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 Consumer Alert – Carpet Cleaning Misconceptions!
Choosing a carpet cleaner isn’t easy. Why? Because you’re bombarded with misleading advertising, confusing claims and simply bad information. From super-low prices and high-pressure sales tactics to unqualified technicians and near worthless methods, how do you ever find a qualified, competent, professional carpet cleaner?
A Message from our President and Owner:
My name is Tim Dickenson. I am grateful for the opportunity to provide you with information about carpet cleaning and help you choose a carpet cleaning company. I’ve been in the carpet cleaning business for over 20 years and in that time I’ve learned that carpet cleaning is the subject of much confusion. In fact, people have so many misconceptions about carpet cleaning that I’ve decided to offer this consumer educational message so that when you select a carpet cleaning company you can make an informed, intelligent decision. I will share with you six costly misconceptions about carpet cleaning. Plus, I will offer four recommendations and I’ll give you seven questions you should ask a carpet cleaner before you invite them into your home.
Now, here is Misconception number 1. You should wait as long as possible for cleaning your carpet. No. Dirt is like an abrasive, like sand paper. 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. A dirty carpet will not last nearly as long as a clean carpet. And while vacuuming helps, by itself it simply is 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 number 2. The only reason you clean your carpet is to get out the dirt. No. As you probably know, indoor air contains pollen, fungus, bacteria, air pollution, cigarette smoke, car exhaust and hundreds of other chemicals. When you and your family members come into your home you carry those pollens, bacteria and chemicals in your hair and on your skin, clothing and shoes. Not surprisingly, all of those pollens, bacteria and chemicals wind up, you guessed it, in your carpet. If you have allergies, asthma, emphysema, or other breathing problem, one major source of your problem could be the pollens, fungus and chemicals in your carpet. In addition, as you may know, tobacco smoke contains hundreds and hundreds of different chemical compounds, forty-three of which cause cancer. And even if you don’t smoke, those chemicals get on your shoes, you track them in your home and you leave them in your carpet. If you’re sensitive to cigarette smoke, you might find that you’ll breathe easier after you hire a company to get those harmful chemicals out of your carpet. So in addition to getting rid of dirt, another important reason to clean your carpet is to get rid of pollens, fungus, bacteria, chemicals, tars or residues from tobacco smoke.
Misconception number 3. One method of carpet cleaning is as good as another. No. You can choose from two primary methods, dry cleaning or hot water extraction.
First, I will explain dry cleaning. Many people believe that dry cleaning your carpet is like dry cleaning your clothing. This is not true. All carpet cleaning methods use water in one form or another. Here are the three methods of dry cleaning carpet:
When a carpet cleaner uses dry foam, he applies shampoo to your carpet, allows it to dry, and then sucks the dried shampoo into a vacuum. Can you imagine applying shampoo to your hair, allowing it to dry and then removing the shampoo from your head with a vacuum? This method can leave a residue in your carpet, which is one reason dry foam is not very effective. The dry chem method is similar to dry foam. The major difference is that when a dry chem is used, the company sets a large cotton bonnet on your carpet. Using a machine, the bonnet spins from side to side absorbing the dirt that’s in the carpet. After the bonnet is saturated with dirt, another cotton bonnet is applied. Bonnet cleaning is like trying to use a large towel to rub the dirt out of your carpet. Like dry foam, it’s not very effective. The dry compound method spreads an absorbent mixture that looks like wet sawdust all over your carpeting. Then a machine brushes the mixture into the carpet which, in theory, causes dirt to absorb into the mixture. When the mixture has dried, the vacuum cleaner sucks the material out of the carpeting. Because the carpet is not rinsed in any way, this method is not very effective.
The second carpet cleaning method is called “hot water extraction.” This is a fancy way of saying a hot water cleaning solution under high pressure is forced into your carpet and then sucked out of the carpet. This method is also referred to as steam cleaning even though steam is not used.
 Shaw Industries, the world’s largest carpet manufacturer, recommends hot water extraction. And we can choose from two different types, portable extraction, which is done with a small machine, or truck-mount extraction, which means the large cleaning machine is mounted in a truck or van. Not surprisingly, the truck-mount extraction cleans much better because it heats the water to a higher 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.
This is the method my 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 thoroughly cleans your carpet of dirt, harmful bacteria, fungus, chemicals, pollens and tobacco residue. Methods that use cold and even warm water will remove dirt but are not as effective as hot water, truck mounted methods.
Some people believe hot water damages your carpet, but this isn’t true. While washing and then rinsing your carpet with hot water, we clean your carpet completely in the same way that the person that showers and then rinses off the dirt and soap will be much cleaner than the person who takes only a sponge bath.
Misconception number 4. Having the right equipment is all a company needs to clean your carpet properly. Not true. Many companies own hot water cleaners but a large number of employees don’t know how to use them. You probably know someone who bought the newest computer on the market but didn’t learn how to use it for a year of more. The same is true with carpet cleaning machines. The company may own the equipment, but they obviously don’t know how to use it correctly. This is why it’s important that you choose your carpet cleaner carefully. The best carpet cleaning companies are those that certify their employees. A carpet cleaning company cannot buy its certification. The carpet cleaner must earn the certification through study, experience and the successful completion of formal written examinations. Cleaners certified by our company, in effect, have earned a degree in carpet cleaning.
Misconception number 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 number 1. The price you see offered may not be for the services you want performed. Before you select a company, decide what you want to accomplish. If you want a carpet cleaner to remove only some of the dirt, you can choose from dozens of companies that use small shampooers or other cleaning methods. You can even rent a machine at your grocery store and do it yourself. On the other hand, if you want your carpet thoroughly cleaned, if you want to remove harmful dirt, bacteria, pollen, chemicals and tobacco residues, then you need to hire a company that uses a hot water plant mounted on a truck. This is the best way to assure that your carpets remain healthy and free from dirt, disease-causing bacteria and harmful chemicals.
So remember that the price you see offered may not be for the services you want performed.
Point number 2. The price you see advertised may not be the price you pay. Many homeowners have learned that the low price they saw advertised was not the amount they were charged. And if you’ve ever had a carpet cleaned, you too may have been the victim of false or misleading advertising. You probably learned the hard way that some carpet cleaners offer a cheap price usually between $3.95 and $9.95 per room and then pressure you into paying a lot more once they get inside your house. Some of them may even break the law by using illegal bait and switch tactics. As in all businesses and professions, the carpet cleaning industry has its share of bad apples. I take no pleasure in telling you this, but some are unethical and, sadly, a few are dishonest with their misleading advertising and false promises. They cast a dark shadow on our entire industry.
Then you’ll find other carpet cleaners, professionals like me who work hard to earn your trust and respect. As a way of improving our profession, I’ve dedicated my business to educating the public. The only way you can make an intelligent decision is to have all the facts you need. This is why I’ve recorded this message. And we can answer any questions you may have.
Misconception number 6. Any honest carpet cleaning company should be able to give you an exact price quote over the telephone. I wish this were true, but it isn’t. Consumers often think if they clean only four rooms and the price is $6.00 dollars per room, then the price will be $24.00, but this isn’t always true. First, all reputable carpet companies always price carpet cleaning by the square foot. So, if you would like me to tell you the exact cost of cleaning your carpet, I need to know the exact number of square feet you want cleaned. To get an accurate measurement, I have a measuring wheel to calculate the exact size of the carpeted area. You will be glad to know that the carpeted area to be cleaned is not nearly as great as most people think. For example, if you want your entire home cleaned and your home is 2,000 square feet, the amount of carpeting to be cleaned might only be 1,200 square feet. This is because your home measurements are outdoor measurements. Plus I deduct the area taken up by walls, room dividers and the like. The result is the actual area to be cleaned is usually only about 60% of the square footage of the home. But even though I cannot give you an exact quote over the telephone, here are the 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 10 years will take longer than carpet that has been cleaned in the last 6 months. Third – the amount of furniture that has to be moved. If we must move your furniture, the bid must include this labor. But if you move your furniture, you save money. To recap, I consider the type of carpet, the amount of soiling and the amount of furniture that has to be moved. So, as you can imagine, every quotation is different.
If you’re thinking about having your carpets cleaned, I offer these 4 recommendations:
Recommendation number 1. Make a commitment to yourself to get your carpets cleaned. The longer they remain dirty, the sooner they’ll wear out, plus the longer you have to breathe all the pollens, fungus, chemicals and dust mites that live in your carpet.
Recommendation number 2. List your objectives. Do you only want the dirt removed? Something you can do with a rented machine? Or do you want the bacteria, fungus and chemicals removed, which will require a hot water truck mounted cleaner like I use. Do you want to work with an honest, reputable company or are you willing to risk working with a company that offers you the lowest price, knowing that company might not be in business tomorrow?
Recommendation number 3. Ask questions. The way you learn about a company is to ask specific questions and listen carefully to the answers. Here are the questions I suggest you ask:
1. What method of carpet cleaning do you recommend?
2. What type of equipment do you use to clean carpets?
3. What will the equipment remove from my carpet?
4. How often should I get my carpets cleaned?
5. What training have you had in cleaning carpets?
6. Are you a member of any trade associations? And if so, which ones?
7. Are you certified by your company and have you been tested in carpet cleaning?
Recommendation number 4. Once you are satisfied you are working with an honest, competent professional, invite him into your home and ask for a specific quotation in writing. A written quotation gives you the assurance that you know exactly what your job will cost – no surprises.
 By following these 4 recommendations, you will gain all of the information you need to make an informed and intelligent decision. If you want a quick, cheap carpet cleaning job, many companies in the phone book can help you. Or you can rent a shampooer and do the job yourself. But if you want your carpeting to be completely and thoroughly cleaned, removing the bacteria, chemicals, fungus, pollen and tobacco products, then I want you to call me. I’ll be happy to answer your questions, provide you a cost estimate over the telephone or come into your home and give you a free, written quotation without obligation of any kind. To reach me call (325) 692-0017.
Here’s one last point. I know that many consumers are skeptical about carpet cleaning companies. Before I got into this business, I was skeptical, too. So in addition to dedicating my business to consumer education, I do one more thing as well. I guarantee my work. That’s right, I thoroughly guarantee every carpet cleaning job we do. If you aren’t happy with our work, we’ll re-clean the area for free. And if you’re still not pleased, you pay nothing, not one cent. What could be more fair? As a matter of fact, add this question to your list. Question number 8. Do you guarantee your work? Not all companies do and it’s important that you have this information before you make your decision.
Thank you for reading this message. I hope you find this consumer alert helpful. If you have questions or comments or would like to schedule a free in-home quotation, please e-mail me at info@briercroft.org or call me at (325) 692-0017. On behalf of Briercroft, Inc. Cleaning Services, I thank you for your kind attention. Tim Dickenson
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