While many companies say that they can provide a solid clean for a reasonable price, this is not always the case. Like with a lot of services, there is sometimes a disconnect between what their marketing says, and what they are actually able to deliver. The following tips will allow you to make the most informed decision when hiring a professional carpet cleaner. They will help you understand the process, and the industry so you won’t get ripped off when the time comes.
Is The Carpet Cleaner Certified?
There are a few certifications on the market. However, the most recognized is theCarpet Cleaning Technician from the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration Certification. Additional certifications from the IICRC include Rug Cleaning Technician, Carpet Repair and Reinstallation Technician, Water Damage Restoration Technician, and Upholstery and Fabric Cleaning Technician.’
Is The Carpet Cleaner Insured?
If they aren’t insured, they open you up to a serious amount of liability. It’s remarkably easy to damage fabric if not properly serviced. Therefore, you could incur excessively high costs if they aren’t insured. Additionally, while it’s not the most dangerous job, if someone was — God forbid — to get injured on the job, then this could lead to some serious costs that could have otherwise been avoided with proper insurance.
How Recommended Is The Carpet Cleaning Service?
While this should be obvious, you’d be surprised how often people just take a company’s word without delving deeper into it. Check their Better Business Bureau rating. Do they have any outstanding complaints? Check their Google Reviews. Do they have at least above a 4 star review? If not, it may be worth trying someone else if the local market is competitive. Their social media may also have some clues to their competency. If you know someone who has used them before, asking them is a good idea. A great place to get a more nuanced recommendation is on NextDoor, which is a community board for individual neighborhoods, filled with home owners.
Is The Price Too Good To Be True?
Carpet cleaning requires a lot of certification, equipment, marketing and insurance. Therefore, it’s not cheap. If you see a price that’s too good to be true, it probably is. Make sure you find out if they have the aforementioned things like insurance, and certification. Chances are they don’t if the price is really low. Proceed at your own risk if you decide to go for serious cost savings. Another way to freshen up your home is to paint inside and out – see our post on hiring a professional painting contractor.
Do They Use The Proper Carpet Cleaning Methods?
The IICRC lays out guidelines for best practice carpet cleaning. If they aren’t following these steps, you are getting a substandard service for what you are paying. This is why carpet cleaners should be certified. It’s a smart idea to quiz any potential hire on the following process.
Dry Soil Removal
This basically means a thorough vacuuming to remove dirt from the fibers.
Soil Suspension
By applying the industry approved pre-treatment agents, professionals will break hard to remove dirt from its fibers. The IICRC defines four characteristics of soil suspension: First, is applying the pre-treatment chemicals. Next is applying heat to make the chemicals react faster. Then they stimulate the fibers to distribute the agents more effectively, and let it set to finalize the reaction. By following these steps, they will be able to remove dirt far more effectively than a simple vacuuming.
Soil Extraction
You probably know this as steam cleaning. They use hot water in order to pull the grime and dirt out of the fibers.
Grooming
Grooming is accomplished by using a specialized rake, or brush to move the fibers back and forth. This prevents unnecessary matting, and also loosens any additional dirt that may be left behind. They may also use grooming to agitate the chemical solution in order to stimulate the reaction.
Drying
If the service is properly done, under common temperature and humidity conditions, everything should dry within 24 hours. If the drying process needs to be sped up, air movers, fans, and even opening windows can help. Most fabric, even without these methods, should be dry within six to eight hours.
If all of these factors are in place, then you should hire the carpet cleaning service. They clearly know what they are doing, and can prove it with certification, experience, and recommendation. Additionally, you don’t have to worry about liability, since they will come insured.