6 Top Tips For Carpet Cleaning

This month Andy brings you 6 common misconceptions about carpet cleaning, plus a solution for each case.

Carpet Cleaning Misconception 1

You should wait as long as possible before cleaning your carpet.

Dirt is abrasive like sandpaper. Every time you step on your carpet you grind dirt into the carpet fibers. This cuts your carpet just as if you had used a knife. This cutting causes your carpet to wear out faster. A dirty carpet will not last as long as a clean carpet, and while vacuuming helps-by itself, it’s simply not enough. The longer you wait to have your carpet cleaned, the more damage you do to your carpet and the faster it wears out. Consider an annual steam treatment as part of your home spring clean routine.

Carpet Cleaning Misconception 2

The only reason to clean carpets is to remove the dirt.

As you probably know, outdoor air contains pollens, fungus, bacteria, air pollution, cigarette smoke, car exhaust and hundreds of other chemicals. Each time you enter your home, you carry those pollens, bacteria, and chemicals in your hair and on your skin, clothing, and shoes. Not surprisingly, all those chemicals and toxins wind up in your carpet.

If you have allergies, asthma, emphysema, or other breathing problems. One major source of your problem could be the pollens, fungus, smoke, and chemicals in your carpet. Call us to arrange a free health assessment for your property and we will provide the best recommended actions to reduce the problems allergens will cause.

Carpet Cleaning Misconception 3

One method of carpet cleaning is as good as another.

The dry-cleaning methods-which are dry foam, dry chemicals, and dry compound, do not rinse your carpet in anyway. Instead, they leave a dirty residue. You might say they clean your carpet only halfway. The most effective cleaning method is hot water extraction.

Hot water extraction means a hot water cleaning solution, under high pressure, is forced into your carpet and then sucked out of your carpet. Shaw Industries, the world’s largest carpet manufacturer, recommends hot water extraction as the primary method of cleaning carpets, along with an IICRC approved firm.

Carpet cleaners use one of two types of hot water extraction. If they use a large unit that operates from a van or truck outside your facility, it’s called truck-mounted extraction. If they use a small unit that can be brought inside, it’s called portable extraction. Shaw’s first choice is the truck-mounted they recommend the small portable unit only in areas where the truck-mounted unit won’t reach.

The CrawfordsPRC truck-mounted extraction cleans much better because it heats the water to a higher temperature-which breaks up the dirt, bacteria, chemicals, and pollens in the carpet. Then, the machine uses high suction to draw the dirt and chemicals out of your carpet.

Carpet Cleaning Misconception 4

Having the right equipment is all a company needs to clean your carpets properly.

Many companies own hot-water cleaners, but very few companies teach their employees how to use them properly. This is why it’s important that you choose your carpet cleaner carefully. The best cleaning companies are those that have been certified and registered by the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification or National Carpet Cleaning Association, known as the IICRC & NCCA. Before you choose a carpet cleaner, ask to see written proof of the company’s IICRC or NCCA certification, If they don’t have written proof then reconsider.

CrawfordsPRC IIRCRC

Carpet Cleaning Misconception 5

The company that offers the lowest price is the company you should hire.

This is our favourite. I’ve seen so many problems arise from lowest-bid companies that I suggest you reconsider hiring the the company that quotes the cheapest price. The two most common problems are:

1. The price may not be for services you want performed. The company may be equipped to remove only the dirt from your carpet, however you may want bacteria, fungus, pollens, dust mites and tobacco residues removed as well.

2. The price you see advertised may not be the price you pay. Many homeowners have learned that the low price they say advertised lasted only until the carpet cleaner got into their home. Then they were pressured into paying a lot more for a variety of add-ons.

Carpet Cleaning Misconception 6

Any honest carpet cleaning company should be able to give you an exact price quote over the telephone.

I wish this was true! Honest, reputable carpet cleaning companies almost never price carpet cleaning over the phone unless absolutely necessary and high costs to visit and inspect are envisaged as this can ultimately reflect in the carpet cleaning costs. Instead, carpet cleaning is usually priced after inspection is carried out and the service you require is agreed.

To give you an idea of how we estimate the cost of cleaning, here are the three areas we consider.

1. The type of carpet. Certain types of carpet are harder to clean than other types.

2. The amount of soiling. Carpet that hasn’t been cleaned for ten years will take longer to clean than carpet that we cleaned within the last six months.
3. The areas to be cleaned and size. Furniture moving, treatments, accessabillity are discussed on site with our trained technicians.

Call now: 01934 513862 – Mobile: 07815 814128
Our specialist steam cleaning equipment is superior industrial quality that we have invested in to deliver outstanding results no matter how old your carpet is.

See ‘before and after’ examples from pubs where the high volume of foot traffic grinds in dirt over the years. You can call or text us or email using the Contact Form.