Choose A Great Carpet Cleaner With 5 Key Questions
Thursday, September 3rd, 2009 Subscribe To Our Feed
You will learn the questions to ask and save yourself a lot of grief, because, it’s very easy to end up with a worse problem than before you started looking for a carpet cleaner and with a lighter purse to boot.
A couple of years ago I had just finished grooming a carpet after deep cleaning. The lady of the house came in and said it looked gerat and did I think it would be dry by Wednesday? Wednesday? Today’s Monday I said! Yes I know she said, the last time I had it cleaned he said it was quite normal to take a few days before fully dry, we only rang him back because it was starting to smell a bit ‘fusty’.
I told the Customer that even though it was wool and had been deep cleaned, it would be dry in a only a few hours. I then decided I needed to write this article so anyone seeking a carpet cleaner need not get ripped off if you ask the right questions. Detailed video presentation on each point can be accessed at my website. Carpet Cleaning Somerset
1. What methods or systems do you use to clean the carpet?
Find out the answer to this question first because it’s a non starter if they don’t answer either ‘Steam cleaning’ or Hot water extraction (HWE) which the industry term for steam cleaning. This in my opinion and in the opinion of most carpet producers is the only proper way to clean a carpet.
Some companies will tell you their ‘dry’ or ‘low moisture systems’ are as effective. This simply is not the case for the majority of residential jobs in my view. Although the drying time of under an hour seems attractive, it’s no wonder because it’s simply skimming the surface leaving high levels of soiling below the surface only to reappear in a short time.
2. Can you supply 2-3 testimonials from happy customers that have used you?
To be honset, the best way to pick a carpet cleaner, like any tradesman is to ask friends, family members or work colleagues. But sometimes you can’t get a recommendation so you have no alternative but to search the Yellow Pages, Google it or some kind of directory.
That’s dandy, but please don’t make a decision based on the biggest advert or the fanciest web site. Make sure you ask for testimonials. A large advert only means a large advertising budget, and a good cleaner will be getting most of their work from repeat clients and referrals.
3. Do you have Liability and Treatment risk insurance (applies to UK)?
Always ask whether they are insured. Or even ask to see a copy of the cleaners insurance policy. What you may not know is that there are many part time cleaners. Some find the cost of insurance for the amount of work they do makes their ‘business’ unprofitable, so they don’t bother. Their are some very good, part time cleaners, but always check.
Treatment risk insurance is not always available in some countries, but certainly here in the UK it is, but is an extra expense. This means the carpet, rug or upholstery the Cleaner is working on is also covered. Not so with just liability insurance.
4. Who will do the job?
Always ask who will carry out the cleaning. You will be surprised how some companies have very charming salesmen or women to do the quote only for a not so charming cleaner turning up to do the work. You will find the an Owner Operator company is always your best bet because they inspect a job, price it exactly and they are the ones who will deliver on the day.
Worse still, some companies will subcontract their work out to an entirely different company. One which you have no idea of their pedigree.
5. Do you offer a 100% money back guarantee on your work if not happy with the result?
And finally….. When you buy something it’s nice to know if your not happy with it, you can take it back and ask for your money to be returned, not that you want to, it’s just puts your mind at rest and helps you feel easy in your decision.
Why wouldn’t any reputable company give you that reassurance? Since I started writing articles about choosing a carpet cleaning company, I’ve noticed many cleaning companies now using the ‘100% delighted or you pay nothing!’ headline. Sadly, it now seems more of a marketing ploy for some, rather than a real attempt to stand by ones workmanship.
I now recommend checking any clauses in their terms of business for details of the guarantee. More information can be found on the website Carpet Cleaning Somerset
Armed with these questions you will be able to sort the wheat from the chaff and send the murky characters running for the hills. It may seem a bit over the top and too much effort, but for those who take the trouble it will save you a lot of pennies and disappointment.
Find other videos and article at Carpet Cleaning Somerset.
c. 2009 D.C. Services
Technorati Tags: No Tags
Related Tags: No Tags
Possible Related Posts
The Shark Vacuum Cleaner Is A Fantastic BuyWhen to Get Your Carpets CleanedFight Allergens With Hoover Cleaners
