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Little game that came to me during my last job yesterday. Was re-living many past unusual experiences I have encountered during my years cleaning carpets. Just curious if anyone else is willing to share their experiences. Not as interested in the “nothing worse than running out of product X” or “nothing worse than cleaning a dirty dog pee house”. I’m more interested in the funny (maybe not at the time) or extremely strange “nothing worse than locking yourself out of customer’s house when no one home” (done this 2 times, both different scenarios), “nothing worse than locking yourself in back of your van”, or “nothing worse than having dog bite your tire” (Tim, that one still cracks me up!). Add yours if you like. My first one happened to me yesterday. The funnier the better (try to keep them clean, no pun intended). We’ll laugh with you, not at you, I promise.
-There’s nothing worse than having nature call when you’re cleaning a vacant house that’s been winterized . (for you southerners, that means no water)
-There’s nothing worse than having the front door lock you out and only person inside is teenage son sleeping in basement with tv cranked up and only unlocked door is back door being guarded by Fido (an employee helps here to run distraction on one side of house while you sneak over fence on other side of house and go through door)
-There’s nothing worse than blowing a fuse when customer isn’t home and figuring out fuse box is out back being guarded by tempermental siberian husky! (employee distraction wasn’t comforting enough on this one, hello extension cord)
Anyone else?…….
I was cleaning for a couple once, that never got out of bed. They were watching TV in the bedroom. When I came in with the vaccum, they couldn’t hear the TV so they switched the TV so the words would scroll across the screen. I could hardly compose myself as I vaccumed. But he finally did get up to pay me.
nothing worse than completing job number 3 and getting to job number 4 to realize that you won’t have enough pads to complete the job. And I have about 100 pads.
Cleaned a house the other day w/out customer home but a dog was running around while I cleaned. Plenty of pet related issues on the carpet. Getting behind schedule, getting frustrated. Finished job and set invoice and related items on the kitchen counter, glanced into LR that I just finish cleaning and discovered a huge (still steaming) pile of dog dung in the middle of the LR floor. I just shook my head and left. Sometimes you have to “DRAW THE LINE”
I locked the keys in the van 2 times. I took one of the rakes and pushed up on the lock. I just put the rake(stick part) through one of the holes in the cage between drivers seat and equipment. Have had the pad thing happen to me like Ron. Didn’t charge sprayer and it sputtered out on me. Thank God for the back up hand pump sprayer I carry.
I got a couple of them. I locked myself out of the customers home, left cell phone and coat in house. The really bad one was a home out in the sticks. noone was home and i had to go no. 2 real bad. Bad enough the toilet stopped up. Couldn’t find a plunger, anywhere!!!!!!! grabbed rubber gloves and unstopped it by hand. omg!
Never thought that could happen!! Your the man Rich just for admitting that!!!!!!!!!!
LOL and even LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
Great topic Dave!
Was in a vacant property of a client who has several rentals. I make sure I never have to use the restroom at a clients house but this was a vacant property so I decided that it shouldn’t be a big deal. So I go No. 2 and go back to work, within about 30 sec. of starting my buffer the door bell rings. It was a maid service that my client had called to clean the place the same day I was cleaning the carpet. Just my luck they started in the bathroom I had just used, busted! Richards sure got us all beat though.
– blower motor in the upholstery mate sucked the rubber isolater between the motor and chassis in and burned up the motor. The smoke set off the fire alarm in the commercial building I was working in and of course the fire department responded. The customer now refers to me as “Old Smokey”. And yes I still clean there.
– cleaned a college apartment the day after school was done for the year. Young man passed out on the couch. Tried multiple times to wake him up. No luck. So I put my movers under the couch and slid him and the couch in another room. He woke up while I was cleaning and was more than a little confused! Oh to be young again!
Rick
Nothing worse than cleaning for a customer that is not home and seeing a cat. On the way out the door notice that the cat is no where to be found. Did not think I let it out but could not know for sure. Saw a cat ouside across the street. Could not remeber what exactley it looked like. Chase the cat down the street and on the way back to the house the neigbor asked what I was doing with their cat. Thank god I did not throw it in and leave. Later found out the cat was in the closet.
sounds like Mr Jingles from “Meet The Parents” !!!!
Had a dog with Alzheimers one time. Whe was fine as long as you stayed in the house. Everytime you went outside she wanted you to reintroduce yourself. After your little meet and greet with the dog whe was your best friend until you left again. The dog needed to go outside to relieve herself so I let her out (no porblem I have had dogs my whole life). Went to put her back inside and she bit me. Even after I had introduced myself for the 7th time. Hope she got back in the house.
JamieRich and Grant. Man, you guys should get a trophy for those instances. I think that is hilarious. Gotta do what you gotta do you know. I’ve had some close calls but usually hold it, unwillingly. I wish I could have been a fly on the wall when the cleaning people walked in the rest room after Grant ripped it up man. 😆
Mike
Went to an all girls college home one time to give an estimate on carpet cleaning. The main floor was all wood so after visiting a bit with the head residence followed her up the steps to the second floor. I was aware that I was being watched by 7 young college female types and was getting a bit nervous. I was at the top of the steps looking down a hallway when the door opened at the other end of the hallway and out step this very scantly clad young lady from a bathroom. She made no attempt to cover herself. In a “micro” second my eyes took in the scene and went directly to the floor. (I am a God fearing man ) I stooped over to get an even better look at the floor to see any possible stains. I was commenting outloud that the floor looked pretty good considering the ammount of wear. A stain here. A stain there…. and then realized I was looking at a wood floor….. Crap!… no carpet. Now what do I do…. Do I dare look up yet? Finally, had the courage to look up from the floor and saw that the young person had left and the head resident was giggling at me. I turned all shades of red….. but still got the job.
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