Many Customer ask how something is done or how to prepare.

First how to prepare:   While not required (or even asked) it seems people seem to do these things perhaps they have been through a lot of cleanings or ben told to do this by other companies I don't know but it is very common.  Most customers today leave their driveways clear for us to park.  They prevacuum and move some furniture onto tile in the common rooms and straighten their bedrooms for us to go around their heavier permanent furniture.  In hotter months the air conditioner is usually on.

Now how we clean on a walk through of a typical job so some of these questions can be answered (in excruciating detail).

First we usually park in the driveway with the van side door towards the front door (not required but is typical), this is to keep children from getting into the van and hoses from crossing the sidewalk avoiding a tripping hazard, so Its good to have driveway clear and your car out of garage in case you need it. I then come to the door and introduce my helper and I. We walk through the job and I usually ask when it was last cleaned and how it came out. This is to figure out if it usually comes clean and whether there is residue or if there are special problems like pet odors. If you had a good experience I want to recreate it, if a bad one I want to know what they did wrong to correct it. I then have the customer sign the invoice.

We set up the truck mount by moving hoses from the truck towards the farthest point usually the master bedroom we use corner protectors and attach the hose to top of the stairs (to prevent the hose from falling and rubbing back and forth). A fresh water hose is attached from the customers outside hose bib to the truck (water is heated and pressurized on demand and is vacuumed into a waste tank as we work so water from wand is the customers drinking/tap water). My Assistant starts to vacuum if needed and spots the bad areas. If we are dual processing he also starts the scrubber. I start the truck mount and begin working behind him. Furniture that is moved we replace on plastic tabs but furniture that we go around is fine if left on dry spots. This is to keep rust or furniture stains from transferring to the carpet. In bedrooms most furniture is gone around smaller items is usually on the beds (usually done by home owner but we will do if they haven't). In Common rooms more furniture is moved Furniture against the wall is usually left and cleaned around while furniture in the center of the room is usually moved.  Furniture should not be moved until carpet is dry.

Depending on weather and soil changes drying times. Its best to assume the full day to dry. If the customer left while we were working they usually ask when I estimate we will be done. Some will leave a check if they can't make it back or its close, and some will come back about a 1/2 hour before we get done. I walk the customer through the job, collect the payment, give a copy of the invoice and thank them, woo I'm tired.

So you can see all the possible odd things that can happen.  Like a customer has water turned off.  Can we connect to neighbors?  Power off?  Was it prevacuumed and not need a scrubber (the truck mount is engine driven so we still can do). Can't meet us?  Did the hide a key or leave unlocked?  For payment I can call when I get there and talk to them about what I see and get credit card over the phone or the could have left a check.  Has a pet that will get out (hoses will prevent front door from shutting so move dog to a room or outside).  Gets delayed to come back to pay us and didn't leave a check:  They can call and give credit card or we can sit in the driveway and wait for them to return and so on.   We try to foresee these odd issues so if something seems odd I would ask a new question or arrange for another solution as someone who has done this thousands of times there usually is.