Misconceptions About Carpet Cleaning

We hear “facts” about Carpet Cleaning every day since we are in the business, some of them correct, some of them not! Here are some of the misconceptions about carpet cleaning we hear, and the actual truth behind the misconception.

Five Costly Misconceptions About Carpet Cleaning

1. Misconception #1: You Should Wait As Long As Possible before Cleaning Your Carpet – Dirt is an abrasive, like sandpaper. Every time you step on your carpet, you grind dirt into the carpet fibers. This cuts your carpet, just as a knife would. This cutting causes your carpet to wear out faster. A dirty carpet will not last as long as a clean carpet. While vacuuming helps, it is not enough. The longer you wait to professionally clean your carpets the faster it wears out.
2. Misconception #2: The Only Reason to Clean Carpet 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. When you come into your home, you carry these items inside and they end up on your carpet. Plus, think of everything you have tracked in with your shoes. Pretty disgusting, eh?
3. Misconception #3: One Method of Carpet Cleaning is as Good as Another – The dry cleaning methods – which are dry foam and dry chemicals – don’t rinse your carpet in any way, instead they leave a residue.

   Hot water extraction means 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.

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

   The truck-mount 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 out of your carpet. We use this method.

4. 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 teach their employees how to use them properly. This is why its important to choose your carpet cleaner carefully. The best cleaning companies are those that have techs that are certified by the IICRC.
5. Misconception #5: the Company That Offers the Lowest Price is the Company You Should Hire – I’ve seen so many problems arise from lowest-bid companies that I suggest you NEVER hire the company that quotes the cheapest price. The most common problem is: The price you see advertised might not be the price you pay. Many homeowners have learned that the low price they saw advertised lasted only until the cleaner got into their home. Then the consumer is pressured into paying a lot more for a variety of add-ons (some carpet cleaners use illegal bait and switch tactics).