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Carpet Cleaning Warning
How to avoid Carpet Cleaning Scams!
#1 UNBELIEVABLY LOW PRICE.
We are all attracted by a low price because we are trying 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 $5.95 and $11.95 per room-and then, once they're in your home, they pressure you into buying "add-ons." It's as if you were buying a home and found the Realtor was charging you extra for a front door and roof. CARPET CLEANING IS NOT AS CHEAP AS SOME UNSCRUPULOUS CARPET CLEANERS WOULD LIKE YOU TO BELIEVE. #2 BAIT AND SWITCH. Dual process carpet cleaning describes the process of shampooing or heavy preconditioning, followed with hot water extraction cleaning. Unfortunately, uninformed 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) at 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. #3 UNSUPPORTED CLAIMS. "THIS CLEANING METHOD IS THE 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 dries quickly, then a method that takes a long time to dry 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. #4 OUTDATED BELIEFS.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 the 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 towards 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 Certified IICRC Technicians Carpet Cleaning Scams Like every industry, the carpet cleaning industry has its share of bad companies. Although the majority of the companies are honest, there are some that are looking to scam the consumer. This article will help you identify the unethical carpet cleaners and help you avoid getting ripped off by a scam. Bait and Switch
This is the classic carpet cleaning rip-off. In this scam, the customer is lured in by a ridiculously low priced carpet cleaning. Often the advertisement you read will offer carpet cleaning in the neighborhood of $5 per room. There is no way that a company can be profitable selling its services that low. But the companies usually have no intention of leaving your home with only the advertised amount. So how do they increase the bill after you have taken the "bait" of the low price? Preconditioning Scam One way they will increase the bill is by selling you preconditioning. Most legitimate companies include this in their pricing. That low price they offered probably didn't include it. It may have been $5 per room to clean it with water only but pre-conditioning will cost you an additional 25 cents per square foot. Considering an average room size of 150 square feet, that would be $37.50 per room extra. So a 5 room home would go from the advertised carpet cleaning price of $25 to $212.50. Quite a difference. But what if you just refuse to pay for the pre-conditioning? Chances are you will get a substandard cleaning or a rush job, but their is another way that they can try to force you into paying for the pre-conditioning. They may offer to do a demo for you. This isn't necessarily bad, many good carpet cleaning companies do demos. What Bait and Switch companies will do however is clean an area in a highly visible area. If you decide to not pay for the extra service, you will have an extra clean spot in the middle of your carpet that will stick out like a sore thumb. By doing this you are forced to pay the extra price. Extra Room Scam Another way for Bait and Switch companies to increase their bill is through extra room charges. If you use a coupon, you must read the fine print. Some companies will charge extra for rooms over 100 square feet of carpet for example. It is hard to find a room in a typical home under that square footage, so that means the typical room will count as two and the typical living room or family room will count as three or even four rooms. @ @ |