Don't go on vacation

After sitting on my ass for a week I came back and worked on the truck Monday and then went out to clean a house with stairs etc. I decided to not to call my helper and just knock it out by myself.

Big mistake that day kicked my ass. I felt like a I got beat up with a bat. I really don't know how much longer I can do this. Im just not enjoying cleaning like I used to. I think I like messing with the TM more. Im getting sick of tripping and dealing with all of these hoses. Rant over thank you reading  

PS. My helper is on the way

It is always the hoses for me....my helper really never does much of anything except keep those dang hoses out of my path.

I find it rare that any cleaner stays behind the wand indefinitely. Most of the time they end up ruling a desk, selling products, turning a wrench, or just about anything other than pushing the wand.

I don't think you are there yet Mo, just still have your mind and body back in the vacation mode....sort of a vacation jet lag.

I just realized it had been over a month since I broke down and set up the machine. thats probably had everything to do with it.

The funny thing is I started this business because I was sick of sitting behind a desk and I wanted to do some manual labor. What the hell was I thinking

I am the same way Mo, I spend all day working, but not actually doing anything constructive like I used to.

I found it very relaxing to clean and the physical labor was so refreshing....until I got a really busy week then I slapped myself for that kind of thinking.

Im working on a solution for tangled hose messes..     It wont be long and you may like this modification very much


one hose,    no tangles,   no worry of burning wool or area rugs,   no hot solution line to wrap up,   and a soft cover that will never ever scratch a nice floor even with cool cuffs underneath...    

plus possibly your logo and business name on it but that may make them much more expensive

I get very tired of the same thing as well,     especially when doing lots of stairs or going down into a basement and cleaning back out.



start getting the helper doing solo jobs Mo, start by just showing up with him and only you helping move hoses... IF you have a helper why be the one digging the ditches!?? you should be on the phone, occasionally moving hoses, and texting etc

then in not too long he'll be out on his own kicking ass

This contradicts with my motto, work hard play hard !! Lol
However I do agree that more than 4 days vacation tend to get my body set in "vacation" mode, that's why I would rather take 5 - 3 days vacation than 2 - a week vacation, besides it's easier to manage the schedule and chance of losing customers can be minimized.

AC I actually saw a 50 foot hide a hose for sale on line and wondered hot it affected air flow and if was too stiff

I tried a hide a hose on a truck mount a few years ago. It made for a very heavy hose to drag around and reel back up. It was also stiff. In the past I used to coil each 50 ft. length of pressure hose and neatly hang it up. The fifty foot lengths of suction hose on a manual reel. After getting a live pressure hose reel, live garden hose reel, and an electric re-wind suction hose reel I kicked myself for doing it the old fashioned way all those years. It's amazing how much it takes out of you at the end of a job, dealing with the hoses. Just keep your hoses clean. I don't have to deal with the sloppiness of winter here so it's not a problem.

That's what I hear Rainbow but they are so expensive I just have been able to pull the trigger but all for making things easier on the body so I have to do something.

I think I asked this before but do you guys have the vac hose wound on the reel so that when you put the hose back your are reeling with an upward or downward motion. I use and upward motion and I think it might be easier on the shoulder to use a downward. motion. Hope that make sense

Downward rotation for vac reel. Always downward unless you have Superman shoulders.

So that's why my shoulders are so wide. I always wondered. LOL

Rainbow Rider wrote:I tried a hide a hose on a truck mount a few years ago. It made for a very heavy hose to drag around and reel back up. It was also stiff. In the past I used to coil each 50 ft. length of pressure hose and neatly hang it up. The fifty foot lengths of suction hose on a manual reel. After getting a live pressure hose reel, live garden hose reel, and an electric re-wind suction hose reel I kicked myself for doing it the old fashioned way all those years. It's amazing how much it takes out of you at the end of a job, dealing with the hoses. Just keep your hoses clean. I don't have to deal with the sloppiness of winter here so it's not a problem.

a crucial thing for hide a hose is you absolutely have to use parker paraflex.. 150ft weighs like 4-5lbs

I do upward Mo, but the truck is set up different and I stand on a step stool.

one hand is winding with no strain because the other hand is lifting and guiding the hose on the reel, I hate just winding the reel its hard on your body up or down

grab the hose and "push" it onto the reel as you wind with other hand, see if that helps at all


going electric soon too, our express has one now.. unfortunately I havent even gotten to try it yet lol

When you wind downward it seems like you use your biceps and arms more and it seems like it would be a more natural motion.

Hey Rainbow I think you should change your screen name to

Easy Rider

I guess you guys Aaare getting too old, if your having problems reeling up the hose.

I separated my shoulder twice and it gets sour sometimes.

You probably broke a few bones doing jumps on your bike like Evil Knievel

I like to real up, because I'm able to reel nice and tight and get 300' on my 250' reel, and then 100' of supply hose......no way you could guide and do that with the hose on the bottom.

Interesting Im going to have to try it see how it feels. My helper thinks Im a puss too I remember being 25 years old

Davey Cracker wrote:I like to real up, because I'm able to reel nice and tight and get 300' on my 250' reel, and then 100' of supply hose......no way you could guide and do that with the hose on the bottom.

You just need a bigger reel. Roll 250 ft onto a 300 ft reel and you don't have to get it so tight.

I am able to reel it up faster pulling down, but the butler reel has a tension device so the reel drags pretty bad. Winding upward is a killer on my shoulders and required a break after every section. Pulling down takes very little of that effort.

Dave make a reel man you have the knowledge, the will, the welder