Leather Cleaning Training. 1 Day Or 3 Day Course

[John Fitzgerald]

Hi Lads.

Happy New Years to you all and I wish you all health and wealth for 2016 .

I've been looking into adding another service to add to my carpet and upholstery cleaning and it seems to be the natural process to add leather cleaning. But the Question is should I just do the 1 day course in cleaning and learn my trade and then do the 3 day course including restoration.?

As always I much appreciate your advise.

 

[Jonathan Gibson]

Hi John, I'm sure others more knowledgeable will be along shortly with more comprehensive advice but in the interim...
Leather cleaning is a good and lucrative add-on for your business and is very different to restoration from an investment perspective.
Leather identification is very important.
I don't know who runs leather courses in your neck of the woods but I've attended the NCCA 1 day course which is a good intro.
I've attended FurnitureClinics 5 day course
which is workshop based and excellent.
I'm hoping to do Judy's LTT course this year which many on here have attended and recommend.

 

[John Fitzgerald]

Thanks Jonathan

I was looking at Judy's LTT course myself. but I just didn't know should I do the full course or not, Like with carpet and upholstery cleaning. I did them separately when I wish I'd did them together.

 

[Andrew Evans]

Hi John it all depends how much you want to do..
I have only ever done Judy's course.
I did the 1 day course with Andy (judy's late husband) then later I did the 3 day course with Judy.
I have done some restoration but find cleaning fits in with my business best as a lucrative add on. Then you come accross people like Al Lui who take restoration to a whole new level one which I knew I couldn't achieve. So no simple answer and it depends how much you want it to be part or whole of your business.
That said for the cost it is worth doing the whole course including the restoration you can never know too much.

 

[John Fitzgerald]

Thanks Andrew.

As we all like our business to evolve it would best do the 3 days training. but at present I've only received a hand full of enquires about leather cleaning and nothing on the leather restoration side of things. I would just be worried about getting the full training and not be able to use it. Is there a big investment needed for leather restoration.?

 

[Daniel Darlow]

I have found you need to split your business and advertise individually. The 3 day course worked well for me, and now 2 years on 50% of my work is leather. Your knowledge will grow with practise same as cc'ing, some items may seem more daunting than even big commercial carpet cleans. But a lot more interesting I find.

 

[John Fitzgerald]

Thanks Daniel.
What kind of investment is needed with the cleaning and restoration.?

 

[Daniel Darlow]

Have a chat with Judy Bass.
She will clarify your set up costs.
Web and advertsing is a seperate situation.
Good Luck.

 

[Steven Butler]

Hi Daniel,
You say that your business is split 50/50 between CC and leather...which 1 do you find brings in the highest turnover mate?

 

[Andrew Evans]

John the investment is minimal infact the lowest of all the add on services.
The important thing is leather id'ing and recognising which is restoration or just cleaning.
If you are not advertising for leather you wont get much.
If you are doing uph already it is a no brainer. Although I do not do a lot of restoration it has paid dividands time after time.
Plus it is interesting to learn.
Basic kit consists of cleaner foam ing bottle brush sponge and cloths. Plus this is important a hairdryer.
Best of luck and happy new year do it and market for it.
In my opinion you need to do the restoration in the end to advise the client properly.

 

[John Fitzgerald]

Thanks Andrew

Going through old threads and it comes up a lot, knowing what needs cleaning or restoration. So its a no brainer that i need to do both.

 

[Judy Bass]

John - feel free to give me a ring on Monday and I will chat you through the options

Cheers
Judyb

 

[John Fitzgerald]

Thanks Judy