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HOW TO AVOID FOUR 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 $13.95 and $19.95 per room – and then,
once they’re in your home, they pressure you to buy “add-ons.”
It’s as if you were buying a car and found that the dealer was
charging 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 is 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 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 chemical
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. You’ll hear this from
virtually every carpet cleaner. Remember this: the method
that’s best for you is the method that achieves your
goal. If you want a method that cleans the deep-down soil
in the carpet, then a method that top cleans only, would
not be the best for you. So before you choose a carpet cleaner,
identify your objectives. Then select the method that best
reaches those objectives.
RIP-OFF
#4:
OUTDATED BELIEFS.
“HOT WATER DAMAGES YOUR CARPET.” Years ago,
many people believed this was true because carpets were
damaged by “technicians” who didn’t know
how to properly clean using hot water. But today, we know
it’s false. By washing and then rinsing your carpet
with hot water, your carpet is thoroughly cleaned –
in the same way that the person who showers and then rinses
off the dirt and soap will be much cleaner than the person
who takes only a sponge bath. Obviously, each carpet cleaner
will be biased toward his/her own method. And each method
does have advantages. So I suggest you look at what carpet
manufacturers say. Shaw Industries, the largest carpet manufacturer
in the world, recommends only hot water extraction cleaning
with a truck-mounted unit used by technicians that are certified
with the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration
Certification.
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.
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’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 in
your hair and on your skin, clothing and shoes. Not surprisingly,
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
cleaning is as good as another.
No.
The dry cleaning methods – which are dry chemicals,
and dry compound – 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 for annual deep cleaning is hot water extraction.
Hot water extraction means a hot water cleaning solution,
under high pressure, is forced into your carpet and then
sucked out of your carpet. Shaw Industries, the world’s
largest carpet manufacturer, recommends hot water extraction
as the primary method of cleaning carpets, along with IICRC
approved technicians.
Carpet cleaners use one of two types of hot water extraction.
If they use a large unit that operates from a van or truck
outside your facility, it’s called truck-mount extraction.
If they use a small unit that can be brought inside, it’s
called portable extraction. Shaw’s first choice is
the truck-mounted unit – and it recommends the small,
portable unit only in areas where the truck-mounted unit
won’t reach.
The truck-mount extraction unit cleans much better because
it heats the water to a high temperature – which breaks
up the dirt, bacteria, chemicals and pollens in the carpet.
Then the machine uses high suction to draw the dirt and
chemicals out of your carpet. This is the main method our
company uses.
MISCONCEPTION
#4: Having the right
equipment is all a company needs to clean your carpets properly.
Not
true. Many companies own hot-water cleaners but very few
companies teach their employees how to use them properly.
This is why it’s important that you choose your carpet
cleaner carefully. The best cleaning companies have technicians
certified by the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration
Certification, known as the IICRC. Before you choose a carpet
cleaner, ask to see written proof of IICRC certifications.
If they don’t have them, don’t use them!
MISCONCEPTION
#5: The Company that
offers the lowest price is the company you should hire.
No.
We’ve seen so many problems arise from the lowest-bid
companies that I suggest you NEVER hire a company that quotes
the cheapest price. The two most common problems are:
- 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.
- The
price you see advertised may not be the price you pay.
Many home owners have learned that the low price they
saw advertised lasted only until the carpet cleaner got
into their home. Then they were pressured into paying
a lot more for a variety of add-ons. (Some 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
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 an electronic device
to calculate the exact size of the carpet area.
On
which type to choose, Shaw’s Technical Bulletin states:
“[cleaning] can be done from a truck mounted unit
outside the facility with only the hose and wand brought
inside, or where a truck-mounted unit cannot reach, by a
portable, self contained system brought into the facility.”
As
you see, Shaw recommends the truck mounted unit first.
This isn’t surprising. You see, the truck mounted
unit cleans much better because it heats the water to a
high temperature – and shoots the cleaning solution
into the carpet at higher pressure. This breaks up the dirt,
bacteria, chemicals, and pollens in the carpet. Then the
machine produces a huge vacuum volume to draw the dirt and
chemicals out of your carpet. This is the main method our
company uses.
No
question, the most effective way to clean carpeting is with
a hot water unit mounted in a truck. It’s the most
powerful cleaning machine on the market and the only machine
that cleans your carpet of dirt, harmful bacteria, fungus,
chemicals, pollens, tobacco residue and dust mites.
Some
people believe that hot water damages your carpet, but this
isn’t true. By washing and then rinsing your carpet
with hot water, we clean your carpet completely –
in the same way that the person who showers and then rinses
off the dirt and soap will be much cleaner than the person
who takes only a sponge bath.
6 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 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 a single-process
cleaning. Rarely does the consumer know what this means,
and when told, asks for dual-process cleaning instead, which
costs more. (3) Low price may mean 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 into 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
our 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/she offers a money-back guarantee
and then make sure the carpet cleaner includes the guarantee
with 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 doesn’t offer a truck-mounted hot water
extraction system.
You
might expect this from us, since our employees 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-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. No two ways about it!
WHICH
METHOD CLEANS BEST?
Dry
foam: The carpet cleaner applies shampoo
to your carpet, allows it to dry, and then, without rinsing,
sucks the dried shampoo into a vacuum. This method leaves
dirty residue in your carpet.
Low-moisture
foam:
A low moisture cleaning foam is brushed into the carpet
fibers. The soils are suspended in the foam and extracted
immediately. We use this method when temperatures outside
don’t allow us the use of the truck-mount, and also
for interim maintenance cleaning.
Absorbent
pad (bonnet cleaning): A cotton bonnet is
used with a floor polishing buffer machine. The rotating
motion causes the bonnet to absorb dirt from your carpet.
This method is also called bonnet cleaning. After the main
cleaning, we may bonnet heavy traffic lanes to help pick
up additional soil and lift the pile.
Absorbent
Powder: The dry-compound method spreads
a moist, absorbent powder through the carpet. The powder
is allowed to dry and then sucked into a vacuum. This method
leaves dry sponge particles at the base of the carpet yarn
which must be vacuumed again to remove.
Hot
water extraction: This is a fancy way of
saying that a hot water solution under high pressure is
forced into your carpet and then sucked out of your carpet.
In a recent Technical Bulletin, Shaw Industries, the world’s
largest carpet manufacturer, “recommends the hot water
extraction system which research indicates provides the
best capability for cleaning.”
You can choose from two different types: Truck-mount extraction,
which is done with a large machine mounted in a truck or
van or portable extraction, which is done with a small,
hand-held unit.
CRAWLIN’ CRITTERS AND CRUD: A GUIDE TO THE SLIME,
GRIME AND LIVESTOCK THAT’S SLEEPING, CREEPING AND
GALLOPING THROUGH YOUR CARPET.
Asphalt.
Bacteria. Car Exhaust. Chemicals. Dirt. Dust. Earth. Food.
Particles. Fungus. Germs. Gravel. Grease. Grime. Grit. Hair.
Industrial waste. Lint. Mud. Pet stains. Pollens. Pollutants.
Rock. Sand. Scum. Smoke. Soil. Soot. Tar. Tobacco smoke.
Urine. Vomit.
(Will
you help us? We’re trying to find at least one thing
that’s in your carpet for every letter of the alphabet.
And we don’t have anything at all for these letters:
J, K, N, O, Q, W, X, Y, Z. If you can think of something
that could be in your carpet that begins with these letters
– or any other letters – please call or write
to us and we’ll consider using them in our next consumer’s
guide.)
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
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, is 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 of 250 degrees
F.
-
It shoots the cleaning solution into your carpet at high
pressures, which breaks up the dirt, bacteria, chemicals
and pollens. 300 to 400 pounds per square inch is the
optimum pressure for truck-mount hot water extraction.
-
The machine uses stronger suction to draw the dirt, chemicals,
bacteria, pollens and tobacco smoke residue out of your
carpet.
Not
surprisingly, having a carpet thoroughly cleaned with a
truck-mount hot water extraction costs more than renting
a shampooer at the corner grocery store.
If
you bought the cheapest carpeting you could find, then renting
a small shampooer might be all you need. No question, it
will get out some of the dirt – but the key word here
is “some”. It will not get out many of the pollens,
chemicals, bacteria and dust mite residues.
On
the other hand – if you want your carpet to look good
and give you years of dependable service – then you
need to take extra good care of it. This means you need
to have it cleaned by a skilled, qualified technician at
least every six months to one year, depending on the amount
of soiling and foot traffic it receives. And you need to
have it cleaned thoroughly, as only a truck-mount hot water
extractor can do.
WHY YOU WANT A CLEAN, HEALTHY CARPET!
Which
is more important to you: a clean carpet – or a clean
and healthy carpet? Yes, I assure you, there is a big difference.
Each carpet cleaning method has advantages and disadvantages.
Some methods will get out only the dirt. Other methods will
get out dirt and grease. Still others will get out virtually
everything. And, to be sure, some are more expensive than
others.
If
all you want is a cheap, rinse-the-dirt-off-the-top cleaning
which you might find for around $13.95 per room –
then I respectfully ask you to call another company.
But
if you want to protect your health – if you want to
protect your investment in carpeting – if you want
to protect your family from the countless bacteria, fungus,
pollens and dust mites that reside in your carpet, then
you’re invited to call me.
The
truck-mounted hot water unit we use is a very effective
cleaning system. Likewise, it’s a very expensive unit
in today’s market. But we bought this unit for a good
reason: More and more families want the good health benefits
that come with having a fresh, clean carpet.
Have
you ever seen how dirty children’s pants get when
they play outdoors? If you have, then you know you can brush
off their pants and make them think they’re clean.
Or, if you want the job done right, you can machine wash
them in hot water and detergent and you’ll KNOW they’re
clean.
The
same is true for carpet. You can hire someone for $4.95
to $19.95 who will “brush off” your carpeting
and make you think it’s clean. Or, if you want the
job done right, we’ll wash your carpets with water
and cleaning agents using our state-of-the-art cleaning
machine and you’ll KNOW they’re clean.
So
if you want a thoroughly clean carpet – if you’re
willing to invest in your family’s good health –
you’re invited to call us. You’ll receive a
written estimate, at no cost or obligation. And if you give
us the go-ahead, you’re further protected with our…
100% NO-RISK GUARANTEE
We
want you to be super pleased – in fact, absolutely
delighted – with every carpet and upholstery job we
do. So every job comes with our iron clad, risk-free guarantee.
What does this mean? Simply this: if you aren’t happy
with our work, we’ll reclean the area for free. And
if you still aren’t pleased, you pay nothing. Not
one cent. Many companies don’t guarantee their work
– but we feel nothing is more important than your
complete and total satisfaction. We stand behind every job
100%. If you ever have any questions or concerns about our
work, please call us right away.
If
you’re thinking about having your carpet 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 pollens,
fungus and chemicals that hide in your carpet.
STEP
#2:
List your objectives. Do you want only 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 a hot water truck-mounted cleaner,
as we use. Do you want to work with an 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 seven questions to ask a carpet cleaner before
he/she begins to clean your carpet:
- What
method of carpet cleaning do you recommend
-
What type of equipment do you use to clean carpet
- What
will your equipment remove from my carpet
- How
often should I get my carpets cleaned
- What
training have you had in cleaning carpets
- Are
you certified by the IICRC and will you show me your
certification
- Are
your cleaning technicians certified by the IICRC and
can I see their certification
Step
#4:
Once you’re satisfied that you’re working with
an honest, competent professional, invite him/her into your
home and ask for 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 the job yourself.
But
if you want your carpeting to be completely and healthfully
cleaned – removing the bacteria, fungus, chemicals,
pollens, and tobacco products – then we invite you
to call us.
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