Q: Why do some carpet cleaners advertise extremely low prices and when they arrive to clean my carpets they always charge me extra?
A: This is an old trick called bait and switch. Put simply, they want you to book with them so they make the price too good to refuse. When the cleaner arrives at your home you will be told that you need to pay for a whole bunch of extra stuff like extra treatment for stain removal, extra for an industrial clean, extra for medium to heavy soiling, extra for deodorising, extra because the price you were quoted was for very small rooms, extra for sanitising, extra for scotch guarding and the list goes on and on. A professional carpet cleaner in Glasgow (even at the risk of losing your business by telling you the truth and the real price upfront) will include any spot and stain removal, heavy soiling, deodorising…etc in the price quoted over the phone.
Q: I’ve heard that once you clean a carpet it gets dirty quicker. Is that true?
A: Not with the two-step Deep Clean system. The residue that gets left behind in the carpet from inferior carpet cleaning processes is what causes rapid re-soiling. A two-step deep cleaning process uses pressurized hot water and advanced cleaning agents to loosen soil. Then a professional technician utilises expensive truck-mounted equipment he or she will remove the dirt and the cleaning solution with a pH-balancing rinse and use the powerful vacuuming, leaving your carpet soft, clean and free from dirt-attracting residue.
Q: When you clean my carpet, does the underlay or sub-floor get wet?
A: No. While the Two-Step Deep Clean system does use a very powerful, deep-cleaning fibre rinse, the system extracts the rinse, the cleaning solution and the dirt very effectively in the same step. That gets your carpets as clean as possible while leaving your underlay and sub-floor dry.
Q: How long will it take my carpet to dry?
A: Factors like carpet material and type, and the relative humidity in your home affect the drying time. It can take from 3 to 24 hours to be completely dry, (in some rare cases a little longer) but you can walk on it right after cleaning, if necessary. Ask about special shoe covers. The biggest con here is where a carpet cleaner will tell you over the phone that your carpets will dry in two hours. Nothing could be further from the truth unless you are having your carpets dry cleaned of paying extra for drying equipment to be installed in your home. Try and not fall for the sneaky tricks used time and time again by sneaky con artists.
Q: Why is the 2-step hot water extraction the method most carpet makers recommend?
A: In order to get anything truly clean, you need to use water to flush out the cleaning agents and dirt. Hot water extraction is the method that uses a flushing process to remove dirt. (Imagine washing your clothes and not rinsing them. That’s what happens to carpets cleaned without the hot water extraction method.) A two-step deep clean system uses a two-step cleaning process: a pre-conditioning cleaning spray to loosen soil and a combination hot water fibre rinse and a powerful vacuum to extract and remove both the cleaning solution and the dirt. If your carpet cleaner has invested in a good quality truck mounted petrol driven machine then they have completed step one of doing a good and honest carpet cleaning job. The second thing they will need to be doing is the willingness to work hard to earn your trust and genuinely want to give you their very best. If the carpet cleaner looks like they are rushing the job you know their willingness is not up to scratch.
Q: I’ve heard water can ruin carpets. Is that true?
A: Yes and No. What harms carpet is poor quality machinery that doesn’t remove enough of the water to allow the carpet to go through the drying process properly. When I was cleaning carpets and doing things according to the standards I never ruined one single carpet in over sixteen years. If your cleaning professional does the right thing you will have nothing to worry about. Remember the largest carpet manufacturer of carpet in the world (shore industries) recommends hot water extraction only when it comes time to clean your carpets.
Q: Does Carpet Protector really work?
A: Absolutely. Carpet protector is an outstanding product that genuine carpet & upholstery care professionals recommend highly. In fact, most new carpet has a protector on it – applied by the carpet manufacturer. However, protector wears off because of foot traffic on the carpet, frequent vacuuming, etc. Also, it can sometimes have a less than good reputation because of the number of un-certified and under-qualified carpet cleaners applying protector that has been massively watered down. If the price appears too good to be true when investing in carpet or upholstery protector then you can bet it is being watered down way too much.
Q: Why is vacuuming important?
A: The most important thing you can do to keep your carpet looking great is to vacuum it thoroughly and frequently, particularly in high-traffic areas. Vacuuming helps remove dirt particles which dull the carpet’s appearance and damage the carpet fibres. Be sure to use a vacuum cleaner that utilises a turbo head. Also, use walk-off mats at entrances to minimize dirt particles being tracked onto the carpet and to reduce soil accumulation. Also see the Consumer Warning found at the carpet cleaning consumer guides website.
Q: I know regular vacuuming is important. What type of vacuum should I use?
A: A good vacuum cleaner is extremely important in prolonging the life of your carpet. Almost any vacuum cleaner can remove surface dirt, but only a quality machine can effectively remove the soil that’s embedded in the pile. We recommend using a vacuum cleaner with a rotating brush or beater/brush combination that agitates the carpet pile to loosen embedded soil. (Note that some thick loop pile carpets can become fuzzy when cleaned with a rotating brush-style vacuum cleaner. For those carpets, we recommend a good quality suction-only machine. Ask a genuine carpet technician for advice.)
Q: How can I maintain my new carpet warranty?
Q: Why is professional cleaning important?
A: There are three key things to do to maintain your new carpet warranty:
1. Vacuum frequently
2. Clean spills promptly
3. Have periodic professional carpet cleanings
Q: How often should my carpet be cleaned?
A: When vacuuming no longer removes all of the soil or you have not been able to remove spots following the recommended carpet care and cleaning procedures, it’s time to have your carpet cleaned by a trained and qualified professional carpet cleaner. At the carpet cleaning consumer guide, we know the latest information on carpet construction, carpet care products, and safe, effective cleaning methods to help maintain carpet beauty. For this reason, we recommend, and most carpet manufacturers’ warranties require periodic professional cleaning.
A: We recommend professional cleaning at least every 12 months.
Q: I’ve heard it’s best to put off having your carpet cleaned as long as possible, is this true?
A: No. In fact, many of the major carpet mills today recommend professional cleaning at least once per year. The build-up of soil in your carpet in combination with foot traffic creates abrasion that breaks down your carpets’ fibres. The higher the traffic in a given area, the more germs and bacteria and the more often the carpet will need cleaning.
Q: Will the Deep Clean system shrink my carpet?
A: No. Years ago, some carpets would shrink when cleaned because manufacturers used jute as a backing. Jute is a natural fibre that can shrink when it gets excessively wet, and old steam-cleaning equipment would sometimes cause that kind of over-wetting. Today, nearly all carpet has a synthetic backing, which helps prevent shrinking. In addition, powerful and expensive truck mounted extraction equipment helps prevent the carpet backing from getting excessively wet.