Small house cleaning company looking to expand into portable carpet cleaning. Please help.

[Mr Kleen]

Hello,

I'm new to this forum, so let me introduce myself. My name is Eduard, and my wife owns a very small house cleaning company. Here's her Facebook page: https://m.facebook.com/413housecleaning/
It's family owned and operated. Her clients keep asking if she does carpet cleaning, so I had this crazy idea of giving it a try! I'm thinking of starting a new company name, and do carpet cleaning separately from her house cleaning.

I've been lurking thru this forum for the last week soaking up all the info I can get. I'm so happy I found this place.

So I'm looking to buy a portable unit mostly for carpet cleaning. I'm hoping to also be able to clean car/rv interiors, and tile and grout if the portable unit can handle it.
What is your recommendations for the best portable unit for the above? She does 90% residential homes that have 2 floors. Something maneuverable is preferered. I would love a machine light enough for a female to be able to set up and put back in vehicle.
Next would be recommendations for the wands. Carpet, upholstery, tile& grout.
Need recommendations on cleaners as well.
Lastly need recommendations on the rest of the misc items needed like a pre sprayer, air movers, and a agitator.

I know I'm asking a lot, and I have zero experience with carpet cleaning, but we have a entrepenual mindset. I know we can do it! I'm not looking to quit my day time job just yet, so this would be a part time gig only, for now.

Recap:
1. Recommendation on a portable extractor (mainly for carpet, then upholstery and car interiors, and occasional tile&grout)
2. Chemicals, what to buy, and what to avoid
3. Easy to use wands for carpet, upholstery, and tile/grout.
4. Rest of misc items needed, need to know which are good and easy to use (pre sprayer, agitator, possibly air movers, and the rest

If you guys can point me in the right direction, it would be much appreciated!

 

[Mama Fen]

Hello,

I'm new to this forum, so let me introduce myself. My name is Eduard, and my wife owns a very small house cleaning company. Here's her Facebook page: https://m.facebook.com/413housecleaning/
It's family owned and operated. Her clients keep asking if she does carpet cleaning, so I had this crazy idea of giving it a try! I'm thinking of starting a new company name, and do carpet cleaning separately from her house cleaning.

I've been lurking thru this forum for the last week soaking up all the info I can get. I'm so happy I found this place.

So I'm looking to buy a portable unit mostly for carpet cleaning. I'm hoping to also be able to clean car/rv interiors, and tile and grout if the portable unit can handle it.
What is your recommendations for the best portable unit for the above? She does 90% residential homes that have 2 floors. Something maneuverable is preferered. I would love a machine light enough for a female to be able to set up and put back in vehicle.
Next would be recommendations for the wands. Carpet, upholstery, tile& grout.
Need recommendations on cleaners as well.
Lastly need recommendations on the rest of the misc items needed like a pre sprayer, air movers, and a agitator.

I know I'm asking a lot, and I have zero experience with carpet cleaning, but we have a entrepenual mindset. I know we can do it! I'm not looking to quit my day time job just yet, so this would be a part time gig only, for now.

Recap:
1. Recommendation on a portable extractor (mainly for carpet, then upholstery and car interiors, and occasional tile&grout)
2. Chemicals, what to buy, and what to avoid
3. Easy to use wands for carpet, upholstery, and tile/grout.
4. Rest of misc items needed, need to know which are good and easy to use (pre sprayer, agitator, possibly air movers, and the rest

If you guys can point me in the right direction, it would be much appreciated!

All a great idea and perfectly feasible, until you said "stone and tile" and "light enough" in the same project.

 

[Mike Krall]

What type of vehicle will transport this?

What is your budget?

Tile and grout definitely changes the need requirements of a portable extractor as Amy mentioned, but there's other way to clean grout. Just not as sexy though.

 

[Mama Fen]

I don't know who you hang out with, Mike, but to me as a woman nothing is smexier than a man with a brush in his hands, scrubbing away at the floor.

...Well, maybe a man in uniform with a brush in his hands...!

 

[Scott W]

1. Recommendation on a portable extractor (mainly for carpet, then upholstery and car interiors, and occasional tile&grout)
Tile and grout cleaning requires a larger volume of water, more water pressure and thus bigger and heavier pumps. Machine will be bigger, heavier and more expensive. You would need to decide if you want a lighter and less expensive portbale or if you want to do tile & grout.

200 PSI can do carpet OK. 500 Can do cerpt better and can work on tile & grout jobs with the proper tools and some hand scrubbing. 1000 - 1200 PSI to run a tile spinner tool.

Better vacuums remove more soil, more water, leave the carpet cleaner and drier but also add weight and cost. I suggest two 3 stage vacuums as a balance between performance / weight and cost but you may want to consider better vacuums.

200 PSI, 2 3 stage vacuums - https://interlinksupply.com/index.php?item_num=M3-200

1200 PSI, dual hybrid vacuums for tile & grout using a spinner tool -
https://interlinksupply.com/index.php?item_num=M1200

500 PSI, Two 3 stage vacuums - https://interlinksupply.com/index.php?item_num=M3-500

All of these are relatively easy to move around, load or unload.

2. Chemicals, what to buy, and what to avoid
Anything from Bridgepoint / Interlink Supply
The list could get pretty long for all the various types of soil and stains you may encounter. But Here are some basics.

• Zone Perfect or Bio Break for prespray on most residential carpet
• Flex Ice to rinse most residential carpet
• RedZone Ready for stains from food coloring such as Kool-Aid, Gatorade and other food and beverages with coloring
• StainZONE for colored stains from natural sources - coffee, tea, juices, some inks
• All Solv Xtrme for oily or greasy stains
• Avenge Pro for pigments. Use along with All Solv Xtreme for lipstick, fingernail polish, shoe polish and so forth
• Encapuguard / or Stop SPot to treat stains that may wick back.

3. Easy to use wands for carpet, upholstery, and tile/grout.
AW29 for carpet. Most of the time your Nautilus or Olympus portables and some others will come with this wand. https://interlinksupply.com/index.php?item_num=AW29

AW121 for small upholstery jobs and car detailing.
https://interlinksupply.com/index.php?item_num=1638-5914

If you get a lot of upholstery work, you willw ant to move up to a better upholstery wand such as the Upholstery Pro from Legend brands, about $550.

Tile and grout tools will depend upon what pressure and volume of water you get in the extractor.

4. Rest of misc items needed, need to know which are good and easy to use (pre sprayer, agitator, possibly air movers, and the rest
You can drop in to your local Interlink Supply and see all the items, decide what works for you; put together a package and possibly get some discount pricing.

 

[Scott W]

Eduard,

You may also want to consider a relationship with a good carpet / upholstery / tile & Grout cleaning company. They can do the work for your custoemrs. They give you a discount and you bill full price and they give you a finders fee for all the work you send them. This would be a way to start offering these services without a big investment in equipment.

 

[Mama Fen]

Scott's suggestion is what I always recommend first to my guys. See what the ROI is on carpet before you take the full plunge!

 

[aloha one]

Scott's suggestion is what I always recommend first to my guys. See what the ROI is on carpet before you take the full plunge!

Especially if you Cant Swim!

 

[Mike Krall]

I don't know who you hang out with, Mike, but to me as a woman nothing is smexier than a man with a brush in his hands, scrubbing away at the floor.

...Well, maybe a man in uniform with a brush in his hands...!

Enjoy your weekend Mama

 

[1ST CHOICE CLEANING]

View attachment 69136



Enjoy your weekend Mama

Is that a picture from your interview process

 

[aloha one]

View attachment 69136



Enjoy your weekend Mama

I feel yar pain Mike.....

 

[aloha one]

I don't know who you hang out with, Mike, but to me as a woman nothing is smexier than a man with a brush in his hands, scrubbing away at the floor.

...Well, maybe a man in uniform with a brush in his hands...!

Hinting at a date Mammy? This aint match.com darling....lol

 

[aloha one]

Is that a picture from your interview process

Nah...that's a picture of his boyfriend! jk

 

[Mike Krall]

Is that a picture from your interview process

Yeah we like to have hands on interviews

(No homo)

 

[1ST CHOICE CLEANING]

Yeah we like to have hands on interviews

(No homo)

I was afraid you was going to say it was a selfie ​

 

[smart n kleen]

Hello,

I'm new to this forum, so let me introduce myself. My name is Eduard, and my wife owns a very small house cleaning company. Here's her Facebook page: https://m.facebook.com/413housecleaning/
It's family owned and operated. Her clients keep asking if she does carpet cleaning, so I had this crazy idea of giving it a try! I'm thinking of starting a new company name, and do carpet cleaning separately from her house cleaning.

I've been lurking thru this forum for the last week soaking up all the info I can get. I'm so happy I found this place.

So I'm looking to buy a portable unit mostly for carpet cleaning. I'm hoping to also be able to clean car/rv interiors, and tile and grout if the portable unit can handle it.
What is your recommendations for the best portable unit for the above? She does 90% residential homes that have 2 floors. Something maneuverable is preferered. I would love a machine light enough for a female to be able to set up and put back in vehicle.
Next would be recommendations for the wands. Carpet, upholstery, tile& grout.
Need recommendations on cleaners as well.
Lastly need recommendations on the rest of the misc items needed like a pre sprayer, air movers, and a agitator.

I know I'm asking a lot, and I have zero experience with carpet cleaning, but we have a entrepenual mindset. I know we can do it! I'm not looking to quit my day time job just yet, so this would be a part time gig only, for now.

Recap:
1. Recommendation on a portable extractor (mainly for carpet, then upholstery and car interiors, and occasional tile&grout)
2. Chemicals, what to buy, and what to avoid
3. Easy to use wands for carpet, upholstery, and tile/grout.
4. Rest of misc items needed, need to know which are good and easy to use (pre sprayer, agitator, possibly air movers, and the rest

If you guys can point me in the right direction, it would be much appreciated!

Hey mr kleen, by the way that's my name, I have a complete setup for sale including tile tools and trailer. If you need pictures let me know.

 

[MikeGaure]

Yeah we like to have hands on interviews

(No homo)

Wow

 

[MikeGaure]

Yeah we like to have hands on interviews

(No homo)

And poor @aloha one is retired and missing out on you're interviews

 

[smart n kleen]

And poor @aloha one is retired and missing out on you're interviews

@aloha one is so baked he doesn't even care.

 

[aloha one]

@aloha one is so baked he doesn't even care.

Just hope I never get the rickets or what Muhamed Ali got....they be calling me Shake n Bake!