Monarch Cleaning Services of Seattle

Seattle: 206-782-2994 Lynnwood: 425-774-1895 24 Hour Hotline: 206-633-6950

Six Misconceptions About Carpet Cleaning

Misconceptions
(Click on a Misconception to see its factual explanation).

"You should wait as long as possible to clean your carpet."
"The only reason to clean your carpets is to get the dirt."
"One method of carpet cleaning is as good as another."
"Having the right equipment is all that the company needs to clean your carpet properly."
"The company that offers the lowest price is the company that you should hire."
"Any honest carpet cleaning company should be able to give you an exact quote over the phone."

Misconception #1: "You should wait as long as possible to clean your carpet."

Fact: No. Dirt is an abrasive, like sandpaper. Every time you step on the carpet, you grind dirt into the carpet’s fibers. It cuts the carpet, just like you used a knife, causing it to wear out faster. A dirty carpet will not last nearly as long as a clean carpet. And while frequent vacuuming is an important part of proper carpet maintenance, by itself it’s simply not enough. The longer you wait to have your carpets cleaned, the more damage you will do to your carpet and the faster it will wear out.

Some have said that regular carpet cleaning puts unnecessary wear on the carpets. This is no more true then saying washing your clothes puts unnecessary wear on your clothes, so wear them as long as you can before washing. You know that if you do that, when you do finally clean them many of the spot and soil will be permanent. Where as, if you had cleaned them in a timely manner the spots most likely would have come out.

In fact most carpet manufacturers of carpet such as Shaw & Mohawk require hot water extraction every 12 to 18 months to maintain their warrantees. For environmental reasons, the EPA recommends that they be cleaned even more often then that.

Misconception #2: "The only reason to clean your carpets is to get the dirt."

Fact: No. In addition to dirt each and every day our carpets are subjected to cooking oils & smoke, skin cells, pet dander, food spills and more. Also, as you probably know, outdoor air contains pollens, fungus, bacteria, air pollution, cigarette smoke, car exhaust, and hundreds of other chemicals. Some of this may come in through doors and windows. What doesn’t come in this way comes in when you and your family members come into your home, you carry these pollutants, bacteria, pollens, and chemicals of various kinds on your hair, skin, clothing, as well as on your shoes, and it shouldn’t surprise you, then, that these things wind up in your carpet. If you have allergies, athsma, emphysema, or breathing problems one major problem could be those pollens, fungus and chemicals in your carpet.

Misconception #3: "One method of carpet cleaning is as good as another."

Fact: Actually, you can choose from two primary methods; dry cleaning, or hot water extraction.

Dry Cleaning Method

Many people believe that dry cleaning your carpet is like dry cleaning your clothing. But this isn’t true. Almost all carpet cleaning methods use water in one form or another, the term “Dry Cleaning” usually means that a very limited amount of moisture is used in the process. Here are the four most common types of dry cleaning you can do on your carpet.

Dry Foam	When a carpet cleaner uses dry foam, he applies shampoo to your carpet, allows it to dry, and then sucks it up dry with a vacuum cleaner. Can you image taking shampoo, putting it in your hair, letting it dry, and then removing it with a vacuum? This method can leave a residue in your carpet, which is one major reason dry foam is not an effective deep cleaning method.
Bonnet Method	The bonnet method is a similar method to dry foam. A shampoo solution is sprayed onto your carpet. Some companies call it a carbonated carpet cleaner. A large machine is used, with a bonnet or pad on the bottom. The machine spins the bonnet from side to side, absorbing the dirt from the carpet. After the bonnet is saturated with dirt, a clean bonnet is applied. This method cleans the surface of the carpet and in most cases will restore a clean appearance to a lightly soiled carpet but it is not designed to restore a heavily soiled carpet. The bonnet method can leave chemical residue which accumulates and in time can attract soil. This is an effective method for maintaining the appearance of the carpet between regular hot water extractions to remove deeply embedded soil and residue from the shampoo or carbonated cleaner. Like dry foam, it is not an effective deep cleaning method
Dry Compound	Another type of dry cleaning is dry compound, which is a matter of spreading an absorbent mixture all over your carpet. This kind of looks like wet sawdust or a light colored powder. The machine works this into your carpet and the dirt, is absorbed into the mixture. When the mixture has dried it is vacuumed up removing most of the mixture. This is an effective method when application of water in any form will damage the material being clean, such as in the case of Sisal rugs. Because the carpet is not rinsed, this method is not an effective deep cleaning method
Encapsulation	The fourth type of dry cleaning is called encapsulation. Like bonnet cleaning, this is an effect method for maintaining the appearance of the carpet, particularly in commercial carpets. Polymers allow shampoo residues to truly encapsulate remaining soils, usually in a crystalline structure. The crystallizing polymer encapsulates soil so it can be extracted with routine vacuuming. There is no sticky residue so it cannot attract soil. This is the method that Monarch Cleaning Services prefers to use to maintain the appearance of commercial carpeting between hot water extractions. As in the case of all of the previously mentioned dry cleaning methods, this method is not an effective deep cleaning method.

Hot Water Extraction

The second carpet cleaning method is called hot water extraction. This is a fancy way of saying that hot water solution under pressure is forced into the carpet fibers and then sucked out of the carpet. This method is also referred to as steam cleaning, even though steam is not used. Shaw Industry, the world’s largest manufacturer, recommends hot water extraction, and you can choose between two different types - portable extraction, which is done with a small machine, brought into your home, or truck mounted extraction, which means that a large cleaning machine is mounted is a truck or van.

It is not surprising that truck mounted cleaning is much better because it heats the water to a much higher temperature, and it shoots that hot water into the carpet fibers at a higher pressure. This breaks up the dirt, bacteria, and pollens. Even though a high volume of water is passed through the fibers, carpets dry much fast with the truck mounted machine as a result of its superior suction. To speed the drying even more, a high velocity fan should be moved from room to room as each room is cleaned. The truck mount method of cleaning is the method that Monarch Cleaning Services prefers to use. We will however employ the use of portable cleaning units where situations require it. As in the case of high rise buildings, for example.

Misconception #4: "Having the right equipment is all that the company needs to clean your carpet properly."

Not true. Many companies own hot water extraction machines, but a large number of employees have not been properly trained to use them. In addition to choosing a company whose employees are thoroughly trained on how to use the equipment properly, they should be trained in the proper use of chemicals to treat any situation and fiber type. Without proper training the cleaning professional may permanently damage your carpet or upholstery.

The best carpet cleaning companies are those who are certified by the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification, known an IICRC. A carpet cleaning company cannot buy this certification. The carpet cleaner must earn the certification through study, experience, and the successful completion of formal written examinations. Cleaning Professionals who are certified by IICRC have, in effect, earned a degree in carpet cleaning. The IICRC provides written credentials to the company that it certifies. So, before you choose a carpet cleaner, ask to see proof that the company is IICRC certified. Or you can verify the companies certifications at www.iicrc.org.

IICRC is an independent, non-profit certification body. Its mission is “to set and promote high standards and ethics; and to advance communication and technical proficiency within the cleaning, inspection and restoration industries.”

Monarch Cleaning Services is a company which has been certified by IICRC. A company cannot buy this certification. They cannot receive this certification by merely joining some group or franchise. Those who achieve this status as a “Certified Firm” have not only years of practical experience, but they must also complete a rigorous academic program followed by a 2 hour test.

Once certified they are required to keep their expertise at the highest level by attending training updates, various industry events and ongoing studies as well as practicing their trade in actual field work. Those who have achieved this level of expertise are at the top of their profession.

Misconception #5: "The company that offers the lowest price is the company that you should hire."

Fact: Maybe, but not usually. Here are some points to consider. First of all, the price that you are offered may not be for the services that you want performed. Before you select a company, decide what you want to accomplish. If you want the carpet cleaner to remove some of the dirt and give a clean appearance to your carpet, any company with a small shampooer or some other method can do that. Or for that matter, you could just rent a machine at the grocery store and do it yourself.

On the other hand, if you want your carpets thoroughly cleaned and you want to remove all the harmful dirt, bacteria, pollens, chemicals, and tobacco residue, then you need to hire a company that uses a hot water cleaner mounted in a truck. This is the only way to assure that your carpet remains healthy and free from dirt, disease causing bacteria, and harmful chemicals. So remember, the price you see offered may not be for the services you want performed.

The second point is that the price you see advertised may not be the price that you end up paying. Many homeowners have learned that the low price they thought was advertised was not what they were actually charged at the end. If you hired a carpet cleaner, you may have been the victim of false or misrepresented advertising. You have probably learned the hard way that some carpet cleaners offer a cheap price maybe you have heard of offers like $9.95 a room. Some cleaners will say that they will clean your entire house for $100, then they pressure you into paying much more once they get inside your home. Some of them even break the law by offering illegal “Bate & Switch” techniques. You may find that the rooms you want cleaned don’t “qualify” for this “special price.” As in all businesses and professions, the carpet cleaning industry has it’s share of bad apples. I take no delight in telling you this, but there are some who are unethical, and sadly a few are even dishonest by their misleading, false advertising and promises. Then, you’ll find carpet cleaners like myself, professionals who work hard to earn your trust and respect.

Misconception #6: "Any honest carpet cleaning company should be able to give you an exact quote over the phone."

Fact: I wish it was that easy, but it’s not. In my opinion, honest, reparable, carpet cleaning companies, usually price their carpet cleaning by the square foot. So, if you would like to know exactly what it is going to cost, I need to know the exact number of square feet that you want cleaned. To get an accurate measurement, we will use either a tape measure or a measuring wheel to calculate the exact size of each carpeted area. Now, you will be glad to know that the carpet area to be cleaned is usually not anywhere near as much as what people think. For example, if you want an entire home cleaned and that home is 2,000 square feet, the amount of carpeting to be cleaned might be as little as 1,200 square feet or less. This is because most home measurements are outdoor measurements. Plus, because we measure only the areas to be cleaned it would not include things like non-carpeted areas, the areas that walls take up, room dividers, and things like that, which may be included in the overall square footage of your home. The result is, the actual area to be cleaned is usually around 60 percent of the square footage of your home, maybe even less. Since we charge by the square foot, you pay only for areas we actually clean So, even though I cannot give you an exact price over the phone, here are a few things that I would take into consideration when giving a price:

First of all, since I charge by the square foot, I need to know exactly the size of each individual room that you want to have cleaned. Second, the amount and type of soiling. Most household soiling can be removed with our standard pre-spotting & pre-conditioning. However pet stains, wax, ink, large rust areas, food dyes such as Koolaid and wine sometimes require more time and special chemicals. Third, the amount of furniture that has to be moved. Our prices include moving most furniture. But if you would like us to move furniture that is unusually heavy or large, this could have to include extra labor. On the other hand, if the house is empty and we are not moving or working around furniture, such as in the case of a move-in or move-out, there will be a discount - you will save money.

Now, here are those eight questions that you should ask your carpet cleaner before you invite them into your home:

Question

      #1) What method of carpet cleaning do you recommend?
      #2) What type of equipment are you going to use?
      #3) What is does your equipment remove from my carpet?
      #4) How often should I get my carpets cleaned?
      #5) What training have you had in carpet cleaning?
      #6) Are you a member of any trade association? If so, which ones?
      #7) Is your firm, and the carpet cleaner who will come to my home certified by IICRC? Will he show me both certificates?
      #8) Do you guarantee your work? (Not all companies do.)

My Personal Guarantee!

I know that many consumers are skeptical about carpet cleaning. Before I got into the business, I was too. So, in addition to dedicating my business to consumer education, I do one more thing, I guarantee my work.

That’s right, I fully guarantee every carpet cleaning job we do. If you are not happy with our work you pay nothing, not one cent. Could there be anything more fair than that?

Once you’re satisfied that you’re working with an honest competent professional, invite him into your home and ask him for specific information in writing. A written quotation gives you the assurance that you know exactly what the job will cost, no surprises. By following these recommendations, you will gain all the information you need to make an informed, intelligent decision. If you want a quick carpet cleaning job, you can call just about any company for that.

But, if you want your carpets to be completely and thoroughly cleaned, removing all of the bacteria, fungus, chemicals, pollens, and tobacco products, then I ask you to invite me. I will be happy to answer any questions you have, provide you with a cost estimate over the phone, or come to your home and give you a free written quotation without any obligation.

Remember, you can reach me at our Seattle/Eastside number: (206) 782-2994 or Edmonds/Lynnwood number (425) 774-1895.

Thank you very much for the time you invested in reading/listening to this message, and I hope you found it helpful.

Misconceptions (Click on a Misconception to see its factual explanation).

Misconceptions
(Click on a Misconception to see its factual explanation).