Choosing the Right Carpet Cleaner

Choosing the right Carpet Cleaner

Take some time to ring at least 3 different carpet cleaners, and ask them similar questions to the ones below to make sure you’re getting a professional in your home.

  • Are you a member of an accredited association?
    National trade associations provide training for their members and have a voluntary code of practice. If you’re not getting the desired result from your carpet cleaner, you can contact the association that they are a member of for their help. Associations include:

  • How much do you charge?
    Price shouldn’t be the main factor when choosing a carpet cleaner, however if the carpet cleaner is charging a very low price, be a little bit more cautious. In the end you do get what you pay for.

    • Carpet cleaners should give you a fairly good idea of pricing over the phone, but may need to inspect your premises first to give a more accurate quote. Make sure that you give an adequate description of your entire home, providing such information as if you have pets, if the house is furnished, or if there are any specific stains or areas which require attention.
    • Most cleaners charge by the ‘standard’ room, which can be as low as $20. Other carpet cleaners prefer to quote by the square meter, which can start for around $4.00 per square meter, but as each home is different, it is difficult to have standard pricing accross the board.
    • Included in the price should be basic spot removal, pre-vacuuming and moving furniture (with the exception of large or delicate items). The company may offer extras such as deodorising, sanitising (meant to kill bacteria) and carpet protection (which forms a protective but not impenetrable layer on your carpet).
You’ll almost certainly come across the old ‘bait and switch‘ technique in the carpet cleaning industry. It happens when a company will charge a low price – as low as $5 a room – just to get their foot in the door. Then once they are there, they try and convince you that you need extras, such as spot removal or sanitising until you are paying well over the original quote.

 

  • What guarantees do you offer?
    Companies should offer workmanship guarantees in writing so if you are not satisfied with their work, or they damage your carpets, they will be more likely to correct their mistakes.
  • Do you have insurance?
    The company should have public liability insurance to cover the cost in the unlikely event of any damage done.
  • How long will it take to clean my home?
    • This will obviously depend on how big your home is, as well as the method used and how much furniture needs to be moved, but as an estimate, allow at least 3-4 hours.
    • The other time-based factor to consider with carpet cleaning is the carpet drying time.
      This will also vary but for hot water extraction (also known as steam cleaning) it shouldn’t take longer than 6 – 8 hours with proper ventilation If it takes longer than 24 hours to dry, too much water has been left in your carpet.

Comments are closed.