Best Kept Secrets Of The Carpet Cleaning Industry
You’ve been looking through different websites countless times in the hopes of finding a reliable local carpet cleaning company. But how do you decide which company is best suited to you along with being trustworthy? The experts at Elite Maintenance are here to help – we’ve provided some of the most important points to consider when looking for a top-quality carpet cleaning company.
Professionals Always Vacuum Before Starting To Clean
Generally, the stains and marks on your carpet are usually 50% dirt, 48% oil, and 2% mud. Because dirt makes up such a large portion of the grime in your carpet, it must be vacuumed up to ensure that it doesn’t turn into mud during cleaning. Any reliable carpet cleaning business will ensure that they vacuum surfaces before undertaking work.
Pricing Depends On Room Size
When you see a company offering extremely cheap carpet cleaning services, take a moment to read the fine print. It may seem like you are getting a fantastic deal, but at the end of the day, you will get what you’ve paid for. These companies often offer low pricing, but it may be linked to specific conditions. For example, the size of a “standard” room for cleaning is often far smaller than you would expect.
If you want to get a good deal, you should always work with a company that uses high-quality cleaning products, state-of-the-art equipment, and well-trained employees. Although high-end carpet cleaning companies may cost more, you’re likely to get a better end result. Another trick that some carpet cleaning companies use is adding unexpected extras during the service. To avoid this, you should agree on a final price when you get a quote and ensure that an inspection is taken before work commences. During this visual assessment, a reliable carpet cleaning company will be able to inform you of added costs for certain kinds of stains before the work has begun.
The Carpet Cleaning Industry Is Not Regulated
Many people assume that carpet cleaning is a regulated industry, but this is not the case. There are many companies that use questionable tactics to charge more than their customers initially expected or employ individuals who haven’t been properly trained. Before selecting a carpet cleaning company to work in your home, do some research. If you don’t, you could fall victim to unscrupulous operators who will take advantage of your naivety and charge you unreasonable prices.
Any carpet cleaning company worth their salt should have performed thorough police checks on their employees before they are allowed to attend clients' homes, and technicians should be certified by the IICRC (Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification).
Carpet Cleaning Is Simple Chemistry
Any reliable and trustworthy carpet cleaning company should know that the secret to top-quality workmanship is chemistry. The acidity or alkalinity of a substance is measured using pH levels. This measurement plays a vital role in high-quality carpet cleaning because carpet manufacturing companies often use acidic dyes to add colour to their products. A reliable carpet cleaner should check the pH level of a stain in order to resolve it effectively. In most cases, technicians will use acidic solutions to deal with alkaline stains and vice versa.
During carpet cleaning, your technician will probably use an alkaline cleaning product; this means they should use an acidic rinse to neutralize any cleaning chemicals that they have applied to your carpet, similar to how we use conditioner after putting shampoo in our hair. High-quality carpet cleaning companies will put this knowledge of chemistry into practice when working in your home.
How to Spot a Professional Carpet Cleaner
Here’s another simple trick to check whether your carpet cleaner is a true professional or just a “cowboy” — and it’s based on recognised industry standards like the IICRC Standard and AS 3373 (Australian Standard).
Do they start the job by vacuuming? Proper carpet cleaning should always begin with vacuuming, also known as dry soil removal. This step removes up to 80% of the dirt and soil while it’s still dry.
Cowboy cleaners often skip vacuuming because a commercial-grade vacuum is expensive, and vacuuming takes time. They rely on the fact that most customers won’t know the difference — saving themselves both effort and money.
When vacuuming is skipped and the cleaner jumps straight into pre-spraying chemicals, the dry soil turns into muddy sludge. And because anything mixed with water becomes heavier, it becomes much harder to properly extract from the carpet.
So if your carpet cleaner starts the service by spraying chemicals before vacuuming, it’s a clear sign you’ve probably hired a cowboy.
Carpet Cleaning Companies Should Have A Warranty
No matter which company you choose to work with, you should ensure that they have a warranty. In our time working in this industry, we have been hired to undertake cleaning on a job that another company made mistakes on. Some companies use tactics to avoid fixing errors, such as claiming that the customer signed off on complaints that must be filed within 24 hours of work being undertaken. However, it’s important to remember that warranting work is consumer law.
Any high-quality carpet cleaning company will give you reasonable time to file your complaints, and they should come back to fix their mistakes without additional charge. This policy protects you from undesirable work and ensures that you get the service that you originally paid for.
Get In Touch With Elite Maintenance Today
Our team are experts when it comes to carpet and upholstery cleaning services. We’ve been in the industry for over 40 years, and we have a long list of satisfied customers. To book a carpet cleaning service, give us a call on 131 580 today.