How To Avoid Carpet Cleaning Rip-Offs
RIP-OFF 1: UNBELIEVABLY LOW PRICE. Most people are attracted to a low price for one reason or another. However, some of the bad apples in our industry will bait you with a low price just to get in the door. This is false and misleading advertising in my book.
Their ads usually read something like this: Carpet cleaning $4.95 per room or maybe as high as $9.95 per room.
But, when they get to your home suddenly the price goes way up. They tack on these "Extra" processes or additional "Pre-treatment" cost etc. Whatever they can think of to add dollars to the bill.
They do this because they simply cannot make a profit at the prices they advertised. Carpet cleaning is not as cheap as some unethical carpet cleaners would like you to believe.
Good quality carpet cleaning by a Trained Professional should cost between .35 and .50 cents per square foot. Or if you are use to Room Pricing as opposed to square footage, then the cost of a 10 x 10 room would be between $35.00 and $50.00
RIP-OFF 2: BAIT AND SWITCH. You may see some carpet cleaning companies advertise a "Dual Process" of carpet cleaning. Don't be fooled by that.
So what is this "Dual Process" anyway?
Dual process carpet cleaning describes the process of shampooing or heavy pre conditioning, followed with hot water extraction cleaning. Unfortunately, unethical carpet cleaners often use dual process as a bait and switch technique.
Here's how it's done:
First they "bait" you with a basic cleaning or their (single process) at an unbelievably low price. Then, when they arrive at your house, they try to "switch" you to the 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 chemicals or cleaning solutions, just water, and they will not guarantee their work.
It is true that just water, or HOT water, will clean carpets to some degree. However, if you want your carpets to be REALLY CLEAN, then you need to have the soils suspended with a cleaning agent appropriate to the job at hand.
Just remember this, carpet cleaning should always include the following:
Vacuuming Pre-Treatment The Cleaning & Extraction with the wand Grooming
Things that should be considered Extra's are as follows:
Deodorizing Carpet Protection (Scotchguard) Speed Drying Furniture moving (Mainly the larger pieces)
RIP-OFF 3: UNSUPPORTED CLAIMS: Many companies will advertise that they have the best system ever made for cleaning carpets, or that their method of cleaning is "THE BEST". You'll read this in almost every ad and hear this from virtually every carpet cleaner.
There are several different methods of cleaning carpet, each has it's advantages and disadvantages.
So which method is best?
Remember this: The carpet manufactures recommend "Hot Water Extraction" more commonly referred to as "Steam Cleaning" as the best method to clean their carpets.
But consider this; the method that's best for you is the method that achieves your goal.
If you need a method that dries quickly, then a method that takes a long time to dry isn't 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 There was a time when people believed that "Hot Water Damages Carpet", and close to twenty years ago that may have been true with improperly trained "technicians" put to much heat to the wrong kind of fibers.
Today we know this isn't true, and the machines and more importantly the carpet and it's fibers have improved to where they take the heat necessary to aid in the cleaning process. By washing and then rinsing your carpet with hot water, your carpet is thoroughly cleaned-in the same way that a person who showers and then rinses off the dirt and soap will be much cleaner than the person who takes only a sponge bath.
Remember that the manufactures recommend "HOT WATER EXTRACTION" as the best method to clean their carpets.
Why Carpet Is Better Than Hard Flooring
Hard flooring has risen in popularity dramatically over the last few years. With housing prices reaching record heights many home owners are choosing hard flooring not only for aesthetics, but as an investment. People are rationalizing that not only will hard flooring last longer, they’ll be able to make a tidy profit from any upgrades they’ve installed when it comes time to sell their home.
We agree that hard flooring can be pleasant to look at and may increase your property value. But hard flooring, is well.. hard! It’s also cold. Carpet acts as a natural insulation, both keeping your home warmer while absorbing noise at the same time.
Dust and debris left on hard surfaces will be swept up into the air when the area is walked through. Carpet traps dust and other airborne particles like a sponge increasing the air quality in your home. Carpet acts almost like a giant air filter which is cleaned by regular vacuuming.
Hard flooring is also more expensive than carpet. A friend of mine recently had beautiful cherry wood flooring installed throughout his house. It looks absolutely stunning. The cost was also stunning at nearly $25 a square foot. After a month of living with his new floor both he and his wife decided that walking across the floor barefoot in the winter was not a pleasant experience, especially during nighttime bathroom breaks. So they decided they’d go purchase some high quality area rugs and spread them throughout their house. After spending thousands of dollars on their hard flooring, they then spent thousands more on Karastan rugs. Quality area rugs can easily cost two to three thousand dollars each. Fabrica rugs start at around $4000 each.
Now my friend’s beautiful new cherry wood floor is covered with expensive area rugs. He told me that his wife keeps asking him why they didn’t simply purchase carpet in the first place if they were just going to cover their entire house with costly area rugs? The most expensive installed carpet costs a fraction of what my friend paid for his wood flooring and area rugs.
While hard flooring definitely has an important place in any home, I personally prefer carpet. There’s nothing quite like jumping out of bed every morning and having my feet fall down upon a soft, warm plush carpet.
