Are all carpet cleaning companies the same? The answer is NO…not even close! Here we are going to discuss “What makes a carpet cleaning successful?” Okay, so your ready to have your carpet cleaned by a professional carpet cleaning company. What to do…What to do? There are many to choose from and they all sound the same…who do I choose and why? Yes, you will find yourself asking that question, unless you already have a company you like. Hopefully, we can help you with this and make the decision process easy and hassle free.

 

Any carpet cleaning company can “Tout” about how they are the best! But, it’s results that matter. The problem is, most consumers do not know what to look for in a carpet cleaning. Most say, “Well It Looks Good” after the cleaning. But, does it continue to look good days after the cleaning? My point, there are many variables that you must consider when looking for a carpet cleaning company. Unfortunately, you will not know the “True” answer until the service has been completed to view the results. Obviously, we cannot discuss other businesses operations, but that can play a big role in the overall experience of the carpet cleaning… especially customer service! So, we will discuss the basics.

 

First, we believe that technician experience is a big deal! Again, we cannot discuss the hiring practices of companies, but we can discuss what some of the difference might be. Such as, are the technicians drug-screened and background verified? Most will say they are…are they really? Probe and ask the questions. If there is a pause before the answer, then I would question it. Next, the main focus should be technician experience. Not all carpet cleaning companies have a training program…this is a big difference! Years of experience does not necessarily make a great technician. There are variables that fall into this category. Listed below are things that will vary from company to company.

 

  1. How much training has the technician received?
  2. Where did the technician receive the training (classroom or field experience)?
  3. How long was the technician trained?
  4. Was the trainer certified?
  5. What type of equipment was the technician trained on (truck mount, portable, rotary extractor)
  6. Which cleaning process (Hot water extraction, spin bonnet, encapsulation etc.)
  7. What certifications did the technician receive (cleaning, remediation, restoration)
  8. Has the technician been trained properly on the equipment he’s using to clean your home?
  9. How familiar is the technician with the products used to clean with?

 

Second, the carpet cleaning equipment being used is a big deal as well! If carpet cleaning machines are not maintained properly, they will not clean properly…maintenance is huge! Example: every truck mount system has a rotary blower unit that creates vacuum to remove the excess solution and soil from the carpet when cleaning. The vacuum also is filtered by a waste basket that removes particulate from the cleaning process. If the filter becomes clogged, then you have substantially less vacuum and you will lose cleaning performance. The filter must be cleaned before every cleaning and sometimes during a cleaning as well. Is this being done? If not, dirty systems will not clean properly! Next, is the flow (PSI) of the solution. In order to clean and flush the carpet correctly, the wand nozzles, which create the pressure to clean with must be free and clear of any debris. If they are clogged or not working properly, then the carpet will streak and you will not get a thorough cleaning. These nozzles must be free and clear at all times to work properly! Moving on, where is the fresh water being supplied from? If a fresh tank is being used (this is where the solution to clean your carpet is kept) how clean is the fresh tank? How old is the solution being used to clean your carpet? If being done correctly, the fresh tank should be serviced very day for maximum performance. Listed above are just the basics.

 

Third, we are moving on to the cleaning products themselves. You have to ask yourself “What do you want out of a carpet cleaning?” Such as, stain removal, pet odor removal, sanitize or to freshen it up a bit. What your looking for will determine what products are being used to clean your carpet…be aware of that. The carpet cleaning industry has changed (for the better) through the years and non-chemical processes are evolving quickly! This is a huge difference between carpet cleaning companies. What products are they using…ask them! Do the products contain detergents or solvents? If your looking for a green cleaning process then you do not want those products. If the products being used are claimed to be “green” ask what makes them an environmentally safe product. My point, different companies use different products to clean with. The question is “what’s being left in your carpet?” So you cannot expect the same products to be used by all companies. Products being used will also determine the price of the carpet cleaning as well. You will typically pay more for a green cleaning process with no chemicals used. This is another difference between carpet cleaning companies.

 

The point is not to bore you here! But, as you can see, there are many things to consider when looking for a carpet cleaning company. You should find the majority of these answers on a companies website somewhere. If not, don’t hesitate to ask and get the answers your looking for. After all, as a consumer, you have the right to do so.