The Truth behind Carpet Cleaning Offers
Think Twice Before Calling for Carpet Cleaning
I cannot tell you how many times I receive coupons in the mail for great deals on carpet cleaning. I have four cats, a German shepherd, a border collie and a few kids. I can’t even tell you how much havoc they wreck on my carpet. The border collie is great. She knows to stay on the mat until I am able to dry her paws when it’s rainy and muddy out. The shepherd, on the other hand, makes a game of running in from the mud onto my beige carpeting before I can catch her with a towel. My kids also test the limits of our carpet by forgetting to take their shoes off when they come in the door. Needless to say, those carpet cleaning deals look pretty good by the end of the year.
What’s the Deal with the Carpet Cleaning Deals?
At the beginning of each year I get my carpet cleaned professionally. By the end of the year my light beige carpet has more than a couple of traces of the battles I fight with the pets and the kids. When it’s time for the annual carpet cleaning, I have two choices. I can go with one of the companies who have recently sent me an offer to clean four rooms for less than fifty dollars or I can go with the company who routinely charges me for each square foot of carpeting cleaned.
A person focused purely on initial price estimates would go with the company offering the carpet cleaning coupon. In fact, I did exactly that one year. I learned my lesson. Sure, they were willing to do four rooms for less than fifty bucks, but then I had to pay extra for pretreatment, deodorizing, protective spray, the carpeting in the closets and the trouble they went through to move my furniture. In the long run, I spent more than I would have with the company that charges me by the square foot.
What to Do
So what do you do if you need your carpets cleaned? If you’re going to hire a company to do the carpet cleaning for you, make sure you hire one that’s reputable. If you know a real estate agent, give them a call and ask who they would recommend. In my experience, real estate agents are a great resource when it comes to find reputable and competent carpet cleaning operations.
If you find you can’t afford the actual cost of carpet cleaning services, think about doing it yourself. There is probably a business near you that rents out carpet cleaning equipment. Sure, it’ll take some time and elbow grease, but it can save you quite a bit of money in the long run.
Comments
I haven't needed carpet cleaning services for years (wood floors) but have carpet in a bedroom that needed cleaning and had no idea who to call. I used Sears and have no complaint, they were on time and did a good job!
Posted by: Dianne Smith | September 1, 2006 8:19 AM
I clean my own carpets because when I have had it done professionally it seems to get dirty really quickly afterwards. It seems not all the soap residue is removed and that attracts dirt. By doing it myself with a good shampooer I can go over it afterwards with a mixture of hot water and white vinegar. The white vinegar neutralizes the soap and it all rinses out so my rugs stay clean longer.
Posted by: Mary | September 1, 2006 9:14 AM