Fargo Homeowners: LEARN 7 MISTAKES TO AVOID WHEN CHOOSING A CARPET CLEANER

The carpet in your home is one of the most expensive furnishings in your home.  Keeping it clean is important, but make sure you hire the right company take care of it.

Here are 7 mistakes to avoid when choosing a carpet cleaner:

MISTAKE #1:Choosing a carpet cleaner based on equipment alone. No question, your carpet cleaner needs first-rate equipment. But he also needs something else. He needs employees who are skilled at operating that equipment. Many companies own hot-water extractors, but very few companies teach their employees how to use them properly.

MISTAKE #2: Choosing a carpet cleaner based on low price. Low price could be a problem in three ways: (1) low price can be the bait that attracts your phone call. But once the cleaner gets into your home, he pressures you into a much more expensive job. (2) Low price can be for single-process cleaning. Rarely does the consumer know what this means and, when told, ask s for dual-process cleaning instead, which costs much more. (3) Low price means the carpet cleaner has cheap equipment, which will not effectively clean your carpet.

MISTAKE #3: Choosing a carpet cleaner based on a single telephone call. Instead, invite the person to your home and ask for a specific written quotation. Then you’ll know exactly what the carpet cleaner recommends – and you won’t be the victim of high-pressure tactics when the technician steps into your living room.

MISTAKE #4: Choosing a carpet cleaner who doesn’t offer a money-back guarantee. In my view, every carpet cleaning company should be fully accountable for its work. And if you aren’t pleased with the job in every way, you shouldn’t have to pay for it. Period. Not all carpet cleaners offer a guarantee. Or, if they do, the guarantee may be “limited.” Ask the carpet cleaner if he offers a money-back guarantee and then make sure the carpet cleaner includes his guarantee on his written quotation.

MISTAKE #5: Choosing a carpet cleaner without getting comments from his other clients. Any carpet cleaner can say anything about his past jobs. And, sadly, some of what he says may not be true. Make sure you ask for references or read comments from current customers so you can depend on the carpet cleaner and his work.

MISTAKE #6: Choosing a carpet cleaner who isn’t certified by the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC). If your carpet cleaner isn’t a close friend, you may not know whether he has the knowledge or experience to clean your carpet well. If you want to be sure you’re hiring a competent professional, make sure he is IICRC certified. The carpet cleaner must earn that certification through study, experience and successful completion of formal, written examinations. In effect, cleaners who are certified by the IICRC have earned a college degree in carpet cleaning.

MISTAKE #7:  Choosing a company based on size.  Some large companies do a great job, some not so good.  Other small companies do a fantastic job, yet some are unqualified to clean the most basic carpet.  So do your homework, find out if a new employee is going to clean your carpet or an experienced technician.  Check out the company web site, is it just a page with a phone number or does it have enough information about the company to make a decision?

If you would like more information about my carpet cleaning companies’ services, give us a call at 701-306-7026 (local call in the F-M area).  Or, visit Big Fish Service Company.