What do you guys think of this:

It is a good article for a very ambitious person to get the general idea for carpet cleaning.

However I have a short attention span and it went on and on and on 

Oh but Tom

That way has been the start up of many carpet cleaning businesses, maybe not the renting part but starting with a portable most cleaners have gone that route and built from there.

It really all depends on what you can afford and the type of equipment you want to start with. One step at a time.

Not knocking Padman's man system but on some of his post it appears that for some jobs you would have to use up to 100 pads.

Even if you cut this in half it would be a high cost for one job considering the cost of each pad that you would have to purchase. What I'm saying is how would this machine be used for residential, how would you get into the corners.

I know it sounds good for commercial jobs but I feel steam cleaning is still the better way, it would be less expensive. Just thinking out Loud!!!

  Without any further information, I would do the corners by hand with one of the pads.  Unless the corners happen to be trashed, I can't see it taking long at all.  We're only talking about a couple square feet in each room. 

  Adwa, also the pads are reusable, so its not like you have to buy 100 more pads for each 100 pad job.  Each pad can be used at least 80 times, and you only use the same pad one time on a single job so...for 80 jobs, your cost per pad is 6 cents, your cost per 100 pads is 6 dollars.  

  Also, from what I've read, a 100 pad job is a "big one", and the average residential job takes about 20 pads.  Going by that, a 20 day working month with 5 jobs a day (which I'd be very happy getting) equals $120. a month in pads.  My credit isn't spectacular so I don't see getting a lease or a loan on a tm/van for less than $120.0 a month.  And also, I am of the beleif that a business should have the least amount of debt as possible. 

  I would love to see the whole formula worked out though by someone who has actually worked with the OP system.   

We have an OP and the time we use it most is not when you would imagine.

our favourite time to use the OP is after HWE with a dry pad. When the carpet was trashed to start it just sucks up the remaining (filthy) moisture in the carpet and that prevents wicking too.

I always find it odd that some people  forget that the moisture thats left in the carpet is the same colour as the water in the waste tank.