6 misconceptions about carpet cleaning and 7 questions you should ask your carpet cleaner

“It seems that carpet cleaning is the subject of much confusion. In fact, people have so many misconceptions about carpet cleaning we decided to offer this consumer education message so when you select a carpet cleaning company, you can make an informed intelligent decision.

“In just a moment, we’ll share with you six costly misconceptions about carpet cleaning. We’ll also give you seven questions you should ask a carpet cleaner before you invite him into your home.

“If you’d like to skip over this consumer information and leave a message, just Press 2 now and leave your name and telephone number. One of our highly trained customer service people will return your call. If you’d like to speak to us directly at any time during this recording, simply Press 0 and your call will be transferred to our office.”

“Now here’s…

“Misconception #1: You should wait as long as possible before cleaning your carpet.

“No. Dirt is an abrasive – like sandpaper. Every time you step on the carpet, you grind dirt into your carpet fibers. This cuts your carpet, just as if you had used a knife, causing it to wear out faster. Vacuuming helps, but by itself, it’s simply not enough. The longer you wait to have your carpet cleaned, the more damage you do to it.

“Misconception #2: The only reason to clean carpets is to get out the dirt.

“No. Outdoor air contains pollens, fungus, bacteria, air pollution, cigarette smoke, car exhaust -- and hundreds of other chemicals. When you and your family members come into your home, those pollutants are carried in and usually end 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, and chemicals in your carpet.

“Misconception #3:

One method of carpet cleaning is as good as another. “No. You can choose from many methods, most of which are bad. The best method to use is Hot Water Extraction.

“Hot water extraction is done with a truck mounted system that heats the water to a high temperature and shoots the cleaning solution into the carpet at a higher pressure - - which breaks up the dirt, bacteria and pollens.  Then the machine uses high suction to draw the dirt out of the carpet.   Carpet will dry in approximately 2-3 hours and it’s the method we use exclusively.

“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 a large number of employees don’t know how to use them correctly. This is why it’s important that you choose your carpet cleaner carefully. We only use highly trained technicians and continually adopt any new technique and/or cleaner that works better than our current method.

“Misconception #5: The Company that offers the lowest price is the company you should hire.

“Maybe - but not always. Here are two important points to consider.

“Point #1: The price you see offered may not be for the service you want performed. If you want the carpet cleaner to remove only some of the dirt, you can choose from hundreds of companies that use small shampooers or other cleaning methods. On the other hand, if you want your carpet thoroughly cleaned, you need to use a company that offers hot water extraction like we do.

“Point #2: The price you see advertised may not be the price you pay.
“Some carpet cleaners advertise room cleaning between $3.95 and $9.95 per room, then pressure you into paying a lot more once they get inside your home. Sadly, some carpet cleaners may even break the law by using illegal bait and switch tactics. That’s why we’ve recorded this message, as a way of safeguarding the public. The only way you can make an intelligent decision is to have all the facts you need.

“Misconception #6: Any honest carpet cleaning company should be able to give you an exact price quote over the telephone.

“No. Consumers often think that if they want to clean four rooms and the price is $6 per room, then the price will be $24. But this isn’t always true.

“Honest, reputable carpet cleaning companies usually price carpet cleaning 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 have a measuring wheel I use to calculate the exact size of the carpet area.

“Even though I can’t give you an exact quote over the telephone, here are things I consider when quoting a price.

“First, the type of carpet. Certain types of carpet are harder to clean than others. So before I can give you a quote, I need to know the type of carpet you want cleaned.

“Second, the amount of soiling. Carpet that hasn’t been cleaned for ten years will take longer to clean than carpet that was cleaned within the last six months.

“Third, the amount of furniture that has to be moved. If we have to move your furniture, the bid must include that labor. But if you move your furniture, you’ll save money.

“When booking your cleaning job, be sure to include all the areas that you want cleaned so there isn’t any confusion or surprises on the day of cleaning.

“Also, be sure to ask these seven questions and listen carefully to the answers:

1. What method of carpet cleaning do you recommend?
2. What type of equipment do you use?
3. What does your equipment remove from my carpet?
4. How often should I get my carpets cleaned?
5. What training have you had?
6. Are you certified by the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) and will you show me your certificate?
7. What’s the total price I’ll be charged?

“If you’d like to have your carpets completely cleaned—removing all allergens, bacteria and pollutants—then we invite you to give us a call at (800-750-2725). Our trained customer service staff would be happy to answer any additional questions you may have regarding carpet cleaning or give you a phone quote prepared exclusively for you and your particular needs.

“Or, if you would like to leave your name and telephone number at the end of this recording, we’ll be glad to return your call.

“Here’s one last point:

“We guarantee our work. That’s right. We fully guarantee every cleaning job we do. If you aren’t happy with our work, we’ll re-clean the area for free. If you still aren’t happy, you pay nothing. Not one red cent.

“What could be more fair?

“Thank you very much for listening to this consumer message help-line. Once again if you have further questions or would like to schedule a carpet cleaning appointment with New Dimension Cleaning, then call 800-750-2725 or leave a message at sales@newdimensioncarpetcare.com.”