6 Questions for Mike Pailliotet

1 | Who are you, and what do you do?

Pailliotet is a leader with volunteer cleaning services, organizing events such as cleaning Ronald McDonald Houses.

I am Mike Pailliotet, or Mikey P. to many. At an early age, I was blessed with the skill of helping carpet cleaners. I first learned the trade in my teens. Once the internet came to be, I learned to use it to help others. I keep busy.

I started mikeysboard.com in 2006. I think that Mikey’s Board is the world’s greatest carpet cleaning forum. It’s a place where carpet cleaning professionals can share tips, ask questions, and discuss industry topics. The forum includes various sub-forums, groups, classifieds, and auctions.

I’ve been hosting Mikey’s Fests since around that time. The festival is a renowned event in the cleaning industry, known for its focus on education, community service, and networking. It began as a small gathering of carpet cleaners around a campfire and has grown into a significant event that brings together professionals from the carpet, upholstery, and hard surface cleaning sectors. It’s a must-attend event that somehow gets better each year.

And then I helped start GreenGlides back in 2004 and now run the company. It is about the most helpful tool for cleaners ever invented. These glides are designed to help carpet cleaning tools move smoothly across carpets and other surfaces, reducing the stress on the cleaner’s back and joints.

For those interested in learning more about multi-surface cleaning and repair, not only did I author the Advanced Multi-Surface Manual along with Bryan Thomson, but we also present courses on the subject.

At the moment, I’m currently deep into helping reinvent how the IICRC trains newcomers to our beloved industry, which is a fantastic project of a lifetime.

2 | How did you first get started in the industry?

My wife found an ad in the newspaper for Miller’s Carpet Cleaning in Southern California promising to pay $1,000 a week (if I could upsell on their $19.95 whole house coupon), which was about $800 more than I was currently making slicing carrots and crumbling tofu in a vegetarian restaurant.

I loved being out all day and that immediate satisfaction of floor cleaning and dealing with people in their homes. The challenge was, and still is, a hoot.

3 | Who in your life impacts you the most?

It’s not a “who,” really, but a feeling of satisfaction.

I love the dopamine hits I get when a stranger tells me something I said online, in a video, or on social media, that saved their career.

I love tweaking a cheap carpet tool and making it work better than tools costing three times as much.

I love impacting my local community by giving back in as many ways as I do to the global carpet cleaning community.

But if you need a “who,” I try to run my businesses with a “What would Jim Pemberton do?” attitude. He is a true leader and expert in the cleaning and restoration industry.

4 | If you could have dinner with one person from history, who would it be, and why?

Jesus. I would ask him why he waited so long to guide me and thank him for helping me understand my purpose. On a lighter note, if we could enjoy a falafel-stuffed pita with some Hanalei Poi and some sliced habanero together on the north shore of Kauai, all the better.

5 | What music, movies, or books have inspired you?

I like a wide range of music—from 70s and 80s pop to modern country, Christian rock and gospel, Zeppelin (of course), and Hawaiian slack-key—all are on my playlist.

As for movies, I like the classics, with Jaws being the best. But the Christian historical drama television series The Chosen captivates and inspires me.

But … an NHL game beats anything on TV.

I’m not much into fiction anymore, but the Bible and related doctrine are always on my desk. I read way too many carpet cleaning discussions. I also spend a lot of time researching and reading up on my next great off-roading or motorcycle adventure.

6 | What personal philosophy of life motivates you the most?

The verses in Ephesians 2:1-10 underscore the themes of redemption, grace, unity, and the transformative power of faith. These verses motivate me deeply. I give extra thanks that my life is blessed with the fortune of feeling like I’m on vacation every day here in the beautiful eastern Sierra with my wife of 39 years.