Choosing a quality carpet cleaning company is not as easy as one would think.
Your homes carpet is one of the home best assets and hiring the right professional is key. Also, your carpet is the largest filter of the home and dirt, allergens and other contaminates can thrive if the carpet is not cleaned properly. Homeowners have lots of options when it comes to choosing the best carpet cleaning method for their home. Here are some tips to choosing the best carpet cleaner for your home.
“Steam” v “Dry” Cleaning:
Steam Cleaning or Hot Water Extraction is a method in which a cleaning detergent is sprayed onto the carpet and the hot water is used to remove the cleaning solution and all the dirt, grime and allergens in the carpet fiber and leaves little residue behind the in carpet. Some homeowners choose steam cleaning as they worry about the dry-cleaning chemicals affecting their health. Just keep in mind the only way to clean a carpet without chemicals is to simply vacuum it as technically even plain water is a chemical compound. Steam cleaning is the preferred method by carpet manufacturers and they advise that having your carpets steam cleaned by a professional annually is the best way to clean your carpets to stay incompliance with the carpet warranty. Dry cleaning’s claim is that the carpet is dry instantly. However, if steam cleaned by a professional on a truck mounted system, the carpet should only need a small window 3-5 hours to dry. The chemicals used in dry cleanings can often be harsh and have strong odors where as steam cleaning techniques use hot water to remove the detergent and allergens from your home and the chemicals used are safe to use around your family, pets and home.
Rental Steam Cleaning Machines v Professional Steam Cleaning:
If using a machine that you purchased or rented one from a store, be aware that the dry time will be considerably longer. After cleaning the carpet, make sure it is not walked on for 12-24 hours as it dries. Be advised that in some cases, the carpet can shrink after the leftover water dries. Another thing to be mindful of, is that if hot water is not used to rinse, the detergent or soap will stay in the carpet fibers and will act as a magnet for dirt and other contaminates and cleanings will have to be done more frequently. When your carpet is cleaned by a professional with a truck mounted system the dirt and other contaminates is removed from the carpet as well as the detergent leaving little reside. Also, the truck mounted system will provide a much faster dry time of 3-5 hours.
Remember, as with other industries, you get the service you pay for. Be cautious with discounted carpet cleaning companies. Of course, you want to save money but sometimes with these companies they try to upsell with charging additionally for stain removals or replacing the carpet. Keep in mind that typically quality carpet cleaning companies include stain removal, pre-pretreating the carpet and deodorizing. Here are some questions to ask when finding a carpet cleaning service:
What is included in the price?
For example, do they charge additionally for stains? EcoClean Restoration has a smiple and honest approach where our prices includes stain removal. If there is a scenario where an additional service like heavy scrubbing for extremely dirty carpet or pet treatment for urine smells/pet stains are needed then it would be discussed first with the homeowner. We recommend that if you have any questions or hesitations to have a free estimate done. Any quality carpet cleaner, like EcoClean Restoration will come out and do an in-home inspection and provide a written estimate based on various factors: square footage, carpet type and the condition of the carpet.
What kind of steam cleaning system is going to be used?
Tuck mounted systems are the preferred steam cleaning systems. With the truck mount higher temperatures more vacuum power can be achieved. At EcoClean Restoration we use our custom built truck mounted system for maximum power and maximum results.
Is there a satisfaction guarantee?
When looking for a carpet cleaner, ask if they have a satisfaction guarantee. At EcoClean Restoration we have a satisfaction guarantee. Quality is our priority, we strive to provide maximum results on every job.
Give us a call or book now if you have any questions or concerns on getting your carpets professionally steam cleaned! Quality work for an affordable price.
