Thursday, August 19, 2010

Choosing a Carpet Cleaning Company

Choosing A Carpet Cleaning Company

This also goes for rug cleaners, tile cleaners, and just about any other service company.

So you are tired of looking at your dirty carpet, but you don’t know who to trust to get it clean for you. Here’s a few tips and questions to ask to be able to get a good reliable carpet cleaning company.

When looking for a cleaning professional, be careful of any company that contacts you by phone or that advertises a cleaning price by the room. Room sizes vary and charges should be based on the square footage of carpet cleaned. Also, ask if they offer free on-site written estimates. Never go strictly by television ads or newspaper inserts or jump at the lowest price. And don’t accept quotes over the phone. Have the cleaning representative come to your home or office for an inspection. Obtain a written agreement before any work is done. Usually there will not any charge for furniture moving (unless it is really large or difficult). There should also be no charge for routine spot removal or preconditioning. Get a written contract with the total price and statements of guarantees that the cleaning company offers. This way you know to the penny what you will spend before the cleaning is actually performed.

Make sure that you select a cleaning professional with certifications from an organization that certifies professionals, such as The Clean Trust formerly known as the IICRC ( Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification) or the RIA (Restoration Industry Association). These are the two most recognized certification groups. The technicians as well as the company itself should be certified. Also, at least one technician on the job should be certified in the cleaning job that is being performed, whether it is carpet cleaning, tile and grout cleaning, upholstery, etc.
Here are a few questions to ask.

What method of cleaning do you use and what type of equipment? Steam cleaning or hot water extraction is the most preferred method.

Is the company you hire certified? They should be a Certified Firm with an organization like The Clean Trust.

Is the technician at your house certified? Each individual technician should also be certified. Most quality technicians are certified in multiply areas (i.e., carpet, upholstery, tile and grout, odor, color repair, carpet repair, and more)

Do the Certifications the technician holds match the work that is being performed in your home? It is great if the technician is certified in carpet cleaning, but if you want your tile and grout cleaned also then at least one of the technician performing that service should be certified in that area.

Do they guarantee their work? This is important because even with a reputable company sometimes a spot will come back as it dries and you want to make sure they will come back out and make it right if there is a problem.

How quickly will the carpets be dry? A company with good equipment should have the carpet dry in 4-6 hours or less after they are done cleaning.

Can they reapply the stain protection? This should be done at the end of the job using a separate sprayer and then brushed in to insure even distribution.

How long have you been in business? The answer can speak volumes about a company’s reputation and experience.

Does the business have references for you to call? Preferrably ones close by your house.

Are they a member of the local Chamber of Commerce or other professional organizations? A business that is involved in the community is usually concerned about their image and wants happy customers.

Make sure to ask if the company uses employees or sub contractors. Company employees are always best. Ask if a uniformed employee in a lettered company truck will show up to clean your house. There are some carpet cleaning companies who are really not carpet cleaning companies they just do the advertising and book the jobs then sub it out to an independent carpet cleaner. In this situation the actual company who books the job has little if any control over the sub contractor entering your home.

Remember you get what you pay for and if you do your homework, ask a lot of questions and hire a good reputable company you should be more than satisfied with the work.

Kevin Pearson is a Master Cleaning Technician with The Clean Trust and has been in the industry since 1992. Kevin was elected to the Board of Directors of The Clean Trust in October 2011 and has previously worked on the committee to rewrite the carpet cleaning standards in the industry and is currently working on the committee that is writting the standards for carpet inspectors. Kevin also serves on the Board of Directors of the PCRA (Professional Cleaning and Restoration Alliance). For information Call Pearson Carpet Care at 281-548-7200 or visit our website at http://www.pearsoncarpetcare.com or our drying equipment website at http://www.prodrying.com