Rip-off #1: Unbelievably low price
To some degree, all of us are attracted by low price because we want 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 and then, once they’re in your home, they pressure you into buying “extras.” It’s as if you were buying a car and found that the dealer was charging you extra for tires and steering wheel. Carpet cleaning done correctly is not as cheap as some unethical carpet cleaners would like you to believe. At Expert Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning, we’re committed to excellence in our work and personal integrity. We produced this information so that you would be fully informed about carpet care BEFORE you have service people in your home. You WILL get the best cleaning you’ve ever seen-and you’ll get it at a reasonable price.
Rip-off #2: Bait and switch
Unfortunately, unethical carpet cleaners often use a bait and switch technique. Here’s how it’s done: first, they “bait” you with a super low-price basic cleaning at an unbelievably low price. Then, when you call, they try to “switch” you to the more expensive
cleaning. If you don’t fall for their switch and opt for their basic service, you’ll likely receive poor workmanship using little effort, and they will not guarantee their work.
Rip-off #3: Unsupported claims, such as “Our method is the best.”
You’ll read this in almost every ad and hear this from virtually every carpet cleaner. But 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 6 to 8 hours to dry isn’t for you. So before you choose a carpet cleaner, identify your objectives. Then select the method that best reaches those objectives.
Rip-off #4: Outdated beliefs, such as “Hot water ruins your carpet.”
Years ago, many people believed this was true because their carpets were damaged by hot water, by workers who didn’t know how to clean properly. Our company uses highly trained technicians using high volume extraction equipment that removes 94%+ of the used water. By washing and then rinsing your carpet with hot water, your carpet is thoroughly cleaned-in the same way that a 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 cleaning company will be biased toward its own cleaning method. And each method does have advantages. We suggest that you look at what the manufacturers have to say. Shaw Industries, the largest carpet manufacturer in the world, recommends our hot water extraction process for cleaning carpets. See what the warranty for your particular carpeting requires in order to keep the warranty in effect.
