Dear Homeowner,
Choosing a carpet cleaner and restoration professional isn’t easy.
Why? Because you’re bombarded with misleading advertising, confusing claims, and simply bad information.
From super-low prices and high-pressure sales--to unqualified technicians and near worthless methods--how do you ever find a qualified, competent, professional carpet cleaner?
You start by reading this special report. In this fact-filled report, you’ll discover how to avoid four carpet cleaning rip-offs, 6 mistakes to avoid when choosing a carpet cleaner, and four steps to a fresh, clean, healthy carpet. You’ll also find information about Scotchgard™ that will save you thousands of dollars.
This report will give you better understanding of the importance carpet cleaning, not just for appearance, but to insure your family’s health as well. You’ll now be able to make more informed, intelligent decisions.
Scroll down to find out more information on the following topics:
How to Avoid 3 Carpet Cleaning Rip-Offs
6 Costly Misconceptions about Carpet Cleaning
7 Mistakes to Avoid when Choosing a Carpet Cleaner
4 Steps to a Fresh, Clean, Healthy Carpet
Importance of Value and Price
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HOW TO AVOID 4 CARPET CLEANING RIP-OFFS
RIP-OFF #1: UNBELIEVABLY LOW PRICE. To some degree, all of us are attracted by low price because we want to work within a budget. But some carpet cleaners use price as the bait for their false and misleading advertising. They offer a cheap price--usually between $3.95 and $9.95 per room--and then, once they’re in your home, they pressure you into buying “add-ons.” It’s as if you were buying a car and found that the dealer was charging you extra for the tires and steering wheel. Carpet cleaning is not as cheap as some unethical carpet cleaners would like you to believe.
RIP-OFF #2: BAIT AND SWITCH. Dual process carpet cleaning describes the process of shampooing or heavy preconditioning, followed with hot water extraction cleaning. Unfortunately, unethical carpet cleaners often use dual process as a bait and switch technique. Here’s how it’s done: First they “bait” you with a basic cleaning (single process) at an unbelievably low price. Then, when you call, they try to “switch” you to the more expensive dual-process cleaning. If you don’t fall for their switch and choose their basic service, you’ll likely receive poor workmanship using little or no chemicals, and they will not guarantee their work.
RIP-OFF#3: UNSUPPORTED CLAIMS,”THIS CLEANING METHOD IS THE BEST.” You’ll read this in almost every ad and hear this from virtually every carpet cleaner. But remember this; the method that’s best for you is the method that achieves your goal. If you want a method that dries quickly, then a method that takes a long time to dry isn’t for you. So before you choose a carpet cleaner, identify your objectives. Then select the method that best reaches those objectives.
6 COSTLY MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT CARPET CLEANING
MISCONCEPTION #1: You should wait as long as possible before cleaning your carpet?
No. Dirt is an abrasive--like sandpaper. Every time you step on your carpet, you grind dirt into the carpet fibers. This cuts your carpet, just as if you had used a knife. This cutting causes your carpet to wear out faster. A dirty carpet will not last as long as a clean carpet. And while vacuuming helps--by itself, it is simply not enough. The longer you wait to have your carpet cleaned, the more damage you do to your carpet and the faster it wears out.
MISCONCEPTION #2: The only reason to clean carpets is to remove the dirt?
No. As you probably know, outdoor air contains pollens, fungus, bacteria, air pollution, cigarette smoke, car exhaust – and hundreds of other chemicals. When you and your family members come into your home, you carry those pollens, bacteria and chemicals in your hair and on your skin, clothing and shoes. Not surprisingly, all those chemicals, pollens and bacteria wind up – you guessed it – in your carpet.
If you have allergies, asthma, emphysema, or other breathing problems – one major source of your problem could be the pollens, fungus, and chemical in your carpet.
In addition, as you may know, tobacco smoke contains over 4000 different chemical compounds, 43 of which cause cancer. And even if you don’t smoke, those chemicals get on your shoes, you track them in to your home and leave them in your carpet.
If your sensitive to cigarette smoke, you might find that you’ll breath easier after you hire a company to get those harmful chemicals out of your carpet.
So, in addition to getting rid of dirt, another important reason to clean your carpet is to get rid of pollens, fungus, bacteria, chemicals and the tars and residue from tobacco smoke.
MISCONCEPTION #3: One method of carpet cleaning is as good as another?
No. You can choose from many methods, most of which are inefficient. We believe Hot Water Extraction is the best method for cleaning. This is endorsed and will become a requirement for many new carpet owners to have their warranties valid from the major carpet mills.
Hot water extraction is done with a truck mounted system that heats the water to a high temperature and shoots the cleaning solution into the carpet at a higher pressure - - which breaks up the dirt, bacteria and pollens. Then the machine uses high suction to draw the dirt out of the carpet. Carpet will dry in approximately 4-8hours. I.I.C.R.C. Standards require carpets to be completely dry within a 4 to 6 hour time frame. So if you have experience lengthy dry times before you were most likely not serviced by a certified trained technician.
7 MISTAKES TO AVOID WHEN CHOOSING A CARPET CLEANER
MISTAKE #1: Choosing a carpet cleaner based on equipment alone. No question, your carpet cleaner needs first rate equipment. But he/she also needs something else: employees who are skilled at operating that equipment. Many companies own hot-water extractors, but very few companies teach their employees how to use them properly. The best way to know that the carpet cleaner’s employees have been properly trained is to make sure the cleaner has been certified by the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC). Before you choose a carpet cleaner, ask to see written proof of the company’s and the technician’s IICRC certification.
MISTAKE #2: Choosing a carpet cleaner based on low price. Low price could be a problem in three ways: (1) Low price can be the bait that attracts your phone call. But once the cleaner gets into your home, they pressure you into a much more expensive job. (2) Low price can be for single-process cleaning. Rarely does the consumer know what this means, and when told, asks for dual-process cleaning instead, which costs much more. (3) Low price means the carpet cleaner has cheap equipment, which will not effectively clean your carpet.
MISTAKE #3: Choosing a carpet cleaner based on a single telephone call. Instead, invite the person to your home and ask for a specific written quotation. Then you’ll know exactly what the carpet cleaner recommends - and you won’t be the victim of high pressure tactics when the technician steps into your living room.
MISTAKE #4: Choosing a carpet cleaner who doesn’t offer a money-back guarantee. In my view, every carpet cleaning company should be fully accountable for it’s work. And if you aren’t pleased with the job in every way, you shouldn’t have to pay for it. Period. Not all carpet cleaners offer a guarantee. Or, if they do, the guarantee may be “limited.” Ask the carpet cleaner if he/she offers a money-back guarantee and then make sure the carpet cleaner includes the guarantee on your written quotation.
MISTAKE #5: Choosing a carpet cleaner without getting comments from his/her other clients. Any carpet cleaner can say anything about their past jobs. And, sadly, some of what is said may not be true. Make sure you ask for references or read comments from current customers so you can depend on the carpet cleaner and his/her work.
MISTAKE #6: Choosing a carpet cleaner who isn’t certified by the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration Certification (IICRC). If you’re carpet cleaner isn’t a close friend, you may not know whether or not he/she has the knowledge or experience to clean your carpet well. If you want to be sure you’re hiring a competent professional, make sure they are IICRC certified. The carpet cleaner must earn that certification through study, experience and successful completion of formal, written examinations. In effect, cleaners who are certified by the IICRC have earned a college degree in carpet cleaning.
MISTAKE #7: Choosing a carpet cleaner who doesn’t use a truck-mounted, hot water extraction system. You might expect his from me, since my employees and I use this type of system. But there are several good reasons. Portable hot water systems are good, but they aren’t as good as truck-mount systems. Truck-mount systems are the Rolls Royce of carpet cleaners. Compared with portable hot water systems, truck-mount systems use hotter water, higher pressure and stronger suction. So all the way around, you get a much better job. Not two ways about it!