What You Should Know — 
Before You Call Any Carpet Cleaner

Here Are 4 Common Misconceptions About Carpet Cleaning

Misconception #1
You Should Wait As Long As Possible Before Cleaning Your Carpet.
• No. Soil build-up in your carpet can contribute to an unhealthy building. What's more, dirt can be abrasive, like sandpaper. The longer you wait to clean your carpet the more damage you do to your carpet and the faster it wears out. And common sense tells us that neglecting a very expensive investment (such as carpet) is not going to pay off in the long run.

Misconception #2
The Only Reason To Clean Your Carpet Is To Get Out The Dirt.
• No again. Bacteria, pollens, fungus, dust mites, and hundreds of other contaminants can become trapped in your carpet. So, in addition to getting rid of the dirt, another important reason to clean your carpet is to help get rid of the pollutants that have entered your carpet. Clean carpet is healthier!

Misconception #3
The Super Low Price Some Cleaners Advertise Is Actually The Price You Pay.
• Unfortunately there are many carpet cleaners that play bait and switch pricing games. They lead you to believe that you can get the job done for a ridiculously cheap price and then they pressure you into paying a lot more. Or, as you might expect, they frequently provide poor service that matches their lowball price.

Misconception #4
All Carpet Cleaners Are Basically The Same.
• Not true. Some carpet cleaners use products that are harmful to the environment, and may also be hazardous to the occupants of the building being cleaned. There are also many different types of carpet cleaning systems that produce mediocre results at best. So, what should you look for when choosing a carpet cleaner?

10 Questions You Should Ask A Prospective Carpet Cleaner Before You Hire Their Services:

1. How much experience have you had cleaning "commercial" carpeting? 
• (Most firms can handle cleaning your family room. Will the cleaner be able to eliminate the excessive soil that is generally associated with commercial carpet?)

2. Can I have a written price quote, and will your service cost me not a penny more?   
• (Professional firms provide a written price quote. Keep in mind: Is the price reasonable, does it make sense?)

3. Can you handle scheduling and billing a commercial account? 
• (A commercial account may prove difficult for a residential carpet cleaner. Can the firm provide service "after hours"? Will they agree to process their invoice through your accounts payable department?)

4. How often should I have my carpets cleaned? 
• (Carpet cleaning frequency varies with the level of traffic in a building. So a maintenance plan should be set up to suit your companies specific needs.)

5. What training have you had in cleaning carpets?
• (Cleaning firms who invest in ongoing training and certification are generally committed to providing the best service possible. Training and certification are not a guarantee of competence. However, it does imply that the firm recognizes the standards set forth by the carpet care industry.)

6. Does your cleaning process run a large amount of water through my carpet, and how long will it take for my carpets to dry? 
• (The low moisture cleaning system that we recommend uses over 75% less moisture than steam cleaning and dries in under 2 hours. It is detrimental to leave a carpet overly wet and the carpet can be damaged. Choose with care. Fresh water is a precious resource that should be used with discretion. In spite of that, steam cleaning consumes and disposes of an untold volume of water.)

7. Will you be using a truck-mounted "steam" cleaning system?
• (Will it be dangerous or impractical to leave your door open during the cleaning to facilitate hoses running from the truck? The system's gasoline engine will need to run during the entire cleaning. Will there be a problem with noise or with carbon monoxide emissions? Will the hoses be able to reach all the way to the cleaning area with sufficient power?)

8. Will your cleaning process utilize mechanical agitation?
• (Deeply imbedded soil will likely require some measure of mechanical agitation to loosen the dirt from the fiber. Steam cleaning alone provides a very limited amount of mechanical agitation.)

9. Do you use safe products, and what efforts does your company make to protect the environment? 
• (Please select a cleaner that makes a conscious effort to protect our environment.)

10. Do you unconditionally guarantee your work? 
• (Most importantly! Only choose a cleaner who will stand behind the work they do. A conscientious company should be willing to provide you with a guarantee.)