The carpet cleaning industry is one of the very few industries that has not been regulated, and also has a very low barrier to entry in that anyone can call themselves a “professional” without any basis for that claim. And still these are people who can come into your home and use cleaning chemicals which could be dangerous if you do not have the knowledge of how to use them properly, and more importantly do not have the right equipment to remove them properly.

Everyone has heard nightmare stories about crimes committed, about overuse or improper use of chemicals, and exposés on Bait-and-Switch companies who use a low coupon offers to get their foot in the door and hard sell unsuspecting consumers into a bill they are compelled to pay.  When you open the phone book you really can’t tell who the great cleaners are, or the ones you would never EVER want to use. The “great” cleaners work hard to distinguish themselves apart from the fly-by-night companies who use unsafe cleaning practices, hard-sell tactics, and sometimes have very unsavory employees.

Your carpet and rugs act as a “filter” in your home for your indoor air. Their fibers “grab” particulates and contaminants and hold them.  But like any filter, it needs to be cleaned because when it gets full it cannot grab anything else … and every time you step on a “full” filter you release contaminants back into the air.

Cleaning your carpet is key to a healthy indoor environment, and the EPA’s guidelines for cleaning very from every four months to every eighteen depending on the number of people and pets in the home, as well as other concerns from allergic sensitivities to how dusty the air is in your neighborhood to whether anyone in the home smokes.   A true carpet cleaning professional can evaluate your particular needs, and with the right equipment and cleaning solutions, can fulfill those needs for you and your family.

The question now is how to find that “right” professional … and we have the information to help you do just that.

The following is a summary on how to choose the right professional carpet cleaner.  It covers some of the common mistakes made by consumers in choosing a carpet cleaner, and also the four steps you can take to help you in choosing a true “professional.”

MISTAKE #1:When  Choosing a carpet cleaner can not based on equipment alone.
No question, your carpet cleaner needs to have first-rate equipment.  But he also needs something else,employees who are skilled and trained 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 written proof of their certification.

MISTAKE #2: When Choosing a carpet cleaner based on low price.
Low price could always be a problem in three ways:  (1) low price can be the bait that attracts your phone call.  But once the carpet 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, asks for “dual-process” cleaning instead, which costs much much more.  (3) Low price means the carpet cleaner has cheap equipment, which cannot match the cleaning performance of the superior machines designed to remove the most soil and contaminants, and leave the least amount of residue behind

MISTAKE #3: When Choosing a carpet cleaner based on a single telephone call.
Instead, invite the person to your home and ask for a written quotation.  Then you will  know exactly what the carpet cleaner recommends – and you won’t be the victim of high-pressure sales tactics when the technician steps into your home.  This also allows the carpet cleaner to see and identify  the type of carpet, the level of soil, and measure the exact square meter age  so he is able to give you a more accurate quotation.

MISTAKE #4: When Choosing a carpet cleaner who doesn’t offer a money-back guarantee.
Every carpet cleaning company should be fully accountable for its work.  And if you aren’t pleased with the job in every way you should be entitled to a reclean or you shouldn’t have to pay for it. Period.

MISTAKE #5:When Choosing a carpet cleaner without getting comments from his other clients.
Any carpet cleaner could 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 the quality of his work.

This entry was posted on Thursday, July 8th, 2010 at 1:38 pm and is filed under carpet cleaning. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.