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Home > Newsletter > How to Avoid Four Carpet Cleaning Rip-Offs RIP-OFF #1: UNBELIEVELY LOW PRICES. To some degree, all of us are attracted by low prices because we want to work within a budget. But, some carpet cleaners use price as the bait for their false and misleading advertising. They offer 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. Carpet cleaning is not as cheap as some unethical carpet cleaners would like you to believe. RIP-OFF #2: BAIT AND SWITCH. Dual process carpet cleaning describes the process of shampooing or heavy preconditioning, followed with hot water extraction cleaning. Unfortunately, unethical carpet cleaners often use dual process as a bait-and-switch technique. Here's how it's done: First, they "bait" you with a basic cleaning (single process) at an unbelievably low price. Then, when you call, they try to "switch" you to more expensive dual-process cleaning. If you don't fall for their switch and choose their basic service, you'll likely receive poor workmanship using little or no chemicals and they will not guarantee their work. RIP-OFF #3: UNSUPPORTED CLAIMS. "THIS CLEANING METHOD IS THE BEST." You'll read this in almost every ad. You'll hear this from virtually every carpet cleaner. Remember this: The method that's best for you is the method that achieves your goal. If you want a method that dries quickly, then a method that takes a long time to dry isn't the best choice for you. Before you choose a carpet cleaning method, identify your objectives, then select the method that best reaches those objectives. RIP-OFF #4: OUTDATED BELIEFS. "HOW WATER DAMAGES YOUR CARPET." Years ago, many people believed this was true because their carpets were damaged by "technicians" who didn't know how to properly clean using hot water. But today, we know it's false. By washing and then rinsing your carpet with hot water, your carpet is thoroughly cleaned-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. Obviously, each carpet cleaner will be biased toward his own method, and each method will have advantages. I suggest you look to what carpet manufacturers say. Shaw Industries, the largest carpet manufacturer in the world, recommends hot water extraction. |
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The Tu's Group Inc. |