What to Know When Choosing a Carpet Cleaning Company

Published: 05/25/2009 by G. Hornby

What to Know When Choosing a Carpet Cleaning Company

If only choosing a carpet cleaning company was as simple as picking a company out of the yellow pages or from one of those coupon mailers that come each week. Of course, many homeowners do go this route. Sometimes they get lucky and find a carpet cleaning company that does a great job. Unfortunately, there are no guarantees with finding a carpet cleaning company this way. You might get lucky, or you might not.

If you follow these easy tips to finding a carpet cleaning company, you are much more likely to get the job done right the first time.

• Choose a carpet cleaning company that has the right equipment. Just two companies manufacture more than two-thirds of the world’s carpet; they are Shaw and Mohawk. Both of these companies recommend hot water extraction as the best method for cleaning their carpets. A truck mounted hot water extraction system will clean your carpets in the most efficient and thorough manner.

• Choose only certified carpet cleaners. Carpet cleaning certifications are offered by the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration (IICRC) and the Restoration Industry Association (RIA). These certifications are the most respected and recognized in the industry. Having your carpets cleaned by a company that is not certified can result in default of your warranty. Having your carpets cleaned by a certified carpet cleaning company will help to ensure that the job is done right and that you are satisfied with the results.

• You get what you pay for. We’ve all heard this before, with carpet cleaning it is no different. A low price will often denote lesser quality. Low priced carpet cleaning services are often not cleaning via hot water extraction. Prices like $10.95/room often don’t include basic value added services like furniture moving. Low priced services will also likely come with many add on costs that are not advertised. Do your research before having a carpet cleaning company come to your home to be certain you know what you are paying for.

• Choose a carpet cleaning company that is insured and bonded. We all know that when we have work done in the home, having insured and bonded workers is important, but not all of us actually know what that means.

o An insured carpet cleaning company will carry insurance in case the homeowner slips and falls on carpets that are wet. Not all insured companies will carry the necessary coverage for household items or décor broken during cleaning. If you are concerned, be sure to ask what type of insurance the carpet cleaning company carries. Deductibles are also an issue. If the carpet cleaning company carries a high deductible policy for items broken in the home, be sure you are confident that they will cover the replacement cost if it is less than their insurance deductible.

o A bonded carpet cleaning company is one where the bond will cover the replacement cost of items stolen by the cleaner while they were working. Of course, the hope is that with a reputable company, their employees will be properly vetted and this will be a non-issue.

• Ask for and check references. The carpet cleaning company you choose should be a member of the local Better Business Bureau (BBB) and preferably the local chamber of commerce. Spend a few minutes checking out any prospective companies with the BBB to see if any complaints have been filed against them. It is also wise to ask for and check personal references. If the carpet cleaning company has any references in your neighborhood those can be the most helpful.

• Staff employees vs. contract employees. It is preferred that the carpet cleaning company you work with have certified trained cleaners on staff. Be wary of companies that subcontract out work to independent cleaners. If that cleaner breaks something or does a less than satisfactory job, it might be hard for you to have items replaced or the problem fixed.

If you follow these basic tips, you should be well on your way to finding a quality carpet cleaning company. To begin the search for a carpet cleaning company in your area, visit www.carpetcleaning.org.