Would you choose your carpet cleaner based on cost? Or on expertise? The most commonly asked question I am asked is: “How much do you charge?”
Whilst it is totally reasonable for anyone to be concerned what the cost implication might be, it isn’t the question that’s going to establish if the company you’re speaking to is qualified to do the job properly and safely. We all have a budget that we have to work to. At the same time, what might seem like the affordable option in the first instance can become the most expensive in the long run.
As an example: A few weeks back I was called to a young couple’s home. They had rented a DIY machine to clean their lounge/dining room carpet. It had developed a really bad smell a few days after they’d cleaned it. I carried out a few tests, and it soon became apparent that the carpet was developing mould and that the underlay was soaked and developing mould too. The carpet had to be pulled up and the underlay had to be replaced. I then had to treat, disinfect and clean the back of the carpet to get rid of any hazardous mould, and then repeat the process to the face fibres once the carpet had been re-laid. All of this could have been avoided by using a reputable, trained, and certified industry professional.
All carpet cleaners claim they are ‘fully trained’, ‘fully insured’, ‘professional’, etc. So how do you, the consumer, find out who you can trust?
So let’s take the first claim: Fully trained.
The first question you should ask is: Are you trained and certified by the National Carpet Cleaners Association?
If they reply “Yes”, then ask them for their membership number and you will immediately find out if they are an industry professional or not. The NCCA sets the standards for how the cleaning should be carried out, and the ethical business practices associated with carpet cleaning.
The second claim: Fully insured
Ask them about their insurance. Do you have treatment risk insurance? This insurance is the only type of insurance that fully covers both you the consumer, and the cleaning operative. This type of insurance is only available to certified industry professionals. Public Liability insurance does not qualify as ‘fully insured’. Anyone operating a business must have Public Liability Insurance, but this does not cover anyone for the work that’s being carried out. If you proceed to the quotation stage, you should ask to see their certificate of insurance.
The third claim: Professional
You could also ask if they work to Government endorsed standards. If so, then they will be members of the Government’s Trust Mark Scheme too. The NCCA and the Trust Mark Scheme are set up to train industry professionals, and to protect consumers from unethical cleaners. KD Cleaning Specialists are proud members of both
Another way to identify professionalism is to ask what method they will use to clean your carpet. Though the system of carpet cleaning is not the most important thing to know, an industry professional will only discuss what system he is planning to use when he has visited your property to carry out a proper in home survey. Anyone who gives a price over the telephone cannot possibly know what type of carpeting he is coming to clean, how much furniture there is to move, and how many stains there are that might require specialist treatment. All this affects the system of cleaning used and the price.
Finally, ask your professional carpet cleaner ‘how soon will my carpet be dry?’ This is important in order to avoid problems the young couple experience with mould. The answer very much depends upon soiling levels, carpet fibre type and construction, and the cleaning method used. Some can literally be dry in 30 minutes, and some can take a few hours to dry. Every situation is different and is also affected by the relative humidity on the day of cleaning.
Any professional carpet cleaner will discuss this with you when they conduct a home survey.
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