My second client, don't have the tools to do the job!

[AlexC]

Just this past Sunday I finally did my first detail for payment Not only did it feel great because of that, but I just quit my first part time job at a grocery store a week before that (I'm just out of high school). What I made in one day, was what I made in a week there! I was my own manager, scheduled my own work, and did something I care about. It was a 2002 Toyota Seqouia, jeez those are big haha. Just wanted to share that

Anyways getting to the point here, one of my neighbors noticed me working on her car that day and called me up asking to work on his as well. Wants the whole nine yards done. Thats great and all! But he wants the carpets done too, and being still quite new to all this, I don't have an extractor.

So what should I do here? Should I rent a Rug Doctor? Is there a reasonably priced one I can pick up at a store? I havent looked at his car yet so I don't know how bad it is, but what's your advice?

 

[maximus20895]

You need 2 things:

If you don't want to buy a Little Green Machine Proheat you can use a Wet/Dry vac. If you don't have one of those you can rent the rug doctor, but it will be 1/4 of what a little green machine is and about half of what a wet/dry vac is.

 

[MDetail]

How To: Deep Clean your Carpet on a Budget | MDetail.com

If you don't want to read that, look at the pictures maximus posted, I used those same items and got these results

 

[maximus20895]

How do you go about using them? Do you pre treat the area and add water to the tank or what?

Never mind, I will read it on your site rops:

 

[jaymz]

Rather than the "Green" model, get the Bissel "Auto" model; it has higher working amerage and tools especially for auto cleaning. Make sure you try to keep the carpet as dry as possible and still get it clean. Warn the owner that it might take a while for the carpet/upolstery to dry.

Jim

 

[Flash Gordon]

All you really need are the following:

1) APC

2) Scrub Brushes

3) Cotton Towels

4) Shop Vac

5) 64 oz's of Elbow Grease

 

[Perfections]

All you really need are the following:

1) APC

2) Scrub Brushes

3) Cotton Towels

4) Shop Vac

5) 64 oz's of Elbow Grease

Agreed, apc or Folex

 

[Da Fats]

Agreed, apc or Folex

Add a 100$ steamer and reduce that to 16ozs of elbow grease

 

[maximus20895]

Rather than the "Green" model, get the Bissel "Auto" model; it has higher working amerage and tools especially for auto cleaning. Make sure you try to keep the carpet as dry as possible and still get it clean. Warn the owner that it might take a while for the carpet/upolstery to dry.

Jim

The black auto model is hard to find and generally more expensive. It also has the same amps and everything as the green one.

I got a refurbished one for under $50 and it works fine.

 

[Bunky]

5) 64 oz's of Elbow Grease

You need to get it when it is BOGO.

 

[AlexC]

Well I'll definitely check out that Bissell, but it sounds like either way that Folex would be nice. Anyone know if it can be found over the counter? I have Megs APC+ but I've heard good things about Folex.

 

[Dubbin1]

You can get Folex at Lowes.

 

[Bodezafa]

I got Folex at Lowes. That stuff works great!

 

[CrownKote]

Well I'll definitely check out that Bissell, but it sounds like either way that Folex would be nice. Anyone know if it can be found over the counter? I have Megs APC+ but I've heard good things about Folex.

Lowes/Home Depot some Wal-Marts/Targets so yeah... You can use the APC+ it just costs more...

Look at some of my posts in the Show 'N' Shine section and you can see how my carpets turn out... Although I have an extractor... You can achieve similar results with a LGM or steamer... Just a bit more work...

M - Btw good write ups!

 

[AlexC]

Lowes/Home Depot some Wal-Marts/Targets so yeah... You can use the APC+ it just costs more...

Look at some of my posts in the Show 'N' Shine section and you can see how my carpets turn out... Although I have an extractor... You can achieve similar results with a LGM or steamer... Just a bit more work...

M - Btw good write ups!

Chris,

I just checked out your writeup on the "Furry A4" last night haha. I get AutoGeek forum updates to my phone... its awesome . Anyways you did some very good work there, props!:dblthumb2: I'm especially a fan of what you call the "Tartan Pattern".

On a side note, I noticed you are in Colorado as well. What part? I'm Colorado Springs, gotta love those mountains!

-Alex

 

[ride5150]

definately look into a LGM, i hear the "auto" model has 9 amps, while the regular ones only have a little under 3. it sucks harder

dont quote me though try to search this online.

 

[CrownKote]

Chris,

I just checked out your writeup on the "Furry A4" last night haha. I get AutoGeek forum updates to my phone... its awesome . Anyways you did some very good work there, props!:dblthumb2: I'm especially a fan of what you call the "Tartan Pattern".

On a side note, I noticed you are in Colorado as well. What part? I'm Colorado Springs, gotta love those mountains!

-Alex

I am in Wheat Ridge (Denver suburb) If you ever want to come up I can go over how I clean carpets with you personally... Just let me know...

 

[maximus20895]

definately look into a LGM, i hear the "auto" model has 9 amps, while the regular ones only have a little under 3. it sucks harder

dont quote me though try to search this online.

The auto and green are the same thing. The pro heats are 9 the regular are 3. All pro heats are the same.

Also, I would get the gallon of folex and not the 30/36. Lowes usually has them next to the smaller bottles, but Home Depot has them where the upright carpet extractors are.

 

[Wills.WindowsAndWheels]

If your budget is tight but you have some spare time, do what i did and hit a Goodwill or Savers or whatever it is up there that you guys have that is similar.

I got the LGM from goodwill for $12...it was dirty...and the water heater didn't work...but it sucked ! (in a good way lol). Ive gotten great results on lots of details with that thing...if you can't find one of those..you can always opt out for an upright carpet shampooer...but make sure it has the upholstery attachment...it works great ...thats what i used on my first shampoo job http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/show-n-shine/28350-nasty-dodge-durango-interior-lots-pics.html ...check it out...pics speak for themselves.

If you have a goodwill and they work similar to the ones here in Az...every other saturday they have a 1/2 off EVERYTHING sale...you should be able to get one for $20 or less no problem...then just put X amount of dollars from each detail away to put towards new equipment and product.

When we did that durango...about a year or so ago..our first 'full interior'...all we had was that shampooer...your basic wash mits, a PC with brush attachment and maybe 6 pads...and then your basics (interior cleaner, dressing, leather treatment, apc and apc+).

Since then we've built up in just a year a nice supply of tools...now have a Griots, a Flex 3401, plenty of compound/polish/D151, power washer, shop vac/blower,steamer etc etc. If you're gonna be serious about it...then hunt for deals. Look for 2nd hand stuff to start out with...I've bought MANY items used...and so far ive had good luck...saved lots of money and even though some of those items aren't your 'top of the line' $700 extractor or $1000 steamer...they still get the job done....and do it quicker than you could ever do by hand...and i still do the same thing...Im finally going to upgrade our extractor from our $12 used LGM to a Durrmaid 1600...but again...im buying it slightly used, but getting it at 1/2 price. You'll find lots of guys and girls on here who will help you out with deals and with advice...just put your time in and do your homework.
:dblthumb2:

 

[bevans]

Since I've been detailing I've only used a wet/dry vac. Haven't had any problems cleaning seats or carpets. Besides really bad stains like red ones or other ones that u can usually tell aren't going to come out just by looking.


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