cleaning carpets that have bad wear areas!

What we do:
#1 Pile Lifter
#2 Quote them a price to supply and install new carpet.

We have done quite a bit new carpet this spring so far and also just quoted a 39' Power Boat (Yacht). Now thats no easy install.

A pile lifter or a counter-rotating Brush machine like the Brush Pro 20 will really lift up the pile. But there is nothing cleaning can do to repalce worn carpet.
Washing your car does not put new tead on the tires no matter how much you wash. When something is worn away it is gone.

Once you've done all you can do cleaning wise and there are still some areas that just don't look quite right it is fiber wear and there is really no fix other than new carpet. Most people will be happy that at least their carpet is clean, but if it has some bad areas after I've done all I can do to get it looking as good as possible I like to have the customer look at those areas with me and I explain that it is wear and that they may have to consider getting new carpet at some point. I've seen many places in carpets over the years where the fibers were worn all the way down to the backing in some areas. Carpets don't last forever and if that customer you mentioned liked your work they will no doubt have you back, but I would be willing to bet they won't buy a new carpet anytime soon.

Whats the carpet going to cost me, 39' Yacht. :bigsmiley:

Sometimes encap with a BONNET can make those areas look pretty good

Worn areas can be made to look better with a pile lifter but shortly thereafter the go right back to how they were unless the custy regularly does that.

As Floorguy and others say, inform them that worn areas will be clean but will still look worn and usually will be the first areas to look dirty again after cleaning. Customers will live with those worn areas as long as when you're done they're clean or they will use throw rugs to cover them...a good option!

Anyhow normally the only thing you can do is clean them.

Almost a perfect analogy Scott!

I've said almost the exact same thing on numerous occasions. I usually tell people one of two things, depending on my observation:

1. When we put our cars through a car wash, we can't expect the car wash to clean dents and chips in the paint.

2.(If I notice the customer has tattoo's of some sort) I say, some stains or wear tear becomes like a tattoo, there's but so much scrubbing and cleaning that can be done to it, but it's still going to be there.