Mutha of all Rug Cleaning Equipment posts...

[LisaWagnerCRS]

Those of you at Mikeyfest who attended my little session will have had a heads-up on this post. In my session I shared some of the resources that I had discovered for various equipment.

Instead of keeping some of this juicy content secret (or buying and reselling the stuff myself...) - I'm just laying it ALL out there. I hope those of you building a rug shop find some value in this. It's a lot to go through, but I hope it's worth it to you.

RUG CHICK POST => http://www.rugchick.com/2011/04/rug-shop-set-up/

Have a great week!
Lisa

 

[XTREME1]

Great. I thought I could remember the products but when I got home it was huh.

Thanks

 

[Chris A]

Thanks Lisa. When using the basic wash pits, how is the rinsing accomplished? Does the pit need to be drained and re-filled between each step?

 

[Dr Vapeur]

Thanks Lisa.
Richard

 

[Jimbo]

Thank you, Lisa!

I guess my rug drying rack fits into the 'homegrown' method...

All the rugs get lifted by the 4 post 7000 lb hot rod lift.

 

[LisaWagnerCRS]

Thank you, Lisa!

I guess my rug drying rack fits into the 'homegrown' method...

All the rugs get lifted by the 4 post 7000 lb hot rod lift.

Mine's "home grown" too. =) Nothing wrong with that!

Lisa

 

[Ken Snow]

I stopped with the homegrown when we became a Drug Free Workplace :-)

 

[LisaWagnerCRS]

Thanks Lisa. When using the basic wash pits, how is the rinsing accomplished? Does the pit need to be drained and re-filled between each step?

There does need to be an exchange of the dirty/clean water. It's important to have some type of incline so you can do that more effectively, like with a sump pump or drop your hose in there to suck up the water. Otherwise, you are pushing out dirty water with your squeegee or roller and just plopping it back on the rug. That's why a set up like Phil's (Auserehl) with the huge pit, lots of water, helps control that. His pit looks like a big LIFE BOAT. =)

These smaller pits you see shown (and shilled) at the IICRC class are good - but they are not a long term plan. If you are serious about getting into rugs, you are not putting these things into your "master plan." You can do better than that...and sometimes that means tracking down and doing an upgraded version on your own - and having an incline of any few degrees helps. And if you have a sloped floor, heck you can just pull the PVC pipe off and let the dirty water drain out manually if you needed (of course collecting it and getting it into the sewer line).

You also need to make sure you're not getting into a dye migration issue - because the longer a rug is wet - the greater that risk.

But pits get you to a point where volume slows up. You can only do so many rugs in one space, pumping out the dirty, bringing in the clean - unless you have a bunch of pits (and several workers). At that point... you need to think of pouring a wash floor, and looking at the larger equipment - with either the larger extractor (Rover) as your first step beyond the wand/Water Claw - or jump to the wringers. That's why I laid out all those sources - so you could plan for that, and decide what style you want and what it will cost you.

Hope that helps,
Lisa

 

[LisaWagnerCRS]

I stopped with the homegrown when we became a Drug Free Workplace :-)

Now that the Medicinal Marijuana Dispensary moved away from across the street to us... no more homegrown for us...
:mrgreen:

 

[Chris A]

Thanks Lisa. When using the basic wash pits, how is the rinsing accomplished? Does the pit need to be drained and re-filled between each step?

There does need to be an exchange of the dirty/clean water. It's important to have some type of incline so you can do that more effectively, like with a sump pump or drop your hose in there to suck up the water. Otherwise, you are pushing out dirty water with your squeegee or roller and just plopping it back on the rug. That's why a set up like Phil's (Auserehl) with the huge pit, lots of water, helps control that. His pit looks like a big LIFE BOAT. =)

These smaller pits you see shown (and shilled) at the IICRC class are good - but they are not a long term plan. If you are serious about getting into rugs, you are not putting these things into your "master plan." You can do better than that...and sometimes that means tracking down and doing an upgraded version on your own - and having an incline of any few degrees helps. And if you have a sloped floor, heck you can just pull the PVC pipe off and let the dirty water drain out manually if you needed (of course collecting it and getting it into the sewer line).

You also need to make sure you're not getting into a dye migration issue - because the longer a rug is wet - the greater that risk.

But pits get you to a point where volume slows up. You can only do so many rugs in one space, pumping out the dirty, bringing in the clean - unless you have a bunch of pits (and several workers). At that point... you need to think of pouring a wash floor, and looking at the larger equipment - with either the larger extractor (Rover) as your first step beyond the wand/Water Claw - or jump to the wringers. That's why I laid out all those sources - so you could plan for that, and decide what style you want and what it will cost you.

Hope that helps,
Lisa

Thanks Lisa, right now were dusting and surface cleaning rugs. We do anywhere from a couple of rugs in a slow week, to 10 (once or twice a year). Sucks because I really want to do a better job, and if I could better plan for the flow I'd be more apt to spending more money on equipment. Then again I can't imagine doing 10 rugs with a temporary pit setup in our 600 sq. ft. shop, let alone in the winter when the vans have to be inside. I'm not quite sure where I'm going with this, but thanks for the help anyway.

 

[Nate The Great]

I was very surprised that Tankmakina has a good grasp of the english langauge. I've been invited to visit there equipment and facility. I may take them up on there offer. shiteatinggrin

 

[LisaWagnerCRS]

I was very surprised that Tankmakina has a good grasp of the english langauge. I've been invited to visit there equipment and facility. I may take them up on there offer. shiteatinggrin

You know Nate, English is the international language of commerce. :mrgreen:

If you do travel to Turkey to their facility, I'd love to see some photos. They've been manufacturing rug equipment forever, and I have a few rug plant pals who have their stuff. My father used to be a distributor of Woven Legends rugs (woven in Turkey) - he was the one who hooked me up with these European suppliers - he said all the large rug cleaning facilities he works with knew of them, but it just was not common knowledge I guess within our ranks here, so that's why I thought I'd share it.

Of course many are never going to do the level of volume these guys are... but it's nice to know all of your options.

Lisa

 

[LisaWagnerCRS]

[quote="Chris Adkins":2mu6sijl]Thanks Lisa. When using the basic wash pits, how is the rinsing accomplished? Does the pit need to be drained and re-filled between each step?

There does need to be an exchange of the dirty/clean water. It's important to have some type of incline so you can do that more effectively, like with a sump pump or drop your hose in there to suck up the water. Otherwise, you are pushing out dirty water with your squeegee or roller and just plopping it back on the rug. That's why a set up like Phil's (Auserehl) with the huge pit, lots of water, helps control that. His pit looks like a big LIFE BOAT. =)

These smaller pits you see shown (and shilled) at the IICRC class are good - but they are not a long term plan. If you are serious about getting into rugs, you are not putting these things into your "master plan." You can do better than that...and sometimes that means tracking down and doing an upgraded version on your own - and having an incline of any few degrees helps. And if you have a sloped floor, heck you can just pull the PVC pipe off and let the dirty water drain out manually if you needed (of course collecting it and getting it into the sewer line).

You also need to make sure you're not getting into a dye migration issue - because the longer a rug is wet - the greater that risk.

But pits get you to a point where volume slows up. You can only do so many rugs in one space, pumping out the dirty, bringing in the clean - unless you have a bunch of pits (and several workers). At that point... you need to think of pouring a wash floor, and looking at the larger equipment - with either the larger extractor (Rover) as your first step beyond the wand/Water Claw - or jump to the wringers. That's why I laid out all those sources - so you could plan for that, and decide what style you want and what it will cost you.

Hope that helps,
Lisa

Thanks Lisa, right now were dusting and surface cleaning rugs. We do anywhere from a couple of rugs in a slow week, to 10 (once or twice a year). Sucks because I really want to do a better job, and if I could better plan for the flow I'd be more apt to spending more money on equipment. Then again I can't imagine doing 10 rugs with a temporary pit setup in our 600 sq. ft. shop, let alone in the winter when the vans have to be inside. I'm not quite sure where I'm going with this, but thanks for the help anyway.[/quote:2mu6sijl]

Chris - why don't you find someone already washing rugs - there has to be a decent plant in your region. Even if it's an hour or so drive away, you can plan a route with a 2 week turnaround and simply add a dollar or two per sq ft to the wholesale rate, group the rugs so you can take a couple dozen at a time. If there is one closer to you even better.

Then you can build up the reputation as someone who handles the rug cleaning, and when you have the funds and are ready, you can open up your own spot to start off and build up IF you really want to.

This way you can generate the profit right now without having to spend days of labor on the actual work... and you are helping your clients have their rugs cleaned properly.

Why reinvent the wheel if there might be a good company you can use. Then later if you want to become the "great" company - you will have the education and the resources to do it right.

Just an idea....
Lisa

 

[Burtz]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERy4nt2oAD0

 

[Lee Stockwell]

I was very surprised that Tankmakina has a good grasp of the english langauge. I've been invited to visit there equipment and facility. I may take them up on there offer. shiteatinggrin

English language their their

:-)
Lee

 

[LisaWagnerCRS]

[quote="Nate The Great":k1d4ku48]I was very surprised that Tankmakina has a good grasp of the english langauge. I've been invited to visit there equipment and facility. I may take them up on there offer. shiteatinggrin

English language their their

:-)
Lee[/quote:k1d4ku48]

LMPAO =)

 

[LisaWagnerCRS]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERy4nt2oAD0

Yeah, I posted a question about this video... about why after it soaks in the quilt washing tub, it get put on the floor then hosed down again? To rinse it? So... why not just scrub, rinse on the floor? I'm trying to understand the benefits of soaking in a tub. These tubs were made for blankets and quilts... so I'm wanting to see the time savings, performance enhancement factors.

Then all the time to put it on the cart, to roll it a few feet, and then lift it into the wringer... why not just pick it up and put it in... I like the device on the wheels, but is it really needed for such a small space.

I like to see videos of equipment and "action"... but when there is no commentary, you kinda wonder where the "sales job" is on educating about the items being video'd.

I liked it... but I don't understand it any more than I did before I watched it. Now I have more questions than answers. I know Dusty talks a lot, and sells a lot... but at least I know what his stuff DOES. So either the people taping for Centrum do not understand the equipment, or they don't want to share the info, or they don't know that they should be talking and explaining (and as a result... selling).

Come on people! Let's become better marketers!!! =) Teach me something!

Lisa

P.S. THANK YOU Scott Warrington for sending me some photos of some different shop set-ups. It's super cool to see different ways of doing things.

 

[joeynbgky]

Thanks Lisa! I always enjoy what you write and speak of.

 

[LisaWagnerCRS]

Thanks Lisa! I always enjoy what you write and speak of.

Thank Joey. =)