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.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.
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
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 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.)
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.
MISTAKE #1: 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 #2: 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 #3: 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 #4: 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 #5: 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!
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:
1. What method of carpet cleaning do you recommend?
2. What type of equipment do you use to clean carpet?
3. What will your equipment remove from my carpet?
4. How often should I get my carpets cleaned?
C&J CARPETCARE (623)418-8290
bravenet.com