How To Clean 500 Chairs?

[Big O]

I will be cleaning 500 chairs at a local church.  They are 11 years old and have never been cleaned before.  all are dirty some are nasty.  I use a Von Schrader Espirit for my Upholstery cleaning but think that this will be a real PIA to use on this Job.  I also have a Durrmaid spotter with heat but think that the 2 gal tank would be another PIA.  I saw a roto brush and drill on Rick's board and was considering using that for this job.  I would have my son spray chairs ahead and I'd follow with the brush.

Has any one used that before? Would they need to be extracted?  What were the results?  would you recommend?

Any other suggestions on equipment or methods for this job?

Thanks,

Big O

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[Mike M]

Doesn't the head on the VonSchrader scrub well? Are these just seat bottoms?

I've used the drill attachment but prefer a Cyclo for scrubbing. A drill brush works good though.

One option is to  use a "padcap" method on these. Spray the chairs with an encap cleaner then scrub in. Towel off by hand. This goes quick but will use some towels. I buy those by the case so we have plenty. Another option is to just encap the lightly soiled ones and use your spotter to extract the bad ones after scrubbing. If the VonSchrader can apply cleaner and scrub it could be used as well.

Have done literally thousands of office chairs using a Cyclo and hand toweling method with great results. Many were pretty bad with lots of food stains. I used Encap Green for the last ones I did with great results.

No matter what you do there will probably be a small percentage that don't respond to cleaning. 

[Bill Martins]

I was going to say Cyclo too but Mike beat me to it.  I don't have a cyclo so i'd use my makita.  I've done them w/ fiber plus for the prescrubbing and followed with tuways.  Do you have a variable speed drill? The ones that are just one speed usually goes all the way up to 3k rpms are hard to control and if you spray to much encap you will get it everywhere and on yourself. 

[sully]

Would a stepson with glads work in a situation like this?

[Cleantech]

Yes it wouls sully
Just might be more difficult getting into small areas with the stepson

[Mike Charles]

We have used all of the above. A production line is vital. Switch off on whatever process you are using, to save your back.

What I did recently was use a furniture dolly ($8 or so at Harbor Freight) with a piece of plywood on the top. Set the chair on it, have the helper spin it around while I sit in another chair with the cleaning equipment at hand, and the spotters at my side. We prevacuumed the chairs, applied prespray, and then they brought the chairs to the raised platform and took them away after cleaning. We placed the chairs outside to dry in the sun. We knocked out about 1 chair every 2 minutes this way, including spotting and wiping down the dust and dirt off the metal legs and frame.

We found using the stepson was the best at getting a lot of heavy soil off. Used Green Encap for the cleaner. Green Encap spotter and hels gel and cyclone took everything else off that was coming off.



 

[Big O]

Mike,

The chairs are standard metal folding with fabric seats and a small fabric back near top of chair.

I like the "padcap" idea.  The VS has a brush head with two brushes that scrub in opposite directions and dispenses foam.  It weighs 14 lbs and is great for a few chairs and sofa but 500 chairs???  Could be a good opportunity to beef up those flabby arms   With the VS you use the brush to clean and then vac away foam/dirt, just can't do both at the same time.  Could just spray, brush and wipe that might do a good job and save time.

Bill,

I have a drill but it's with one of my kids!  I'm thinking of buying one with the brush head for this job.  might just have one of us use the VS and the other the drill brush.  That Cyclo looks like a nice piece of equipment.  Kind of hard to justify with Winter just around the corner.

Sully,

I've got a step son and will use that for the really nasty chairs.

Mike,

I'm going to check out the furniture dolly, a production line is a great idea.  I'm trying to get the chairs done in under 2 minutes.  Prespray, was that EG or an upholstery prespray? 

 

[Mo]

I agree with Wicked you will probable achieve better results with the chairs that are really if you scrub in pre spray and rinse with spotter, and encap the lightly soiled ones set up production line accordingly. Maybe you can use an adjustable chair on wheels to save the back.

[Bill Martins]

After cleaning 500 chairs in a day you should go from this:

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To This:

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[jeffvanburen]

These were done with Makita and fiber plus pad followed with tuways Releaseit DS all were very filthy and some could not be saved totally. From a golf course resturaunt.
<a href="http://s182.photobucket.com/albums/x225/jeffvanburen/Before%20and%20After/?action=view&current=DSC01755.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x225/jeffvanburen/Before%20and%20After/DSC01755.jpg" border="0" alt="Cafe chair">[/url]

<a href="http://s182.photobucket.com/albums/x225/jeffvanburen/Before%20and%20After/?action=view&current=DSC01753.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x225/jeffvanburen/Before%20and%20After/DSC01753.jpg" border="0" alt="Cafe chair before cleaning">[/url]

[davidb]

WOW what a good before and after picture

[Big O]

Thanks to all who replied with advice.

We ended up padcapping chairs.  Their were 4 classrooms and a cafeteria.  We set up a cleaning station in each room we worked.  We folded up one of the tables,(2 in cafeteria) and placed it on four chairs, covered the table with a walk off mat, placed five chairs on the table and went to work.  we pre-vacced chairs, sprayed with upholstery pre-spray, sprayed with encap green, brushed with drill and roto brush, then padcapped with pads and step son.  Chairs came out great.  All were heavily soiled and all were significantly cleaner, most water stains were removed and customer was very happy with work done.

Only took 3 nights, 14 hours   Combined with other work and last week was very busy and profitable

[Bill Martins]

Nice,

Did your arms get like the guy above in the picture? 

[Big O]

No, I cleaned them not benched em