WARNING: Before you hire a carpet cleaner, get informed with this consumer awareness alert. It could save you a lot of time, money and trouble. Unfortunately, bait and switch operators have long been a part of the Carpet Cleaning Industry
1) “We are the best carpet cleaners in the area”. For good reason, some people only want “the best”. They’re even willing to pay top dollar to use them. The question to ask is this: “How do they know they are the best”? Have they worked with or seen all the other carpet cleaners work? The truth is there are numerous "best" carpet cleaners in the area that do outstanding work. Perhaps you are looking for the best carpet cleaner that charges the best or reasonable prices?
2) “Whole House Carpet Cleaned For $129.00”. Numerous carpet cleaners advertise a low price to lure new customers. These prices are rarely what you’ll end up paying. Two clues are the small print: “Stairs Slight Extra” (so add $30 to $45) and “Up To 2000 Sq. Ft.” (Your house is probably bigger than that so add another $50. Then comes all the add on’s like deodorizing, Scotchgarding and “deep cleaning”. The truth is, house sizes vary and so does how dirty a carpet is. It’s better to get a quote and then ask if that price will change upon arrival or for any reason. Some carpet cleaners have “sale” prices on their websites or flyers when in fact they are their regular prices. Shopping for price may seem like a good idea but in the long run, "cheap" carpet cleaners usually go out of business.
3) “I have a neighbor who cleans carpets”. You hire them and they show up looking like a bum, have a leaking portable machine that looks like a wet and dry vacuum and he starts asking you rather personal questions. The truth is, he may even have a “Truck Mounted” Steam Unit. If it’s an entry level or old barely working unit, it probably won’t get your carpet as clean as it could be. Plus there’s no substitute for experience, being insured and bonded, licensed and a 100% satisfaction guarantee.
4) “Use the Franchise Carpet Cleaners who advertise on TV like Coit and Stanley Steemer”. Some of these can be pretty good carpet cleaners but many of them have owners who don’t actually come out to do any cleaning. They send employees, some who may or may not be experienced. The truth is you end up paying for their advertising and overhead. And they may charge several hundred dollars for a tract home even when they have a 30-40% off sale. It makes you wonder what their regular prices are.
5) “Steam Cleaning shrinks your carpet and it’s soaked for days”. Some “Chem Dry” carpet cleaners use this ploy to scare you out of using a carpet cleaner who Steam Cleans. Decades ago, steam cleaners used “portable” machines that could over wet the carpet causing carpets back then to shrink and take days to dry. The truth is today carpet backings are different and modern equipment has better extraction. Many “Chem Dry” operators now use Steam Cleaning machines instead of the “buffer” and “pads” from the past. Again, it’s important to get an experienced professional with top of the line truck mounted steam cleaning equipment to get the best clean for your expensive carpets.
6) “We guarantee our work”. So they say. Then you call them to say some spots came back and they make you feel like you’re asking them to travel across the country or can't fit you in for "two weeks". The truth is, every carpet cleaner should have a “written” guarantee on paper or on their website. Coming back should never be an issue.
7) “We’re the best reviewed carpet cleaner on Yelp”. Some carpet cleaners aggressively go after reviews because they look at them as “referrals”. The truth is, many “reviews” can be faked or asked for. The good old fashioned way of asking a neighbor, friend or family member for a referral is still the best way. If you’re new to the area or don’t know anyone in the area, you can ask the carpet cleaner for referrals, names and phone numbers of people they have cleaned for, so you can call them.
Please see www.aaasons.com
Unfortunately, we live in a world where people will do or say anything to get you to use them. Hopefully, we have presented some things for you to think about to help you decide who to use and helped you to see 7 Misconceptions about Carpet Cleaners.
This was prepared by A. Andrews & Sons Professional Cleaning Services. Do Not Copy. Call 951-805-8585 for a free estimate.
