Most people will realize they need to have their carpets cleaned and will start the search to find the perfect company by looking for the cheapest carpet cleaning they can find. However, more often than not cheap carpet cleaning will leave you very discouraged and with a bad case of buyers remorse. You can provide yourself with some basic knowledge about how carpet cleaning works and save yourself some headaches down the road.
Everyone has seen the ads in the newspapers about carpet cleaning coupons. Many offer very cheap per room rates. Some are as cheap as $5.99 a room. Remember the old saying “if it seems to be too good to be true it probably is.” Many of the companies using this type of advertising are practicing bait & switch. This means they quote you these prices but when they arrive they aggressively try to up-sell you additional services or products. Some of these companies can border on bullying when it comes to trying to increase the ticket price.
There are reputable companies that offer cheap carpet cleaning prices; however, there is always a trade off when it comes to price versus value. The fact is that most cheap professional carpet cleaning companies are using subpar equipment that may not be providing anything more than you could achieve with a Rug Doctor. Much of this equipment will leave the carpets wet for days, even with proper use. An additional method of cutting corners to save on costs involves skipping important steps in the cleaning process. Many of these steps such as vacuuming, pre-spraying, and making extra dry passes are vital in the cleaning process.
So how do you find a reasonably priced carpet cleaner? The first step would be to ask friends and family members who they use. This will always result in the best candidates. If you are new to the area you can always try the local chamber of commerce. They will, however, only recommend paying members of their organization, so the cleaners you get may not necessarily be the best in the area. When contacting these companies by phone always ask plenty of questions to get a feel of how they do business. Ask about price but also ask what steps they follow in their cleaning process. Additionally, ask what cleaning process they use.
Cleaning carpet can be a confusing process. However, just remember that price does not always equal value, and the cheapest cleaner is rarely the best in an area. Always beware of the companies advertising extremely low prices. When in doubt do not be afraid pass on a cleaner. You best bet is to ask for referrals from people you know. If they are happy enough to recommend a cleaner to you, then your odds of receiving a great service with increase exponentially.
