Ultimate Checklist for Hiring a Commercial Carpet Cleaner
Commercial carpet cleaning requires a significant investment. You want to keep your carpet in ideal condition for as long as possible. The longer you can keep your carpet clean and healthy, the greater the return you can achieve from your investment.
As a property manager or facility manager, it’s your job to make the right choices to maximize the longevity of your carpet. A key part of that is choosing the right carpet cleaner. A high-quality team of commercial carpet cleaning experts can add years of extra life to your carpet, enabling you to get more from your investment.
But how do you know which carpet-cleaning company is the best choice? Far too often businesses only consider the cost and hire a carpet cleaning company based on the lowest price. And while price should certainly be a factor, it shouldn’t be the only one you consider when hiring.
We like to say there are five telling factors when choosing a commercial carpet cleaner. Understanding these areas and asking the right questions will ensure you choose a commercial carpet cleaner that will partner with you to protect your flooring investment.
Carpet Cleaning Chemicals
There are thousands of different chemicals for cleaning commercial carpets. Using the wrong chemicals for your type of carpet can cause damage when applied frequently over time.
Chemicals with optical brighteners or a high alkaline level can eventually cause fading, yellowing, or discoloration. Make sure you ask ahead of time about the chemicals a cleaner will use and if they can have any potential negative effects on the long-term life of your carpet.
Ask your carpet cleaner upfront about why they use the chemicals they use and also look for cleaners that use solutions with green certifications.
It’s also a good idea to test the chemicals that will be used on your carpet. The first thing we recommend is pouring a tablespoon of the undiluted, cleaning chemistry into a plastic dish or cup and allow it to dry. Once the chemical has dried, you want to make sure there’s no residue in the cup or dish. That means the chemicals won’t leave any residue on your carpet.
It’s also a good idea to ask the carpet cleaners you are considering to test their chemicals small area of the carpet to ensure it doesn’t leave cause any other adverse reactions. For instance, we offer a free demo for potential clients so you can “try before you buy.”
Carpet Cleaning Method
There are several different methods for cleaning carpets. Depending on the type of carpet you have, the wrong method can damage your carpet.
The dry (powder) method can yellow some carpets. Extraction, which uses a lot of water, can lead to degradation of the carpet’s construction. The Bonnet Method of cleaning will actually void many manufacturer warranties. The best carpet cleaners use low-moisture carpet cleaning because it does the least damage to your carpet.
Make sure you know what method your carpet cleaner will be using and any potential risks or downsides of that method for your carpet and your building. Check out our comparison of the various different carpet cleaning methods here to help you evaluate your options.
Cleaning Expertise
Just as important as the equipment being used are the people using it. If the people cleaning your carpets don’t have a strong understanding of how different chemicals affect different carpet types, or how to properly use their equipment, it can be bad news for your carpet.
For example, an unskilled carpet-cleaning technician can leave too much water in your carpet or leave a chemical residue behind. This can lead to microbial growth (allergens), stains quickly reappearing, and long-term breakdown of your carpet.
Make sure you always have trained, experienced and certified technicians cleaning your carpets. Check to ensure the commercial carpet cleaning professionals you choose are certified by The Carpet & Rug Institute.
Customer Care
One final point is the level of customer care that the company provides. Sometimes you don’t really know this until after you’ve worked with a company, but you can typically get a sense of a company’s commitment and passion for the job upfront.
It’s also not a bad idea to ask about some of their other customers as a reference. Do they have customer testimonials they are willing to share or are posted on their website?
Pay attention to the little clues that can give you insight into the level of customer care you will receive.
Value Added Services
While methods and equipment may vary, every company will clean your carpet in some way. Do they offer any additional value that sets them apart? Sometimes the extras a company offers can make a big difference.
It may be standard for one company to apply a fiber shield with each cleaning to protect your carpet from future staining. That could be something other companies don’t offer. Likewise, one company may include spot cleaning and repairs (cutting snags to prevent unraveling, etc.) within their standard service package, while another company does not. DPM Care offers both of these services with our carpet cleanings.
Factor in the extras a company offers when gauging the overall quality and value of carpet cleaning services.
When It Comes to Carpet Cleaning, Seeing Is Believing
The best way to find the right carpet cleaning company is to vet several at once. Look into the most promising cleaners based on the services they offer and they’re reputation. To help you vet various commercial carpet cleaners, we consolidated the points above into a simple questionnaire you can use when talking to potential partners. You can use the questions below or download our commercial carpet cleaning vetting checklist right here.
Before you select carpet cleaning partner, get a demo. Most commercial carpet cleaners will provide a free demonstration of their cleaning method before you commit. This enables to you check out their services with minimal risk. You get to see the best they have to offer in order to win your business. Always try before you buy.
We hope this helps you find the right commercial carpet cleaner for your business!
Ultimate Commercial Carpet Cleaning Vetting Checklist
Company Name:
Carpet Cleaning Chemicals
What kind of chemicals do you use on carpets?
Why do you use this kind of chemical?
Do your chemicals use optical brighteners?
Do you use cleaners with green cleaning certifications?
Do you offer a free demo or test to ensure the chemicals won’t damage our carpet?
Carpet Cleaning Method
What carpet cleaning method do you use and why?
How long will this cleaning method take to dry?
How will this cleaning method impact the lifespan of my carpet?
Carpet Cleaning Expertise
How long have you been in business?
How much training do your technicians receive before cleaning carpets?
Is your company certified by the Carpet & Rug Institute?
Value-Added Services
What additional services do you provide with your carpet cleaning services (i.e. spot cleaning, carpet repair, fiber shield, etc.)?
What do you offer that sets your company apart from others?
Customer Care
Who would be our main point of contact?
Have you worked with companies similar to ours?
Can you provide a list of references?
What happens if we are ever unsatisfied with a cleaning?
Pricing
What is your price per square foot and what is included with that price?
How often will you clean?