I am noticing, as I surf around various industry Bulletin Boards, that there appears to a very large number of "newbies" posting messages and looking for information on succeeding in the carpet-cleaning business.

It is enlightening to watch discussions on various industry Bulletin Boards regarding the damage that can be caused by candles burning regularly in a home.

The past 15 to 20 years have seen an increasing use of plant materials in the cleaning industry, with citrus fueling a generous share of the growth.

The past four or five years have seen a run up in horsepower, vacuum and heat in truck-mounted carpet-cleaning machines. Paralleling this run up is a steady increase in the power of portables.

Many of the cleaning-related problems that I get asked about are related to the improper use of cleaning agents. Not necessarily using the wrong cleaner, but using it at an improper dilution ratio.

On my recent trip across the country to Las Vegas for the Connections 2003 Convention and Trade Show, I had the opportunity to pass through five different airports. Your groans of sympathy are appreciated.

One of the principle topics of discussion on carpet-cleaning bulletin boards and in the mainstream media concerns the upward spiraling costs of operating a small business. Many expenses, such as insurance, fuel and chemicals, are not easy to control. When rising costs cannot be effectively controlled there remain few paths to profit except through increased production.

For more than 10 years we have been looking at carpet cleaning basics. Perhaps now is the time to look at making money from what we have learned by understanding who will be writing the check.

When I first began writing this column 10 or so years ago, one of the first things I addressed was the cleaning of olefin Berber carpets, as they appeared to offer such a challenge to the on-site cleaner. Now we’re in a new millennium, but the problems with Berber carpets seem to continue. This may become more of an issue as more and more consumers become enamored with Berber.

For the cleaning technician or company that has decided that hot-water extraction (HWE) is the cleaning method of choice, there are a number of equipment decisions to be made, including the type of floor tool/wand to be used.