Consumers
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Consumers guide to fresh, clean, healthy carpets
4 STEPS TO A FRESH, CLEAN, HEALTHY CARPET
If you’re thinking about having your carpets cleaned, we encourage you to follow these four steps:
STEP #1: Make a commitment to yourself to get your carpets cleaned. The longer they remain dirty, the sooner they’ll wear out. Plus, the longer you have to breathe all the pollen, fungus and chemicals that hide in your carpet.
Step #2: List your objectives. Do you want the dirt removed, something you could do with a rented shampooer? Or do you want all the bacteria, fungus, chemicals and dust mites removed, which will require hot water truck-mounted cleaner, as we use? Do you want to work with honest, reputable company or are you willing to risk working with the company that offers you the lowest price-knowing that the company might not be in business tomorrow?
Step #3: Ask questions. The way you learn about a company is to ask specific questions and listen carefully to the answers. Here are eight tough questions to ask a carpet cleaner before he begins to clean your carpets:
1. What method of carpet cleaning do you recommend?
2. What type of equipment do you use to clean the carpet?
3. What will your equipment remove from my carpet?
4. How often should I get my carpets cleaned?
5. What training have you had in cleaning carpets?
6. Are you a member of the Carpet and Fabricare Institute?
7. Are you certified by the IICRC and will you show me your certification certificates?
8. Are your cleaning technicians certified by the IICRC and can I see their certifications?
Step #4: Once you’re satisfied that you’re working with an honest, competent professional, invite him into your home and ask a specific quotation in writing. A written quotation gives you the assurance that you know exactly what your job will cost-no surprises.
By following these four steps, you’ll gain all the information you need to make an informed, intelligent decision. If you want a quick, cheap carpet cleaning job, many companies in the phone book can help you. Or you can rent a shampooer from the grocery store and do it yourself.
6 COSTLY MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT CARPET CLEANING
MISCONCEPTION #1: You should wait as long as possible before cleaning your carpet.
NO. Dirt is 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. A dirty carpet will not last as long as a clean carpet. And while vacuuming helps-by itself, it’s 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 your carpet 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 come into your home, you carry those pollens, bacteria, and chemicals I your hair and on your skin, clothing and shoes. Not surprising, all those chemicals and toxins wind up in your carpet.
If you have allergies, asthma, emphysema, or other breathing problems – one major source of your problem could be the pollens, fungus, smoke and chemicals in your carpet.
MISCONCEPTION #3: One method of carpet cleaning is as good as another.
NO. The dry cleaning methods- which are dry foam, dry chemicals and dry compounds – do not rinse your carpet in any way. Instead, they leave a dirty residue. You might say they clean your carpet only halfway. The most effective cleaning method is hot water extraction.
MISCONCEPTION #5: The Company that offers the lowest price is the company you should hire.
NO. I’ve seen so many problems arise from lowest-bid companies that I suggest you NEVER hire the company that quotes the cheapest price. The two most common problems are:
(1) The price may not be for the services you want performed. The company may be equipped to remove only the dirt from your carpet. But you may want bacteria, fungus, pollens, dust mites and tobacco residues removed as well.
(2) The price you see advertised may not be the price you pay. Many homeowners have learned that the low price they saw advertised only lasted until the carpet cleaner got into their home. Then they were pressured into paying a lot more for a variety of add-ons. (Some carpet cleaners even break the law by using illegal bait-and-switch tactics.)
MISCONCEPTION #6: Any honest carpet cleaning company should be able to give you an exact price quote over the telephone.
I wish this were true, but it isn’t.
Honest, reputable carpet cleaning companies almost never price carpet cleaning by the room. Instead, carpet cleaning is usually priced by the square foot. So if you’d like me to tell you the exact cost of cleaning your carpet, I need to know the exact number of square feet that you want cleaned.
To get an accurate measurement, I use a measuring wheel to calculate the exact size of the carpet area.
8 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 also needs something else. He needs employees who are skilled at operating the 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 a 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, he pressures 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, ask’s 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 its 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 offers a money-back guarantee and then make sure the carpet cleaner includes his guarantee in his written quotation.
MISTAKE #5: Choosing a carpet cleaner without getting comments from his other clients.
Any carpet cleaner can say anything about his past jobs. And, sadly, some of what he says 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 work.
MISTAKE # 6: Choosing a carpet cleaner who isn’t certified by the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC).
If your carpet cleaner isn’t a close friend, you may not know whether he has the knowledge or experience to clean the carpet well. If you want to be sure you’re hiring a competent professional, make sure he is 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 isn’t a member of the Carpet and Fabricare Institute(CFI).
CFI is a trade association of carpet cleaners who are dedicated to:
(1) honest, ethical business practices, (2) staying current on the latest methods of carpet and upholstery care, cleaning and restoration, and (3) the highest possible level of customer service, You’re making a wise decision when you have your carpets cleaned by a member of the Carpet and Fabricare Institute.
MISTAKE #8: Choosing a carpet cleaner who doesn’t use a truck-mounted hot water extraction system.
You might expect this 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-mounted systems. Truck-mounted systems are the Rolls Royce of carpet cleaners. Compared with portable hot water systems, truck-mounted systems use hotter water, higher pressure and stronger suction. So all the way around, you get a much better job. No two ways about it.
THE IMPORTANCE OF VALUE AND PRICE
Price is what you pay. Value is what you get.
When you select a carpet cleaner, you’ll choose from a wide variety of cleaning methods and prices.
Shaw Industries, the world’s largest carpet manufacturer, recommends hot water extraction from a truck-mounted unit, and using a portable unit only in areas where a truck-mounted unit won’t reach.
Here’s why: a truck-mounted unit cleans much better than a portable unit for three reasons:
It heats the water to a higher temperature. For every 18 degree increase in temperature above 118 degrees F, you double the water’s cleaning ability. So if the water temperature is 136 degrees F, it will clean twice as well as water that is 118 degrees F. 154 degree water will clean four times as well as 118 degree water. And so on, until you reach a water temperature of250 degrees F.
Why should you hire a member of the Carpet and FabriCare Institute?
1. CFI members are dedicated to gaining the highest level of knowledge in the industry.
2. We abide by a strict code of professional ethics.
3. We stay up to date on the latest technological advances in the industry.
4. We benefit and learn from the experiences of our member professionals. Our extensive network of experts can solve virtually any problem.
5. We stand behind our work. if you experience a problem, we will correct it.
Call us and see !
