Today we had a discussion with a client about the all in one vacuum they have in the home. They want us to use only their supplies and equipment. We’ll talk about this more later, but I want to make the point that different vacuums have different functions.
We have had a lot of trial and error with vacuums. We’ve settled on a commercial Sanitaire upright, but the canister vacuum is more of a debate. I like the small blue Kenmore canister from Sears and my wife likes the Riccar Sun Flower from Quality Sewing and Vacuum. For home owners we recommend the Miele.
For the upright, the fan, and motor on the Sanitaire sits right above the beater bar. It is all one motion from the carpet to the bag. It’s the same with a canister. You want all of the power of the motor creating suction directly to the bag. For hard surfaces a canister is best.
We have also found it is easier to divide tasks with two vacuums. It’s easier to take a small vacuum into a kitchen or bathroom while an upright is doing the hallways. Still for you as the home owner you may want to only haul out the big vacuum on the week ends and use the cannister for smaller clean ups.
We use the cannister to do the edges, under furniture, and hard surfaces. We also do stair treads with both an upright and canister. Getting into cup boards, closets, behind appliances, and in some cases cobwebs is best with a lighter weight tool. You can clean more with less effort by letting each tool do the job it was intended for.
Since 1968, high school, I have worked on properties for rent and sale. My first company was formed in 1972 with a partner. Over the years the business grew. Last year in 2008 my main company A Spring Cleaning won an award for Cleaning Service by the U.S. Local Business Association.
A Spring Cleaning was my own creation. In the 1980s and 1990s we did many things. Dry rot repair, yard work, paint, pressure washing, hauling, and design. In 2000 we changed to a regularly scheduled house cleaning company with the trade name Seattle House Cleaning.
The transition was gradual. A Spring Cleaning got a boost in 2005 with a mention on a national TV show, then a few interviews in the local media, and business was very good. I was also a licensed Real Estate agent with some project properties.
In 2005 I became concerned about the housing market and concentrated on finishing my projects full time. We sold off properties in 2006 then concentrated on the Seattle House Cleaning business. Three years later the cleaning business is good.
Blogging is a part of my daily routine. Most of the time my focus has been on Real Estate and economics. To go along with that we encourage people to be in business. Our cleaning business has branched off into other cleaning businesses and we consult with other business owners.
This site is an extension of what we already do. By sharing what we have learned about the cleaning business we hope you will see it's more than just a bucket and rags that get you the fresh feeling of a clean home. These are just some tricks of the trade and some of the pit falls we experience.