Taurus Carpet Cleaning owner-operator Ryan Wollam shows his Ford van, which has a heavy-duty industrial “multi-service cleaning system” unit housed inside (inset.) Since June 2005, Wollam has provided carpet, tile, and upholstery cleaning services in the Columbia River Gorge.
Taurus Carpet Cleaning owner-operator Ryan Wollam shows his Ford van, which has a heavy-duty industrial “multi-service cleaning system” unit housed inside (inset.) Since June 2005, Wollam has provided carpet, tile, and upholstery cleaning services in the Columbia River Gorge.
Taurus Carpet Cleaning has been tending to local carpets since the summer of 2005, and the business is not planning to slow down anytime soon. On the contrary. No matter how much work he has in front of him, Taurus’ owner-operator Ryan Wollam said he is always happy to gain more customers.
In fact, the drive to increase his exposure in the community recently led him to join The Dalles Area Chamber of Commerce.
“It’s cool getting with the chamber,” Wollam said. “Lisa (Farquharson, the chamber’s president and CEO) is a nice lady. The chamber has a lot of good things going on.”
Carpet cleaning is his main calling, but he cleans tile and upholstery as well. Wollam also does emergency water extraction from carpets that have been flooded or otherwise accidently soaked.
Wollam, who works by himself, said sometimes he faces a daunting schedule to take care of the demand.
“I did 47 jobs in one week recently; that’s insane for one person,” he said.
Wollam, who moved to The Dalles from Hood River in 1997, works out of his home on West 13th Street.
He serves customers all around the Columbia River Gorge area. He said that, since his work naturally requires him to go to where his customers’ carpets are, he figured there was no good reason to take on the extra expense of an office downtown.
His business model seems to be working quite well.
“We’ve increased our business by 80 percent over the past five years easily,” Wollam said. “We've been through the worst and the best of the economy, gaining customers’ trust and building a great reputation throughout the Columbia River Gorge and surrounding counties.”
Wollam got his start in the carpet cleaning business almost by chance. When he was enrolled at Mount Hood Community College a number of years back, he used to clean carpets in Portland area as a way to make money while going to school.
“I enjoyed the customers and had a good feeling doing the work. It can be a rewarding job,” he explained.
Eventually he decided to start his own company, and he chose to name the business “Taurus” for a simple reason.
“I’m a Taurus,” he said, referring to the astrological sign for those born between April 20 and May 20. “My dad advised me to never name a business after yourself. It took off better than I thought.”
Although he’s been very busy at times, the recent bout of winter weather has had a big, depressing impact on Wollam’s business over the past couple months.
“It’s probably been the worst December for carpet cleaning since I started the business. People have been calling to cancel and reschedule,” he said. “I can’t wait for the weather to get better.”
Wollam pointed out that Taurus Cleaning Services has an excellent reputation and record of service.
“We’re A+ rated by the Better Business Bureau,” Wollam said. “We are a full-service, licensed company that offers convenient, fast, and quality service you should expect. We will treat your home as our own, because we understand the importance of neatness, cleanliness, and appearance at each place we clean. And we guarantee full customer satisfaction.”
To reach Taurus Carpet Cleaning, call 541-298-4259.
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