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Carpet Cleaner
Imagine an
early January morning. You're safely snuggled under your blankets,
hiding from the frigid weather. It's cold out there -- and you don't
want your tepid tootsies to land on the cold, cruel hardwood floor. But
wait -- you have carpeting. Mornings seem less cruel when you can
burrow your toes in avocado green shag.
Whether it's patterned, industrial or shag carpeting, North Americans
love their floor coverings.
People with carpets need to protect their
investments. Carpeting may not be gold, jewels or stocks, but it is
expensive. All it takes is a few well-placed stains before a beautiful
carpet looks like a disaster area. Business owners need sparkling-clean
carpet to protect their image -- so a dirty carpet represents lost
cash. Who are the white knights that fight stubborn stains? Enter the
humble carpet cleaner.
"Carpet cleaning is definitely a growth industry," reports John Downey,
editor of CleanFax magazine. People may have a whole lot of carpet, but
they don't have a whole lot of time. That fact is good news for carpet
cleaners. "Baby boomers are getting older and more affluent. They'd
rather turn to professionals than do it themselves."
Charles Barfoot, owner of California-based carpet cleaning service, has
tracked carpeting trends for over three decades. Semi-retired but still
cleaning carpets, Barfoot worked with woolly floor coverings for 35
years.
"I've been in carpet for the last 35 years in installation, selling and
cleaning," Barfoot says. He serves both residential and commercial
clients and sets his own schedule. "It would be possible to see four to
six clients in a day and still do a very thorough cleaning job for each
one."
An industry veteran, Barfoot has had his share of memorable jobs. One
day, a small lump netted him a generous tip. "My customer said the
carpet needed to be re-stretched as well as cleaned -- they had bought
the house from an estate sale about six months prior."
A strange shape in the carpeting caught Barfoot's eye. "[I noticed]
there was a small lump along the wall. Upon pulling this part of the
carpet up, I found an envelope containing $500." Although Barfoot
returned the cash, his good deed did not go unrewarded. "She did give
me a tip of $100."
Barfoot has always been his own boss. "I have always been
self-employed. I guess the main incentive is that I am very independent
and enjoy the freedom of choosing my hours, more or less, and being my
own boss."
Barfoot warns that choosing your own hours doesn't mean only working
between commercials. "Being your own boss often means longer hours than
a 9 to 5 job. You have to wear many different hats, especially in a
small business."
Wearing many different hats means you do everything -- cleaning,
marketing, and sales. "There are a lot of other carpet cleaners. You
have to offer not only good cleaning, but also be able to present
yourself in a way that will make them feel comfortable with having you
in their home or business," warns Barfoot. "You sell yourself as well
as your service."
Once you've made your sale, you're the professional and the expert.
"You are a business person -- you have to act like one. Don't
overcharge and don't put too small of a value on your time."
Keep start-up costs in mind. Although Downey believes it's an easy
business to get into, he also warns initial investment is the key.
"You'd need a truck-mounted cleaning system and a $30,000 to $50,000
investment if you wanted to turn it into a real business."
However, a base model portable extraction machine will only set you
back around $2,000 -- and you can start part time. "If I was starting
right now I think I would go with the portable and work my way up to
the truck mount," explains Barfoot.
Despite the cash, there are some disadvantages. Carpet cleaning is hard
work -- and grueling on your back. "You will be on your feel a lot, so
if you have back problems, this is not the job for you," advises
Barfoot.
Carpet cleaners also work closely with chemicals, which may cause
problems for some folks. "It is very rare that the cleaning solution
will bother the customer, however, you do this over and over, so you
have to be careful to not breathe the fumes when mixing."
But don't feel like only Superman can do this job. Marilyn Guille used
to own a janitorial service.
"Being female was a bit of a roadblock. There was often an assumption
that I wasn't strong enough to load and unload the van, move heavy
furniture out the way, etc. I overcame that simply by becoming more and
more confident and competent," she says. "You have to have brain and
brawn."
Ready to go? Barfoot advises a little self-exploration before opening
up shop. "Think it over very carefully. You will be dealing with all
kinds of people. Some are nice, some are pains in the neck. You have to
be nice to all of them."
It's also a good idea to decide how, where and when you'll work. "You
need to make a basic decision first: if you concentrate on residential
carpet cleaning, then Monday to Friday, 9 to 5, is pretty typical. If
you want corporate or commercial contracts -- which are much more
lucrative -- then it's the opposite, because you can only work when the
workers have gone home -- evenings and weekends," says Guille.
The wrong combination can lead to burnout -- fast. "I did both, which
meant I had to be available seven days a week. No wonder I only lasted
three years!"
Despite the demanding hours, there is one benefit both Barfoot and
Guille enjoy -- the freedom and flexibility of self-employment.
"There's no feeling that can compare to being responsible for yourself
and your work, taking pride in a job well-done, and knowing that you're
the boss," remarks Guille.
For self-employed carpet cleaners, that freedom equals a lucrative
career option. "As long as there are floors and people, carpets will
need to be cleaned. I think the future looks very good," says Barfoot.
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Net
Sites
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CleanFax Online
It has all sorts of news of interest to carpet cleaners
http://www.cleanfax.com/
Association of
Specialists in Cleaning and Restoration
Find out about upcoming seminars
http://www.ascr.org/
The Carpet and
FabriCare Institute
Consumer and professional cleaning tips and information
http://www.carpet9.org/
The Carpet and Rug
Institute
Trade information and carpet tips
http://www.carpet-rug.com/
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