"Stormin Mormon" wrote in message
...
I'll write a bit more, today or tomorrow. But, here is a
couple of thoughts to get you started.

I tried to get into the carpet cleaning business, back in
the early 90s. A couple isolated ideas I remember. I did get
one apartment complex, they hired me to do apartments.
* They liked it when I put some citrus cleaner in with the
mix, and "made it smell good"
* I'd tried several types of detergent. Powdered ultra Tide
worked the best for me. One carpet, I think it might have
been wool. Turned the carpet a different color, and they
weren't pleased.
* What works well for me, is to sprinkle water down with a
garden sprinkler. Move the water around with a rotary brush
shampooer. Draw up the water with an extractor. I use the
same names as washing machine. Fill, wash, rinse. I havn't
pefected spin, yet. I get too dizzy with the building flying
around.
* At my church, they have guys in twice a year, with hot
water extractor. They do get some dirt. But, the rotary
brush shampooer really lifts up a lot of dirt. I have done
my cleaning a couple days after the truck mount guys, and
pull up plenty of dirt.
* Thin carpet, glued onto cement, you can be generous with
the water. Wood floors, like trailers, you need to use much
less water.
* Portable equipment can be every bit as good as truck
mounted hose equipment.

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org

I am glad to hear that your experience was that portable equipment is as
good as truck mounted equipment.

Some of what I have been reading is to not use detergent, particularly
powdered detergent, when doing carpet cleaning. Apparently, there is some
type of emulsifier that carpet cleaning companies use instead of detergent.

Aside from figuring out the right type of equipment to get, one other thing
I will have to figure out is where to get actual training on how to do
professional carpet cleaning. I have heard that there are "carpet cleaning
schools" that people can attend, but I haven't found any yet.