Carpet Cleaning: Tips for Choosing the Best Carpet Cleaner

When it comes time to have your carpet professionally steam cleaned, your first impulse will likely be to opt for the cleaner with the lowest prices. Be careful! Most of these companies have cut corners somewhere! When companies like these advertise “unbeatable prices,” you need to ask yourself three important questions.

Have they cut extremely vital operating costs, like insurance?

An adequate level of commercial insurance coverage is not cheap. Consequently, this is usually one of the first things to cut back if a business is in trouble. If this company cannot afford insurance to cover them in the event of an unfortunate accident on your property, can they pay for any damage to your home or loved ones if they had an accident? The law does not require commercial insurance; Anyone with a legitimate business license can legally do business without insurance. Always ask your carpet cleaner for proof of insurance!

Does this company use substandard equipment?

Anything other than steam cleaning will not do a proper job of cleaning your carpet, upholstery, or rugs. Dry carpet cleaning, such as pot cleaning, dry foam cleaning, and hood cleaning, will only disguise the dirt on your textiles. Also, these poor cleaning systems don’t kill germs, viruses, or disease because they only use small amounts of warm water. These dry cleaning methods are designed for use on commercial carpets in commercial establishments such as stores, schools, and churches. Steam cleaning, on the other hand, is considered the gold standard for textile cleaning. Most steam cleaners produce water over 180 degrees F for superior cleaning and germ killing ability. Steam cleaning equipment is extremely expensive, and for companies that employ steam cleaners to stay in business, they have to charge more than the commonly advertised “Whole House for $ 99” special. Before hiring any carpet cleaners, ask if they do it with steam. If your answer is “no”, you’d better find a different company.

Will this company use bait and switch tactics with me?

This is one of the oldest tricks in the book. Unfortunately, homeowners are still scammed out of hundreds of dollars every day. What happens is that the customer falls in love with the attractive price and decides to hire the carpet cleaner. Then when the technicians finish cleaning, they impose a bunch of hidden charges on the landlord, resulting in a much higher bill than originally agreed. Then, since the work has already been completed, the owner feels pressured to pay the price even if he feels taken advantage of. Another position these companies use is intimidation. As soon as they walk in the door, they start with their extremely pressured sales and suggestions for the owner. They start adding service after service and are very aggressive with their suggestions until, before you know it, the price is three times higher than originally agreed. Always request a written quote before any technician (not just carpet cleaning) performs any work on your home. This way, if the company tries to raise your price after the job is completed, you have physical evidence that would stand up in a court of law that suggests they are using bait and switch tactics. A legitimate carpet cleaning company should be able to give you a fairly accurate estimate over the phone, and should be able to provide you with an accurate price, before cleaning begins.

Choosing a carpet cleaner can seem a bit scary at this point. Relax; As long as you follow the guidelines above, you will be delighted with the cleanser you choose.