feel free to go and take a look if you like. We did this for several reasons. First with the advent of Google buying Youtube means that now websites with Youtube videos strengthen your name on search engines. I'm sure you will agree we all need an edge on our competitors. Quality videos are a great way to separate yourself from the pack. Also Google is not dumb they know that with paid ads on Youtube videos the more they can show them the more money they can make. One way is to favor sites with videos.

Second reason is you must diversify or die in these times. More and more homeowners are switching to hard surfaces. Carpets are losing ground fast. Area rugs on the other hand are gaining market share as hard surface consumers want the nuance and warm feeling rugs add. Now most of us are known to our customers as "carpet cleaners". So what better way to show them what diverse services you offer than videos? Videos that can be displayed on your website and Youtube!

Third reason is their are no "quality" videos out there. They all are poorly edited,shot on low quality definition and are shaky at best. We felt what was needed was High Def,professionally produced videos with high quality voice overs,professional track music that are short and to the point. Our goal was to make them that if a consumer is at work and has to mute the video that they can still see how professional the services you offer are. People are busy and don't have much time to waste on fluff,you have to get right into it but still make it very practical,informative and enjoyable to watch. And remember you nay love your truck mount but the customer doesn't. You have to show them benefits!

So you see your videos are a "representation" of your company. So they better look and sound great. Sadly many videos look poor and this can lead a customer to believe that your service is poor even though that may not be the case. So long story short we decided to make some "neutral" videos and offer them to cleaners. Let us know what you think.

Marketing tip:One more thing we have done is put them on our iPads and after the walk through we sit the customer down and show them the service we are about to perform. Then we point out the other videos and let them know they are welcome to watch them. Also if you noticed other areas of concerns like rug or tile and grout cleaning services be sure to point them to your videos. They can do this while you set up and anything they see they can have done. Just a few sales can pay for your iPad!

Below are two pictures. One of my iPad with the videos displayed and the stand-able case I use. Second one is a screen shot of my website with the diverse rug cleaning service opened and Youtube video displayed. Then the neutral videos are below them. If anyone is interested in a video or have a suggestion for improvement or another service you can post it in this thread,pm or email at roballen@truckmountforums.com.






Carpet Cleaning



Rug Cleaning



Upholstery Cleaning



Tile Cleaning



Urine Removal



Carpet Repairs



Vehicle Cleaning

Originally Posted by Rob Allen

Carpet Cleaning Video for websites-Inquiries--> roballen@truckmountforums.com

Originally Posted by Rob Allen

I am working on an order for Cimex pads. We usually use tan and grey so we order both. I really like to use the Cimex and my encap juice to get the best results for CGD carpet that doesn't respond to HWE at times. Many times no other previous cleaner has been able to get the hospitals,warehouses and office buildings clean. That is where we really shine. I am in the process of adding several videos to my website www.drynclean.com and I am working on a Commercial Carpet Cleaning video to show potential clients the great results we get. perhaps you can help with a few questions.

Few questions?

Does anyone ever order any other color?
If so,what for?
How about the bonnet pad,tried them?
When do you use tan?
When do you use grey?
What color do you use on area rugs?
Have you tried an aggressive color for maybe hardwood floors to etch before water based poly application?

We at Drynclean carpet cleaning of Virginia Beach Virginia use the best truck mounts money can buy to get our customers carpets clean as possible! Most professionals agree that a truck mount delivers superior performance and customer satisfaction. We agree and take no short cuts in not only our equipment choices but especially when it comes to delivering incredible cleaning and customer service. You can count on Dry-N-Clean for all of your cleaning needs!

Rob Allen
President of Drynclean
Co-Owner Truckmountforums

Originally Posted by Rob Allen

Interesting. I didn't get this survey. Did anyone here on this board get the survey invitation? I know how I would have voted. So I'll start. I'dhave to say that I do prefer a truck mount but in all fairness I have never used a portable. I went from Von Schraders to truck mounts,skipping portable extractors. But I have ordered a full sized portable extractor. I wonder if I will feel different. Until then I will have to vote for truckmounts as that's all I know. Lets see if our test results are the same. Below is the press release from Hydramaster. Feel feel to read and truckmount owners can vote. Maybe we will send the results to Hydramaster. ;)


************************************************** ****************
Press release;

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Truckmount Users Reveal Likes about Truckmount Systems

"Just Keep on Trucking"

Mukilteo, WA - A survey of truckmount carpet extractor users says that they prefer using a truckmount carpet extractor over a portable or other types of carpet cleaning systems because of how well it cleans carpets, the power and higher psi of the machine, and because they believe it enhances worker productivity.
The survey was sponsored by HydraMaster, a leading manufacturer of truckmount carpet extractors.

Nearly 400 truckmount end-users were emailed invitations to take the online survey. Eighty-nine truckmount users started or completed the entire survey; 81 percent indicated they have used a truckmount system for six or more years.*

"Nearly 80 percent of the respondents use 'slide-in' [truckmount] systems with the remainder using vehicle powered units," says Nick Wiebe, marketing manager for both U.S. Products and HydraMaster. "And most all say they also use portable extractors."

Although the truckmounts are regularly used to clean carpets in homes and offices, according to the survey, respondents use them for other cleaning tasks as well, such as:

• Upholstery cleaning, 35 percent
• Flood restoration, 31 percent
• Clean hard surface floors, 27 percent
• Light pressure washing, 7 percent.**

"The survey also included one 'open ended' question, which might be of interest to all truckmount manufacturers," adds Wiebe. "The respondents were asked, 'If you could make one recommendation to improve truckmount machines, what would it be?'"

According to Wiebe, respondents' helpful suggestions focused on machine simplification, size, and noise level. One forward-thinking respondent suggested remote control operation to reduce idle time, while another simply remarked, "No problems, just keep on trucking."



About HydraMaster

HydraMaster is a multimillion-dollar corporation with 150 employees and 90 representatives worldwide. The company manufactures several truckmount systems, a wide variety of accessories for high-performance truckmounts, and specialized cleaning wands.

Originally Posted by Rob Allen

Customers call us all the time to clean their carpets. Why? Because they say they noticed their carpets were "dirty". Well what's in that "dirt"? If you ask people most folks don't know what's in carpet "dirt". And some cleaners,especially new ones don't know either. So let's see if we can't clear up some of that confusion. First let's look at what's in carpet by approximate percentages;

• Tracked-in, gritty particles make up approximately 55%.

• Animal fiber from people, pets and fabrics comprise about 12%.

• Another 12% is vegetable matter and fiber from fabrics, indoor plants, lawn trackings and paper products.

• 21% is dead skin,body oils,pesticides,dust mites,mold spores,other biological contaminants

Since carpet soil is made up of so much dry soil,79%,it only makes sense to pre-vacuum it well before carpet cleaning. Of course depending on where you live those numbers can vary. But you get the point. Dry soil is abrasive and can damage carpet fibers if vacuuming is neglected by the home owner. Consider this,if you take a new piece of Plexiglas and scratch it up with a key it never looks the same. It is dulled,shaded and if it has color,the colors will be distorted. This is what happens when you walk on these particulate soils,like sand paper they "scratch" the fibers and dull the appearance of fine carpet. No matter how much you clean it, it will never look like new again. Abrasive soil is the #1 reason for carpet wear. Period!

Now I don't care how much a customer vacuums or how much you pre vacuum,"dirt" will still be left in carpets including some dry soil. To illustrate,Kirby Vacuum Co has made tons of money with an old trick. They would have the homeowner vacuum her carpets like crazy before they arrived. Then they would take the Kirby and hook up the Kirby Demonstrator. This was a metal and glass chamber that you put clean white paper on. Then they would vacuum the homeowners carpet. They would build up several dirty papers and say "ma-am,this is what your vacuum leaves behind". This would scare many homeowners into buying 1500.00 Kirby vacuums. Sad truth is,no matter how many times you vacuum a carpet,there is always some dirt left behind. Kirby has and still makes makes a fortune off this fact imho. No back to our topic at hand. Oily soils bonded to fibers is usually why the customer calls us and says "my carpets are dirty". So remember the points above, only a small % of soil is oil based. So pre vacuum!



Now this is where we come in as professional carpet cleaners. Oily soil that has bonded to a carpet fiber needs to be removed. But this stuff is not as easy to remove as one would think. If any cleaner here has ever just ran water only through their machines,they know what I mean. I have experimented with dirty traffic patterns using no pre spray and no detergent,using water only. I have tried high pressure and high heat and all I got was a muddy look. This is amplified if you don't pre vacuum. So now you see why it is so important to make sure carpets are pre vacuumed. You may get a small improvement but certainly not presentable enough to get paid for. So we need a "helper" to get carpets clean. What is that helper?

Surfactants! Yep a professional needs help,and if a professional cleaner does not pre vac then he makes it worse because he can possibly turn a lot of the dry soil into mud which is hard to remove with typical carpet cleaning. So pre vacuum well and use a good surfactant. Surfactants are used in pre sprays,detergents and emulsifiers. Now we could go into a long drawn out explanation of surfactants like IICRC class's do explaining anionic,cationic surfactants and how they reduce surface tensions. I say forget that,just think of surfactants as something that gets between the fiber and bonded soil and suspends it like a bridge until you rinse it away with your carpet cleaning machine. We don't have to be chemists. All we have to do is just use the right chemistry. So remember surfactants are your friend and look for cleaning products with the right volume and quality. This way you can cut through dirty carpet and traffic patterns. Just don't forget to allow pre sprays to dwell but don't let them dry either. Not allowing sufficient dwell time,agitation or allowing to much time can reduce or halt the effectiveness of pre sprays. We recommend about 10 minutes with our TMF pre sprays. This allows us time to pre agitate and then get the job done!


I hope this has helped some newbies understand what is in carpet "dirt" and why customers call us to clean their "dirty" carpets. So now that you know what's in carpet "dirt" you can clean better and make more money!! ;)








Rob Allen
Truckmountforums

Originally Posted by Rob Allen

I am going to be setting up at a trade show and clean some auto mats. I need some type of identification tags to stay organised. I think they are Tyvek or something. I have seen them on area rugs and need a source. Any recommendations? Please provide a link to if possible.

Thanks

Originally Posted by Rob Allen

I was reading and found that an average sized dog deposits about 55 gallons of urine in carpets in a year. WOW,that is a lot of urine. I like little points like these as they can help my customers choose one of my higher urine treatment packages. I feel the consumer has no idea how much or how unsanitary their carpets are and it is our job to educate them to some degree without overwhelming them. Little facts like these can in combination with a great urine detection lamp go a long ways in making their homes a clean and safe environment for them and their pets!
:AddEmoticons0423:

Originally Posted by Rob Allen

Skip the developer as it is a creme and 20v is much weaker than USR. The USR equivalent is 40v liquid. I personally use 35% peroxide and cut it accordingly. And please do not confuse volume with % as there is a huge difference. 40v is approximately 12% peroxide. Peroxide varies in strength and comes in different grades such as food grade,technical grade,cosmetic grade,etc. Or better yet just buy USR type product as it is formulated for professional use,reduces *liability and is the correct % for carpet cleaners concerns.

*Child dies from drinking peroxide-->http://www.stabroeknews.com/2010/new...eroxide%C2%A0/

Woman dies from transporting peroxide-->http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...ir-bleach.html

Originally Posted by Rob Allen

Dear Mrs or Mrs Homeowner,

Sadly the public has no idea how much carpet cleaning should cost. Many in the carpet cleaning industry recommend carpet cleaning every 12-18 months. I tell my customers to clean their carpets every 6 months,and no longer that 12 months to maintain their appearance and for health's sake. Unfortunately many customers think if a carpet vacuums up then it's clean. Need proof? Studies have shown that the average homeowner has the carpets cleaned once every 7 years! Why is this? There are 2 reasons. One the customer has no idea about how often carpets should be cleaned. Secondly,they don't know how much "real" carpet cleaning costs. That is the reason for this article. To give you,the average homeowner some idea of "How much carpet cleaning costs" and how much you should pay.

According to forum surveys the national average for carpet cleaning is about .30 cents a square foot. The average home has about 1000 square feet of carpet. So the average cost is about 300.00 for a professional cleaning. But if a homeowner only cleans every 7 years then that breaks down to $43.00 a year. Now if you have a lot less carpet it will probably cost more to clean per room or per square feet. Why? Because a carpet cleaner still has to drive out to your house,set up his equipment,unroll his hoses, clean and then break it all down and put it back away. So you see this takes time and that is why many cleaners have a 75-125.00 minimum.

However on the flip side if you have a lot more carpet sometimes carpet cleaners will offer a discount. The expenses for a carpet cleaner go down the longer he is at your home. His minimum costs have stayed the same. The only thing that changes is his time and gas to run the equipment for the most part. This is why your carpet cleaning costs can vary. Your neighbour may pay less or they may pay more depending on the amount of work to be done. So don't feel like you got taken advantage of if your neighbour payed less. Each home is different and unique.

Now if you are looking to save some money with your carpet cleaner,here are a few tips. Instead of waiting every 7 years to have your carpets cleaned (which is not healthy for you or good for your carpets) ask the company for a "frequency" rate. In other words try to lock in a rate based on having your carpets cleaned every 6 months to a year. A carpet cleaners costs go down when he does not have to advertise to get new clients and when he can count on a "regular" customer cleaning frequently.

Another tip is "package" pricing. Many cleaners offer deodoriser and protector packages (for example;ScotchGard or Dupont Teflon) that can save you money. Also many carpet cleaners offer diverse services such as upholstery, rug cleaning,tile and grout cleaning,hardwood restoration,duct cleaning,carpet repairs and more. So if you "bundle" in other services usually a cleaner will offer a "package" price if he is able to perform the work on the same trip to your home.


In conclusion,remember carpets and fine furnishings last much longer and your home stays healthier with regular professional cleanings. The prices quoted above are just an average. You could pay more or you could pay less depending on how much work you get done and where you live. However it does give you a starting point. I recommend that you call for a free estimate. Many cleaners can "ballpark" you on the phone or better yet come to your home and give a free quote.
Remember this Mr or Mrs Homeowner. It doesn't really cost to have your home cleaned on a regular basis,it actually pays off in a healthier home and money saved by furnishings lasting many more years. ;)

Your professional carpet cleaner.

Rob Allen

Originally Posted by Rob Allen

There are so many different myths and facts out there about what is the best carpet cleaning procedures. Here are a few, if you have more, feel free to add.


Myth: You should wait to have your carpet cleaned the first time, because it will never look the same again.
Fact: Waiting for your carpet to be cleaned will do nothing but create possible health hazards and make the job harder for your carpet cleaner. As long as you’ve hired a trained professional, your carpet should look better every time you clean it.

Myth: Carpet cleaning may shrink my carpet.
Fact: Your carpet will not shrink unless the hired cleaner leaves the carpet extremely wet. A professional cleaner will not allow this to happen, but play it safe and check for wetness before they leave your home.

Myth: You should not vacuum your carpet very often or it will deteriorate.
Fact: Studies have shown vacuuming your carpet 4 times a week does no more damage to your carpet than vacuuming it twice a month. In fact, the build-up of dirt and residue in carpet fibers can be harmful to your health, so vacuum frequently.

Myth: I only have to clean my carpet if it has been stained.
Fact: The dirt and residue that can build up in your carpet over time is not always noticeable on the surface. It is smart to have your carpet cleaned at least once a year by a professional, especially if you have small children in the house.

Myth: I don’t have to clean my carpet because it has built-in stain resistance.
Fact: Although carpets with stain resistance will help with accidental spills, dirt still gets under the fibers. Treat your carpet the same as any other.

Myth: Cleaning your carpet often is bad for it.
Fact: You can never clean your carpet too much. In fact, the more often you clean your carpet, the longer it will retain its original appearance. Carpets aren’t cheap to buy; cleaning simply protects your investment.

Myth: Carpet cleaning can destroy my stain resistance.
Fact: Although stain resistance is by no means permanent, foot traffic actually loosens it up more than anything. Have a carpet cleaning specialist re-apply stain resistance every 3rd cleaning.

The store where we purchased our carpet said it had to be dry cleaned only.
Fact: This could not be further from the truth. This opinion among carpet retailers (salespeople) is derived from carpet cleaners who consistently leave the carpet too wet with water and residue. This causes a great amount of soiling to be left behind, which wicks back to the surface after drying finally occurs. This opinion has no factual or proven claims to back it up, it is just that — their opinion, and it is WRONG!

Myth: Dry Cleaning is better than Steam (wet) Cleaning because it is dry.
Fact:This myth comes from the overbundance of *bad* steam cleaners. By using the term *BAD*, I am referring to steam (wet) cleaners who leave the carpet way too wet (and there are plenty that do this). Someone came along and figured the opposite of very wet would be better (dry). To improve upon this further, steam clean with a solution that will remove existing residues and leave your carpet or upholstery extremely clean and fresh. Now that's the BEST way to clean — period.
Dry cleaning, on the other hand, has a BIG tendancy to leave a lot of residue in the carpet. There is either no extraction, or very little extraction involved with dry cleaning. Guess where the soiling and cleaning residues remain? IN THE CARPET!!!

Myth: Cheaper cleaners do just as good a job, only for less.
Fact: Don’t hire a cleaner simply because their price is the cheapest. A bad carpet-cleaning job can leave your carpet worse off than it was to begin with.

Myth: I have my own carpet-cleaning machine, so I don’t need to hire a professional.
Fact: Although having your own machine is useful for small stains and routine cleaning, most home machines don’t have the suction power professional machines do. Because of this, the stain gets loosened up, but the residue is not completely removed from the carpet itself. It’s best to still have your carpet cleaned by a professional on occasion.

I am really excited about our new services we just recently added at Dry-N-Clean. In addition to carpet, upholstery,tile,grout, color sealing,pet odor removal,scotchgard,water damage,termite damage,general pest control and complete hardwood floor restoration we now have a Rug Spa set up to do all types of wool,olefin,nylon and polyester. So now we can pick up or you can drop off your Karistans,Persians and beautiful oriental rugs. call Drynclean now!!

1-757-495-3626