Business growing too fast - need help with VLM equipment

[SomeC]

Hey yal, my name is Peircen and my cleaning business is growing too fast.

I do house cleaning and the occasional "carpet cleaning" with a Bissel Big Green push extractor(yes I know it sucks). I am in need of a major upgrade and was looking towards VLM carpet cleaning with the Bissel Commercial Orbiter BGEM9000, a simple garden pump and a vacuum. The old school push extractor is too slow and too weak to handle multiple jobs per day @ ~600 square feet of carpet.

I am at a complete loss on what kinds of encap pads I should be using on carpet. Every apartment complex has the same exact carpet. Very common carpet. not super thin, but not shag. Very average carpet. I need general use solution and general use pad. And my first job it Tuesday so I cannot miss this opportunity. I have already made my mind up about HWE, please do not bring it up. Thank you for reading and I hope you can provide this youngling guidance.

Anyone know of any resources?

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[SomeC]

Spent a few 5 hours reading posts here. Looks like I need a cheap 175 with white scrub pads for general use on carpet. Either a pump spray or an onboard tank on the 175. First pass with white pad. 2nd pass with bonnet if needed.

 

[SomeC]

Found a Janitorial supply near me - going to check them out for used 175s to potentially get a wider one ie for efficiency.

 

[george8585]

Good luck with your new business.


It looks like the BGEM 9000 is the same as the Oreck Orbiter but has a sprayer.
Did you already buy that machine ???

I don't know if that is a velcro driver but the general use pad (bonnet) I would buy the 14'' Challenger Primo Bonnets. They should be good for that machine. They work good on the Oreck Orbiter.

www.challengerop.com


For a general use solution (encap). Go to the TMF Store and buy SuperCap or go to Bonnet Pro for encaps.

www.tmfshop.net
www.bonnetpro.com

 

[SomeC]

My mind is made on the Super Cap 100% for solution. My local janitorial supply has a used machine Advance 17. But i think the price will be high, even used.

Whats the catch with the Bissel BGEM9000? Its only 12 inch so I understand it would be slow for commercial. But the onboard tank would save me time prespraying. Feels fishy being so cheap for a floor machine with tank.

 

[OxiFreshGuy]

Makes his mind up about HWE but wants to use VLM on move in/move out apartment rentals.

And people wonder why we are a joke in this business.

Imagine taking your clothes to a laundromat that said we can either wash them or just shake them out for you.

 

[george8585]

He is a young guy just starting. Give him a break !!!

I started with a POS portable.

Most of us start from the bottom and work our way up.

 

[SomeC]

Makes his mind up about HWE but wants to use VLM on move in/move out apartment rentals.

And people wonder why we are a joke in this business.

Imagine taking your clothes to a laundromat that said we can either wash them or just shake them out for you.

I said I made my mind up. I did not say I exclusively want to use VLM over HWE 100% of the time. Please do not assume things about me because you know nothing about me.

 

[SRD]

I can still remember my portable days, never again!!!!LMAO

 

[OxiFreshGuy]

I said I made my mind up. I did not say I exclusively want to use VLM over HWE 100% of the time. Please do not assume things about me because you know nothing about me.

Saying you "made your mind up" and "do not talk to you about HWE" is directly inferring you won't use HWE so don't even talk to you about it.

Then someone calls you out on it and how you're making the rest of the industry look bad by adopting that strategy and now you tell me to not assume things?

Grow up man - if you don't want people to assume things then you need to DIRECTLY communicate why you won't use HWE instead of simply saying "you've made your mind up"

I don't mind giving the guy a break, but the scenario he is proposing won't work out well for him and will ultimately cost him more money than if he just invested into a good portable.

He just can't see that fact now.

 

[SomeC]

Found a used 20 inch Galaxy I could buy for 400. Its about 5 years old and has been used as a rental.

 

[SomeC]

Saying you "made your mind up" and "do not talk to you about HWE" is directly inferring you won't use HWE so don't even talk to you about it.

Then someone calls you out on it and how you're making the rest of the industry look bad by adopting that strategy and now you tell me to not assume things?

Grow up man - if you don't want people to assume things then you need to DIRECTLY communicate why you won't use HWE instead of simply saying "you've made your mind up"

I don't mind giving the guy a break, but the scenario he is proposing won't work out well for him and will ultimately cost him more money than if he just invested into a good portable.

He just can't see that fact now.

You are right. A portable doesnt seem too inconvinient. It would clean more soil and prevent voiding warranties. Im fairly strong and wouldnt mind lifting it up some stairs, filling it up at the unit. But VLM is much more inexpensive and meets my customers needs right now. Im focusing on what my customers need, not what other non-customers think about "the industry".

If you want to feel better about your industry, wire me a couple thousand so I can afford a nice portable. But until I can afford one, I'm going to follow my path and do the best I can with what I have.

 

[OxiFreshGuy]

You are right. A portable doesnt seem too inconvinient. It would clean more soil and prevent voiding warranties. Im fairly strong and wouldnt mind lifting it up some stairs, filling it up at the unit. But VLM is much more inexpensive and meets my customers needs right now. Im focusing on what my customers need, not what other non-customers think about "the industry".

If you want to feel better about your industry, wire me a couple thousand so I can afford a nice portable. But until I can afford one, I'm going to follow my path and do the best I can with what I have.

Wire you a couple thousand? For what? I spent 5 years in the industry before I started my own business in it. I earned and provided my way through it.

You seem to have an entitlement issue.

 

[SomeC]

I came to this forum for advice and all I found was jaded haters. Unfortunate!

 

[OxiFreshGuy]

No? I'm more than willing to give advice, i have a successful company. I'm not the one asking for free handouts.

Sounds like you need to look in the mirror.

 

[keep it clean]

Spent a few 5 hours reading posts here. Looks like I need a cheap 175 with white scrub pads for general use on carpet. Either a pump spray or an onboard tank on the 175. First pass with white pad. 2nd pass with bonnet if needed.

See BonnetPro for bonnets. His work great with 175’s. They pick up a lot of moisture and soil. Use the next size up bonnet. So it has a little over hang outside of the driver. This gets you closer to baseboards. George mentioned challenger. I liked using their stair tool pads with the oreck orbiter for small areas and steps. Youll need a lot of those. You can use a pump sprayer doing vlm but it sucks. Find an electric sprayer instead. And only load up a pump sprayer for spots. As youll see on the label the mix ratios. Spotting its the same stuff just less dillution.

 

[keep it clean]

Found a used 20 inch Galaxy I could buy for 400. Its about 5 years old and has been used as a rental.

You can find one for less. These things tend to not die. They just get beat up. 17” be ideal. In residential id prefer a 13. Commercial only id get the 20.

 

[keep it clean]

Makes his mind up about HWE but wants to use VLM on move in/move out apartment rentals.

And people wonder why we are a joke in this business.

Imagine taking your clothes to a laundromat that said we can either wash them or just shake them out for you.

It works. Honestly if its that bad that you got to soak that sht down and extract it. Its gone. The pad, gone. Vlm works just fine on at least 3/4 of the jobs people do. If it looks like someones been wiping their ass on the floor for the last 10 years, rip it out and seal the floor.

 

[SomeC]

You can find one for less. These things tend to not die. They just get beat up. 17” be ideal. In residential id prefer a 13. Commercial only id get the 20.

20 inch too big for resieldential? How about the Bissel BGEM 9000? Its 12 inch. I would get 14 inch pads and bonnets.

 

[keep it clean]

20 inch too big for resieldential? How about the Bissel BGEM 9000? Its 12 inch. I would get 14 inch pads and bonnets.

Looks same as oreck orbiter. Search them out on craigs list or ebay. Find the commercial one. Can get it for 150 or less. They work good in small areas. And steps. 13”-17” 175 between 60 and 100lbs is good for residential.

you ever use a 175 on carpet?