Tips for Finding a Good Carpet Cleaner

While most people vacuum their carpets fairly regularly, is that enough? Consider that  every time you walk on your carpet you’re pushing surface dirt deeper and deeper into the pile. Add that to the cigarette smoke, dust and various chemicals in the air that are settling on the carpet. You probably don’t want to think about what the carpet fibers look like in your carpet or what’s hiding in them, including perhaps all sorts of unhealthy bugs.

While you can rent a steamer and chemicals and try to do the process yourself, many carpet cleaners already have the equipment, the skills and the technique and muscle to get it more efficiently. So, her a re a few tips for finding a good carpet cleaner.

Research and get a few estimates. Though you might not think it’s necessary, you should get a few written estimates from various carpet cleaners. They are not all the same, and it is not always recommended to choose the lowest price. While they might be cheaper in price to get a foot in the door, many will then identify many other issues to upsell and get you to buy more expensive services. They key is to select one based on quality and recommendations first, and then price.

Look at their reviews. Before hiring a carpet cleaning company, look and see if they have a BBB rating or SmartGuy rating. You can also enter the carpet cleaner’s name followed by the words “rip off” or “scam” and see if anything comes up. The fact is if they are bad, they are sure to have upset some online people that want others to know.

Do you use a truck-mounted system.  Most larger cleaning service use truck-mounted cleaning units with a large tank and an attached hose. The purpose of the hose is to suck water, dirt and debris from the carpet and transport it to the tank. In reality, anything less than a truck-mounted unit may really be no more effective than an average vacuum cleaner.

Check the references. Though you might not think it’s worth asking, you are letting this people into your home. You should ask the company you choose for references from past clients.

Request a detailed contract. Make sure everything that is discussed pertaining to job is in writing.This will ensure they follow through on their promises. You don’t want them cutting any corners when it comes to cleaning your home or office. Many time, in the carpet cleaning business, the advertised price you see on their ads is typically just a base price. They then add extra services which will cost more. For example, will they move the furniture? Will they clean the high-traffic areas? Do they charge extra to clean stairs? 

Who is doing the actual job. When hiring carpet cleaners, keep in mind that you're letting strangers into your home. Does the carpet cleaner you are hiring screen its employees and conducts criminal background checks?

Request a guarantee. Any good carpet cleaner should be confident of his or her work and be happy to provide a guarantee after the job is done at no or little cost. 

When wanting to find a good carpet cleaner, it pays to take the right steps.