Transitioned from Truckmount to Encap

[JuddBowers]

I've got a truck mount. Sitting in my garage. I really just need to sell it. I was going to do a trailer set up with it, but I still would rarely use it.

I finally found a job where I turned it over to a HWE guy. I always ask customers what they've used in the past to clean their carpet so I don't get a bad mix. I never used to get a response. Until I started asking, "because mixing chemicals can create toxic gas that can harm you or your pets." A bit of hyperbole on my part, but I always get answers now.

This lady said, "oh, I make sure to rent a rug doctor from Kroger every 6 months. That's why my carpet looks so clean. But I like to have it professionally done every so often for peace of mind." The last time she had it professionally done, 6 years. I said, "let me check something." I got my Gecko, added hot water, and worked on a random section of the living room. Soap! Suds! Soap! And more Suds!

I referred a HWE guy. Gave him the scoop. Bring a barrel of defoamer.

Those situations are rare though. I lost a job, but those few jobs I lose don't justify the price and maintenance of a truck mount.

[TheCleaningDude]

Great posts. The only thing that makes me lean towards a TM is for tile and grout. I really don't know of any practical alternatives using VLM gear.

[FloorCareMD]

Very impressive msc1917 ! Your photos are excellent..
Is that Releasit DS or one of ES's other?
Is that a red stain on the before photo in front of the couch? What method did you use to make it disappear?
thanks

[keepitclean]

Do u crb it after?  Shark tooth looks awesome

This particular pic was a section 8 completed with nothing but a vacuum and a crb........Prespray and dry compound........It was my first really bad unit, and it surprised the crap out of me that I purchased more dry compound and went to town.........Very good response from my customers and am making money everyday with this new method.......But I also offer vlm and some hwe too

[turnkey cleaner]

Rick, my story is different from most guys here.  I was a wholesale rep and or manufacuters rep in the plumbing field for 20 years and got burned out with the travel and low margins.  I did not know what I wanted to do long term but I like to paint so I started a painting company that serviced apartment complexes.  After a year or so 1 complex asked would I consider cleaning their apartments as well as paint them.  I said sure.  In a couple of months this same complex asked me if I could clean carpet, I said sure.  Hence the start of a floor cleaning business.

So I bought a used truckmount (1985 Hydramaster PTO van, hoses, wands for $800.00) and it actually worked and I used this truckmount for 5 years.  It finally died and I broke it down for parts and sold many of the parts for more money than I paid for the whole truckmount.  

However, before it died, I offered a large church that I did turn key services (vct strip/wax, tile & grout cleaning & carpet cleaning) for 5 years, the following:

I told them I would clean half of a large social hall the old way (HWE) and the other half with a new way (encap).  I informed them that I would check back in a week and we would compare the 2 sides.  Also, I told them I would re-clean whichever side they did not like.  You guessed it, they loved the encap side and I have been sold on your chemicals and the encap method ever since.

I do not miss the expenses or pulling a wand!!

[encapman]

VERY COOL story! Thank you for sharing that.

So are you using encap exclusively now?

[Lounge Lizards]

I grew up slightly different to others here, my main vocation was in transport, driving interstate semi's for 5 years.

When I moved west as a young man, I stayed in a similar industry, but in '70, I started looking after apartment blocks, which then lead into the cleaning & finally carpet cleaning.

Back then it was a very heavy old rotary machine with shampoo, which I was never really impressed with.

After moving back to the east, & the far north in particular, I had my fair share of portables, & then a truck mount.

Not your average blower type t/m, but one which used the liquid ring vacuum, (sourced from the dairy cattle industry), which could suck the skin off'n a custard pie at a hundred paces.

Great for water damage jobs, but lacked hot heat and had a few other bad points, such as NO waste water tank, as it used water to create the vacuum and would fill up a tank pretty quick if you didn't have a re-circulating system added for fresh water.

Commercial work was a no-no with this job, unless a waste water point was available.

My first paying job with Big Yella, was for a Government agency who actually asked me to carry on using the Cimex in preference to the t/m or porty.

This was after I had taken pains to convince them to only use operators that cleaned to the Australian Standard for carpet cleaning.

So for nearly ten years, I worked the Cimex contrary to my own stipulation.

Over that period, I had not one complaint regarding the cleanliness of any job that I put Big Yella into.

The old t/m, still in working order, went to the knackery still bolted to the floor of my van.

It had hardly been used for several years so rather than pay rego, insurance, etc; we parted ways just several months ago.

Cimex rules.

[lee@deepclean.us.com]

Ok.  I will ask what everyone else is thinking.  
Shorty... what is a "knackery"????

[Act One Cleaning]

It's where the machinery gets a good whackery from front to backery.

[Lounge Lizards]

Flippin' foreigners. :-)

It's the place where old horses go, (usually to be made into glue).

Or in my case, old horse-powered equipment., never to be resurrected again. ;-)

Went to the tip, rubbish dump, refuse place, garbage disposal center.............................................

Sometimes a picture CAN tell a thousand words better..................

[turnkey cleaner]

Yep Rick, I am happy to report that I have been all Encap for 3 years and no going back to the HWE days. I have been blessed to own 2 each Cimex CR48, 1 each CR48DF and I just bought a Vario from you a couple of weeks ago!

As I identified in my earlier post on this topic, I worked in the wholesale business (plumbing for 20 years), & I know you here this all the time, but your staff is great. They always have an ear to hear one of my stories or problems and are supportive!

Thanks!

[encapman]

 I know you hear this all the time, but your staff is great.  They always have an ear to hear one of my stories or problems and are supportive!

Thanks for the kind words about our staff! I'm very proud of our team. Great people - more like family than employees. We love them a lot. We have fun together, and they genuinely care about what they're doing. But it's always nice to hear that it flows through to our customers. 

Thanks also for sharing your experience about your Cimex's, and now Vario. Sounds like Encap is really clicking for you. Keep us posted how the Vario works out. We're hearing from more and more cleaners who are making the transition from HWE to Encap/VLM and that's why I posted this thread. I'm curious to hear from folks who are making it work with Encap. Not that there's anything wrong with HWE. But there seems to be a significant growth in Encap as an alternative to running truckmounts. It's an interesting trend. And it's been interesting reading everyone's experiences here. Keep 'em coming.

[bonedrycarpet]

Yep Rick, I am happy to report that I have been all Encap for 3 years and no going back to the HWE days. I have been blessed to own 2 each Cimex CR48, 1 each CR48DF and I just bought a Vario from you a couple of weeks ago!

As I identified in my earlier post on this topic, I worked in the wholesale business (plumbing for 20 years), & I know you here this all the time, but your staff is great. They always have an ear to hear one of my stories or problems and are supportive!

Thanks!

The Excellent Supply staff is the best in the industry for sure. Always helpful and they stand behind their products. Very lucky to have them in our industry. Thanks Rick!

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[Lounge Lizards]

Dumb question re the Dry Compound.

What is it??

I have an ancient Host machine, small one that I cleaned a clothing store with well over a decade ago.





Unfortunately, the "dry compound" that I was using, lifted into the air and deposited on all the Ladies black clothing.

From memory, I think it was called "Osprey"??

They were not impressed.

Neither was I.    

Have not used it since.

Tossing up whether to get rid of it or use it as described above where some premises absolutely need to be dry when finished.

Such as quick turn-around in hotels/motels, etc;

[bonedrycarpet]

Dumb question re the Dry Compound.

What is it??

I have an ancient Host machine, small one that I cleaned a clothing store with well over a decade ago.





Unfortunately, the "dry compound" that I was using, lifted into the air and deposited on all the Ladies black clothing.

From memory, I think it was called "Osprey"??

They were not impressed.

Neither was I.    

Have not used it since.

Tossing up whether to get rid of it or use it as described above where some premises absolutely need to be dry when finished.

Such as quick turn-around in hotels/motels, etc;

Toss it...I made a lot of enemies using host sponges...
I do like my host crb though.

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