The Most Thorough Carpet Cleaning Ever, Or It's FREE!

Consumer Insiders Guide to Carpet Cleaning

How do you distinguish one carpet cleaning company from another?

We wrote this guide to help you make an informed decision when hiring a carpet cleaning company.

In this fact-filled booklet, you'll discover how to avoid Six Costly Misconceptions about Carpet Cleaning, Four Steps to Extraordinary Carpet Care, and Seven Questions you should ask a carpet cleaner before inviting them into your home.

MISCONCEPTION #1:

You should wait as long as possible before cleaning your carpet.

No. Dirt is an abrasive-like sandpaper. Every time you step on your carpet, you grind dirt into the carpet fibers. This cuts your carpet, just as if you had used a knife. A dirty carpet will not last as long as a clean carpet. And while vacuuming helps–by itself, it’s simply not enough. The longer you wait to have your carpet cleaned, the more damage you do to your carpet and the faster it wears out.

MISCONCEPTION #2:

The only reason to clean carpets is to remove the dirt.

No. As you probably know, outdoor air contains pollens, fungus, bacteria, air pollution, cigarette smoke, car exhaust – and hundreds of other chemicals. When you come into your home, you carry those pollens, bacteria and chemicals in your hair and on your skin, clothing and shoes. Not surprisingly, all those chemicals and toxins wind up in your carpet.
If you have allergies, asthma, emphysema, or other breathing problems – one major source of your problem could be the pollens, fungus, smoke and chemicals in your carpet.

MISCONCEPTION #3:

One method of carper cleaning is as good as another.

No. There are two types of cleaning that carpet cleaners offer: Dry Cleaning and Hot Water Extraction.

Below are different types of Dry Cleaning methods:

Dry foam: The carpet cleaner applies shampoo to your carpet, allows it to dry, and then, without rinsing, sucks the dried shampoo into a vacuum. Can you imagine applying shampoo to your hair, allowing it to dry and then removing the shampoo from your head with a vacuum? This method leaves dirty residue in your carpet, which is one reason dry foam is not too effective.
Absorbent pad (bonnet cleaning): This method is similar to dry foam, except that the company sets a large cotton bonnet on your carpet and with a floor polishing buffer machine on top “buffs” the carpet. The rotating motion causes the bonnet to absorb dirt from your carpet. This method is also called bonnet cleaning. Bonnet cleaning is like trying to use a large cotton towel or mop to rub the dirt out of your carpet. It’s not very effective.
Dry, absorbent powder: The dry-compound method spreads a moist, absorbent powder through the carpet. The powder is allowed to dry and then sucked into a vacuum. This method leaves dry sponge particles at the base of the carpet yarn. And because the carpet is not rinsed, this method is not very effective.

 

Our Method

Hot water extraction: With this process hot water solution is sprayed at high pressure into the carpet and simultaneously sucked out of the carpet. This method is also referred to as carpet steam cleaning even though steam is not used.

Shaw Industries, the worlds largest carpet manufacturer, recommends hot water extraction from a truck-mounted unit, and using a portable unit only in areas where the truck-mounted unit won't reach.

Not surprisingly, truck-mounted extraction cleans better because it heats up the water.

Once water heats up to 118 degrees, every 18 degree increase in temperature doubles the water's cleaning ability.

A truck mounted cleaning process begins when detergent mixed with very hot water is sprayed at high pressure into the carpet to break down the soils. After providing sufficient dwell time for the detergent to work, hot water mixed with a fiber rinse is sprayed and simultaneously vacuumed out of the carpet. The process of spraying and vacuuming with a fiber rinse flushes out the carpet, neutralizes the detergent, and leaves your carpet pH balanced.

P.S. This process should be part of a multi-step cleaning process, like our 11-Step Carpet Cleaning Process.

No question, the most effective way to clean carpeting is with a hot-water unit. It's the most powerful cleaning machine on the market and the only machine that cleans your carpet of dirt, harmful bacteria, fungus, chemicals, pollens, tobacco residue and dust mites.

Some people believe that hot water damages your carpet, but this isn't true. By washing and then rinsing your carpet with hot water, we clean your carpet completely in the same way that the person who showers and then rinses off the dirt and soap will be much cleaner than the person who takes only a sponge bath.

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MISCONCEPTION #4:

Having the right equipment is all a company needs to clean your carpets properly.

Not true. Many companies own hot-water cleaners but very few companies teach their employees how to use them properly. This is why it’s important that you choose your carpet cleaner carefully.

The best cleaning companies are those that have been certified by the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification, known as the IICRC. Before you choose a carpet cleaner, ask to see written proof of the company’s IICRC certification and also the certification of the technician who is going to do the job! If they don’t have them, don’t use them!

 

MISCONCEPTION #5:

The company that offers the lowest price is the company you should hire.

Maybe - but not always


Pont 1: The price may not be for the services you want performed. The company may be equipped to remove only the dirt from your carpet. But you may want bacteria, fungus, pollens, dust mites and tobacco residues removed as well.
 

Point 2: The price you see advertised may not be the price you pay.

Many homeowners have learned that the low price they saw advertised only lasted until the carpet cleaner got into their home. The cleaner offered a cheap price usually between $3.95 and $9.95 per room and then, once they're in your home, they pressure you into buying add-ons. It's as if you were buying a car and found that the dealer was charging you extra for the tires and steering wheel.

As in all businesses and professions, the carpet cleaning industry has its share of bad apples. I take no pleasure in telling you this, but some are unethical, and sadly a few are dishonest. By their misleading advertising and false promises, they cast a dark shadow on our entire industry.

Then you'll find other carpet cleaners - professionals like me who work hard to earn your trust and respect.

As a way of improving our profession, I've dedicated my business to educating the public. The only way you can make an intelligent decision is to have all the facts you need. This is why I've printed this message.

 

MISCONCEPTION #6:

Any honest carpet cleaning company should be able to give you an exact price quote over the telephone.

I wish this were true, but it isn’t.
Honest, reputable carpet cleaning companies almost never price carpet cleaning by the room. Instead, carpet cleaning is usually priced by the square foot. So if you’d like me to tell you the exact cost of cleaning your carpet, I need to know the exact number of square feet that you want cleaned. To get an accurate measurement, I use a digital laser tape measure to calculate the exact size of the carpet area.

To give you an idea of how we estimate the cost of cleaning, here are the three things we consider:
First, the type of carpet. Certain types of carpet are harder to clean than other types.
Secondly, the amount of soiling. Carpet that hasn’t been cleaned for ten years will take longer to clean than carpet that we cleaned within the last six months.
Third, the amount of furniture we have to move. If you move your furniture, you’ll save money.

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4 Steps to Extraordinary Carpet Care

STEP #1:

Make a commitment to yourself to get your carpets cleaned. The longer they remain dirty, the sooner they’ll wear out. Plus, the longer you have to breathe all the pollen, fungus and chemicals that hid in your carpet.

STEP #2:

List your objectives. Do you want only the dirt removed, something you could do with a rented shampooer? Or do you want all the bacteria, fungus, chemicals and dust mites removed, which will require a hot water truck-mount cleaner, as we use? Do you want to work with an honest, reputable company or are you willing to risk working with the company that offers you the lowest price knowing that the company might not be in business tomorrow?

STEP #3:

Ask questions. The way you learn about a company is to ask specific questions and listen carefully to the answers. Here are 7 tough questions to ask a carpet cleaner before he begins to clean your carpet:

1. What method of carpet cleaning do you recommend?
2. What type of equipment do you use to clean carpet?
3. What will your equipment remove from my carpet?
4. How often should I get my carpets cleaned?
5. What training have you had in cleaning carpets?
6. Are you certified by the IICRC and will you show me your certification certificates?
7. Are your cleaning technicians certified by the IICRC and can I see their certifications?

STEP #4:

Once you’re satisfied that you’re working with an honest, competent professional, invite him into your home and ask for a specific quotation in writing. A written quotation gives you the assurance that you know exactly what your job will cost – no surprises.

By following these four steps, you’ll gain all the information you need to make an informed, intelligent decision. If you want a quick, cheap carpet cleaning job, many companies in the phone book can help you. Or you can rent a shampooer from the grocery store and do the job yourself.

But if you want your carpeting to be completely and healthfully cleaned – removing the bacteria, fungus, chemicals, pollens, and tobacco products – then we invite you to call us.

We’ll be happy to answer your questions – provide you with a cost estimate over the telephone – or come into your home and give you a free written quotation – without cost or obligation of any kind. To reach us, call 503-922-4875 or 360-901-8686

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Risk FREE Guarantee Carpet Cleaning

At Sean's Carpet Care, we take our service and earning your business seriously.

Nothing is more important than your complete and total satisfaction. If for any reason you are unhappy, we'll...
1) Come back and re-clean the area FREE of charge. Then, if you are still
not satisfied we'll...
2) Simply refund your money

This plan guarantees to save you time and frustration…

When You Hire Us There is NO RISK! ! !


How can we make such an offer? Well, we work very hard to meet all of your expectations.

No other company can get your carpets cleaner. We are professionally trained by IICRC. Because we feel nothing is more important than you and your total satisfaction.

Even one unsatisfied customer is too many for us.

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To schedule a FREE No Obligation in-home Carpet Audit  

 

Call 503-922-4875 or 360-901-8686

Serving Portland, Vancouver, WA, Tigard, Beaverton, Damascus, Happy Valley, Hillsboro, Gresham, Clackamas, and Lake Oswego, and other areas.

Professional Residential & Commercial Cleaning Services