# **Affordable Carpet Cleaning?**

Many of my customers who know that I am a licenced carpet, rug, and upholstery cleaner have told me recently that they are looking for ways to cut costs on carpet cleaning. They're looking for a cheap carpet cleaning service because they desperately need it. They use terms like "exorbitant" and "that's a hefty chuck of change" to describe the prices they've been quoted.

My response is always the same: "You get what you pay for," and "[carpet cleaners mississauga](https://www.mississaugacarpetcleaning.ca) are not all created equal." Then, I provide them data that I hope will make them rethink their initial assessments.

To begin, you must learn about carpeting, including its construction, the reasons it requires cleaning, and the proper methods for doing so.

Most often used materials for wall-to-wall carpeting include nylon, polyester, wool, and polypropylene for the backing. It is not necessary to clean the backing, and the carpet should never get wet because of cleaning. Manufacturers recommend having your carpets cleaned professionally once every two years by a company that is IICRC-certified (Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification). If we do so, the carpet will be fully covered under the warranty for another seven years, give or take.

Even if you vacuum your carpets at least once a month, you may still need to have them professionally cleaned once every 18 months to two years. Carpet replacement, on the other hand, can easily run ten to twenty times as expensive!

# **Let's not become obsessed with locating the lowest price**

I've heard a few horror stories from people who hired "cheap" carpet cleaners, and here are a few of them:

They don't have reliable, regularly maintained machinery, and it often breaks down or even ruins the carpet.
When representing the company, the staff are often sent out looking intimidating and unprofessional.
Workers who are unable to communicate in English are dispatched by the company.

# **Attitude-filled workers are being dispatched by the corporation**

They are always late. As they will simply "blow you off" if they obtain a larger job that day, this practise is typical for carpet cleaners taking on less substantial jobs.

Depending on the humidity level, drying the carpet can take several days. There will be water damage and a musty odour by then (mildew).

The company dispatches cleaners who insist on charging significantly more than the original quotation provided over the phone in order to perform a thorough "deep" cleaning. This practise is commonly referred to as "Bait and Switch."

The term "deep cleaning" refers to a certain type of carpet cleaning that should be used on every carpet cleaning operation.

# **There are only two possible outcomes from a carpet cleaning job: successful and disastrous**

It is important to pre-condition the carpet before washing it. The outcome will be spotless and thorough. Doing so will ensure that you get your money's worth, and you won't have to worry about renewing the service for another year.

Having "Scotch Guard" or "Dupont Teflon" applied is also something you should consider. It's a bit more expensive, but it's money well spent. Just be sure your carpet cleaning professional is IICRC Certified, to ensure they are selling you the service using the best products. It's possible to verify this on the IICRC's website. To find a qualified carpet cleaner, just type "IICRC" or "certified carpet cleaning" into Google.

Make sure the provider offers a solid warranty, too. This is what usually occurs: a customer calls around to various carpet cleaning services and thinks they've found the best deal. After the job is finished and the consumer phones to complain about how horrible the carpet appears after it has dried, the customer is redirected to voicemail and receives no response.

Spots are guaranteed not to return for 30 days if you purchase from my company. If the spots return, we will as well. You must not settle for less.

You may be asking as you read this article, "How will I know if I am being overcharged?" First, I would suggest getting in touch with at least a couple of the company's former customers to see whether they would advocate using their services. If you ask for it, the company should give you contact information for previous clients.

Perhaps you have been on the lookout for low-cost carpet cleaning options. My point is that no one can afford to be taken advantage of when they need services such as carpet cleaning after moving out of their home, whether they own the property or are renting. It's important to find a company that has a solid reputation in the area and can back up their claims with evidence.

# **How to Choose a Carpet Cleaning Company - Because Not All Carpet Cleaners Are the Same**

You have decided it is high time to have your carpets cleaned and you are a resident of the Lancaster and Morecambe area. You're ready to hire a company that won't take advantage of you in any way, but will instead do a fantastic job, treat your carpets if they were their own, and provide exceptional service.

# **Okay, but how exactly do you accomplish this?**

In any case, hopefully the information presented here will serve as a useful starting point for you as you search for, interview, and ultimately hire a carpet cleaning service.

# **Can You Change Where You Live?**

Since the carpet cleaners will travel to your home, it is theoretically unimportant where the business is physically located. However, there are occasions when you'll have an immediate need for them and getting a quick response is essential.

If you live in the areas of Lancaster, Morecambe, Carnforth, Halton, Caton, Garstang, or Kendal, hiring a regional firm is preferable.

# **You can find a carpet cleaning service in Lancaster in one of two ways**

Use Google to look for "Lancaster Carpet Cleaning Company," preferably with the quote marks around the search term. To narrow your search results to those that are most relevant to you, be sure to click the "Pages from the UK" link, located to the left of your search results. Make sure each of the listed businesses meets the requirements below and is no more than fifteen minutes away from Lancaster.

Find the Carpet Cleaning section of the Yellow Pages for Lancaster and South Cumbria, peruse the listings, then use the criteria below to narrow down your choice. Look for customer reviews written by people who are local to the Lancaster area and can attest to the quality of the service they received.
How important is it to have the right tools?

While it is true that having the right equipment is important, it is equally important to examine whether or not the individual using the equipment has received adequate training on how to use it safely and effectively.

First, let's talk about carpet cleaners and their tools. Rest assured that in order to pose this question, I do not require you to become an expert in carpet cleaning equipment and method.

Time and again, testing have shown that hot water extraction is the most effective way for cleaning carpets. Hot water extraction equipment is at its most effective when installed on a truck or van. Though less powerful than the van-mounted model, portable options are available.

The primary inquiry to make is whether or not a truck-mounted hot water extraction system will be used to clean the carpets. A positive response would be very encouraging. If that's not the case, you should investigate whether or not it's a mobile hot water extraction unit. Remove them from consideration if they don't use hot water extraction; if they do, award them 7 points out of 10.

# **What kind of education have they received?**

Even with high-quality tools, amateurs will fail to impress. You shouldn't only ask about the tools they'll be using on your carpets; you should also inquire about their degree of training in both carpet care in general and the tools they'll be using.

If they acquired their carpet cleaning equipment brand new, there's a good chance they've already taken advantage of the manufacturer-sponsored training offered by the vast majority of these companies.

We need to know if you've got any formal training on this particular piece of machinery.

You should look for an IICRC-certified carpet cleaner to provide the best possible results. When it comes to inspection, cleaning, and restoration of floors, carpets, and other floor coverings, as well as specialised fabrics after disasters, the IICRC (Institute of Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration Certification) is the largest certification body in the world. A certified carpet cleaner will have put in the time and effort required to learn, get experience, and pass the required written tests.

# **Do They Have Membership in a Recognized Industry Group?**

The IICRC certification denotes a minimum degree of training, while most trade groups require members to adhere to specific standards of conduct.

To be honest, I think I have a slightly different take on this than the majority of people. Consider what value you will receive from the carpet cleaner's membership in a trade group.

Those who wish to remain members of the National Association of Carpet Cleaners (NCCA), the largest trade association for carpet cleaners in the United Kingdom, must demonstrate that they are committed to conducting business in an honest and ethical manner, are knowledgeable about, and have purchased adequate insurance for, their operations.

It's great that this reassures you, but I believe these qualities can be demonstrated by businesses even if they don't belong to any trade groups. A company's lack of membership in a trade group should not disqualify it from consideration if it has the above attributes.

# **What Kind of Insurance Protection Do They Offer?**

A reputable carpet cleaner would confidently answer "yes" to this inquiry, but if you want to be absolutely certain, you should request to view a copy of their insurance policy.

# **Can You Get A Guarantee From Them?**

When choosing a carpet cleaning service and inviting them into your home, you should confirm that they offer a satisfaction guarantee on their job. This is because most professional carpet cleaners are proud of their work and will stand by it.

If the business is sure of its talents, it should have no trouble issuing a complete refund if you aren't satisfied with the work. There should be a provision in the guarantee that states they will re-clean the items at no additional cost if you are not completely happy with the first round of cleaning. Everything here seems great and reasonable to me.

The carpet cleaning industry is flooded with options, so if a company doesn't provide a full, one hundred percent satisfaction guarantee, you may safely remove them from consideration.

# **Have They Gotten Help From Employees Or Third-Parties?**

Inquiring about the company's oversight of the carpet cleaner who comes to your home and the methods they employ is a great idea. To get the best results, hire a cleaning service that either uses its own employees or is owner managed, in which case the business's proprietor handles all interactions with clients.

# **Can They Provide References From Satisfied Customers?**

A lot of companies proudly display testimonials and references from clients on their corporate websites. If your potential carpet cleaning company does this then there may well be no need to take the next step. However, if they don't have a website, or they're not displaying testimonials ask them if they can provide references from at least three satisfied customers. If they can't then move on.

Admittedly, this can be difficult for a company just starting out but do you really want your carpets to be the ones they gain their experience on?

# **How Do They Calculate Price And Deliver Quotations?**

I have deliberately left this question until last because although it is important price is NOT the major factor in choosing a quality carpet cleaning company to clean your carpets.

In order for you to be given an accurate price it is absolutely essential that the company views the area to be cleaned and measures the area accurately.

# **This is impossible to do over the phone**

Quality carpet cleaners will give you a price per square foot based on the current state of the carpet, any particularly difficult areas that will need specific attention and the general traffic that the carpet receives.

The quote should be written and be final. There should be no surprises when the technician comes to do the job.