You have finally come to the conclusion that it is time to have your carpet's professionally cleaned. But, what company do I use and why?
There are so many companies in the carpet cleaning industry, but you must be careful because there are a "few bad apples" in our industry.
Here is the 411 guide on choosing a company!
#1: Pick a company that uses "HOT Water Extraction" as their method of carpet cleaning.
Why? This is the preferred method of the leading carpet manufacturers.
#2: Pick a company that uses "Truck mounted" equipment vs. a portable cleaning machine.
Why? Truck mounted equipment is more efficient for cleaning and pulling soil from the carpet. All the waste is dispensed directly back into the truck and not dumped down your drain. The cleaning solution can be metered from the mount as well as an acid rinse to help remove excess soils and cleaning solutions from the carpet which help eliminate re soiling issues after the carpet is cleaned. The water from a truck mounted machine is heated with propane to give the "Hot water" cleaning method, which is what sanitizes your carpet. Most, not all, portable units do not have hot water capabilities. Newer machines on the market come with a hot water feature but these units are far more expensive and companies may not carry them in their equipment inventory. (Magic Carpet has these machines in our equipment inventory but we only use a portable unit when the truck mount cannot reach the location being cleaned.)
#3: Pick a company that uses employees vs. subcontractors.
Why? Employees of companies have to go through extensive general and criminal background checks. The employee is trained by a manager or owner of the company. If the company has a "professional image to uphold," the technician will be in a company logo ed uniform and a truck. The employee is also covered under the company's insurance policy. A sub contractor may have been hired that morning to service your home. They may not be in a company truck, wearing a uniform, and most likely background checks have not been performed. Who will be walking through your front door?
#4: Hire a company that holds certifications with the IICRC (The Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification)for the service you are requesting.
Why? In our industry, the IICRC, is a nonprofit organization that writes the standards for services we offer. The IICRC will hold up in a court of law. Companies and technicians can take approved IICRC classes to get certified in services they offer. For example, in the carpet cleaning certification class, the technician will learn how PH can affect cleaning a carpet, how it can damage, etc. to not void carpet warranties. As a consumer, you may visit the IICRC at www.iicrc.org.
#5: Last but not least: try not to be price driven and have the size of the company persuade you from hiring a GREAT company.
Why? With price in our industry, "you pay for what you get!" In general, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is! Many companies offer a low price coupon as a losing leader to get into your home. Once they are there, the price escalates triple the original estimate. You have taken the time to have this done, and go ahead against your best judgement and let them have the job. At the end, your upset that your wallet is a lot lighter and you will never use them again. So your search continues! Bigger is not always better! I personally have found, when I call customer service for various companies, I am a number. I can never get back to the same person I talked to, I may get disconnected and have to start the hour process over....it wastes my time and its frustrating. Wouldn't you rather call a number, and get a person on the phone without having to go through a call center? Some companies in our industry pride themselves on being the "biggest carpet cleaning company in town" or "we have the biggest fleet in all of Georgia." These usually include franchise divisions and which include "corporate decisions." If you run into a problem with your service, wouldn't you rather call a number and speak to the owner and get an answer right then? Instead of waiting 24 to 48 hours for an "open case" return phone call?
So in your next venture to choose the right carpet cleaning company, consider these key points!
Contact us today! Whether you use our service or not, our advice is FREE and we do not mind educating you on your decision!
