HOW TO AVOID CARPET CLEANING RIP-OFFS
Rip-Off #1: UNBELIEVABLE LOW PRICE
To some degree, all of us are attracted by low price because we want
to work within a budget. But some carpet cleaners use price as the
bait for their false and misleading advertising. They offer a cheap
price (usually between $3.95 and $9.95 per room) then, once they’re
in your home, they pressure you into buying “add ons.” It’s
as if you were buying a car and found that the dealer was charging
you extra for the tires and the steering wheel. Carpet cleaning is
not as cheap as some unethical carpet cleaners would like you to believe.
Rip-Off #2: BAIT AND SWITCH
Dual process carpet cleaning describes the process of shampooing or
heavy preconditioning, followed with hot water extraction cleaning.
Unfortunately,
unethical carpet cleaners often use dual process as a bait-and-switch
technique. Here’s how it’s done: First, they “bait” you
with a basic cleaning (single process) as an unbelievably low price.
Then, when you call, they try to “switch “ you to more
expensive dual-process cleaning. If you don’t fall for their
switch and choose their basic service, you’ll likely receive
poor workmanship using little or no chemical and they will not guarantee
their work.
Rip-Off #3: UNSUPPORTED
CLAIMS. “THIS CLEANING
METHOD IS BEST”
You’ll read this in almost every ad. You’ll hear this from
virtually every carpet cleaner. Remember this: The method that’s
best for you is the method that achieves your goal. If you want a method
that cleans thoroughly, then a method that only cleans the surface isn’t
the best for you. So before you choose a carpet cleaner, identify your
objectives. Then select the method that best reaches those objectives.
Rip-Off
#4: OUTDATED BELIEFS. “HOT WATER DAMAGES YOUR CARPET.”
Years ago, many people believed this was true because their carpets were
damaged by “technicians” who didn’t know how to properly
clean using hot water. But today, we know it’s false. By washing
and then rinsing your carpet with hot water, your carpet is thoroughly
cleaned, in the same way that a person who showers and then rinses
off the dirt and soap will be much cleaner than the person who takes
only a sponge bath. Obviously, each carpet cleaner will be biased toward
his own method. And each method does have advantages. So I suggest
you look to what carpet manufacturers say. Shaw Industries, the largest
carpet manufacturer in the world, recommends only hot water extraction
cleaning with a truck-mounted unit, used by firms that are IICRC Certified.
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