Angie's List-Carpet Cleaning

January 25, 2013

Its hard to miss those commercials for low, low prices on carpet cleaning, but how many of them are too low to be true? In todays Angies List report, weve got the dirt on how to keep your carpet looking good longer without getting taken to the cleaners.

Carpets and rugs take a lot of wear and tear over time. Whether its children, pets or visitors your carpet captures all the dirt tracked into the house day after day, year after year. And that doesnt even take into account those accidents spilled wine, un-house broken pets and other spills and stains that come along.

A professional cleaning will help rid your home of hidden dust and allergens that regular vacuuming can miss. Just as important, it will help preserve carpet fibers and keep colors brighter. But getting this work done sometimes comes at too high a price because of disreputable companies who dangle get-in-the-door prices that dont generally hold up once you let the company inside your home. The two most common tactics:

Bait and Switch This is the offer to get your carpets cleaned for 5 to 10 dollars a room. Usually, the homeowner is told their carpet is in really bad shape and the offer didnt include pre-spray, deep cleaning and sometimes even using hot water all essential to a proper carpet cleaning. High-pressure sales This tactic preys on the homeowners desire to get the job done right. Homeowners are told there are some spots that need additional cleaning because of how dirty they are, and that without the extra attention, those areas of the floor will stand out and make the floor look bad.

Angies List tips to avoid getting scammed:

Insist on a written estimate that details all charges and read the fine print.

Dont guess if you dont understand anything on the estimate. Do they charge by the hour or square feet of the room? Are they going to charge you for the square feet where your master bed is that you just want cleaned around? Do you need to move your furniture or will they charge you to do that? Are all pre-sprays, and other tasks included or add-ons?

Your carpet cleaner should be certified by the IICRC (Institution of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification.) You can check at http://www.iicrc.org.

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Angie's List-Carpet Cleaning