Are you sick of shelling out your hard-earned cash for professional carpet cleaning? Carpet firms have various ways of hustling money out of unsuspecting customers. Here are the top five carpet-cleaning hustles. We’ll show you how to avoid them.
- No Truck-Mounted Equipment
The best method of cleaning carpets is called hot water extraction. An extraction cleaner shoots heated cleaning solution into the carpet and simultaneously sucks up the water along with the dirt. Some cheap consumer vacuum cleaners employ this same method of cleaning, albeit with less heating and suction power. One of the biggest frauds is cheap cleaning firms that only have hand-held vacuum cleaners. These machines do a mediocre job of cleaning and often leave dirt and water in your carpet, causing germs, bacteria and mold. Respectable companies will always have high-powered truck-mounted machines. - Chem-Dry Or Shampooing
Many carpet cleaning companies will try and tell you that their method is better than hot water extraction. This is a lie. Hot water extraction isn’t a patented process, nor is it exclusive to any one firm or line of products. Many companies produce commercial extraction cleaning equipment. Inferior cleaning techniques such as chem-dry and shampooing are often touted as quicker, cheaper ways of cleaning carpets. These aren’t the way to go as they simply move around the dirt. Your carpet may look good at first, but the residue left in the carpet will actually attract dirt. Your carpet will look worse than before you got it cleaned. - Ignoring Your Carpet’s Warranty
If your carpet has a lifetime warranty, it may specify that it has to be steam cleaned with a hot water extraction unit. Failing to do so could void the warranty. Despite this, some carpet-cleaning firms will never bother to check your carpet’s warranty. They may use another cleaning method that damages the carpet. Be informed and check your carpet’s warranty before allowing a firm to take advantage of you. - Up Selling Services
This is one of the most common hustles as many carpet cleaning employees work on commission. Up selling is where a firm arrives at your home and starts trying to convince you to pay for extra services not mentioned in the quote. It can be difficult for consumers to tell the difference between a genuine service and an unnecessary one. Take ‘carpet grooming’ for example. Have you heard of a carpet rake? Most people haven’t, yet all professional cleaners groom the carpet with a rake to increase the effectiveness of the clean before they begin. - Not Providing A Written Quote
The final hustle to avoid is not receiving a written quote. Professional carpet cleaning firms should always provide you with an upfront quote before commencing work. Know your rights and insist on a quote before you hire a cleaner.
Conclusion
Avoiding these five hustles can save you hundreds of dollars in carpet cleaning fees. Let us know which swindles you have encountered and help other people stay informed!
