Read almost every ad from just about every professional cleaner and you will read about how their process or method is the best and they have the best service. We all know you can’t always trust what a company says about themselves. What are some red flags that should make you run for the door? Here are some things to be wary of.
1) Misleading claims – I was reading in one company’s advertising that their equipment was exclusively endorsed by the carpet manufacturers like Shaw Industries. This made it sound like they had special equipment that other cleaners don’t have. In truth, Shaw Industries recommends Truck Mounted Hot Water Extraction because their research indicates that it provides the best capability for cleaning. You can read this in their carpet care guides and technical bulletins. Most professional carpet cleaners use this method to clean carpets so to say that your equipment is exclusively endorsed by Shaw industries is somewhat misleading.
2) Disguising their cleaning process – The same cleaner mentioned in the the prior paragraph calls their cleaning “High Flow Cleaning”. Then they proceed to describe their “unique” cleaning process and how different it is from everyone else. What they describe is Hot Water Extraction. So after reading their advertising you think they have some new and special way of cleaning when in actuality it is the same method used by the majority of carpet cleaners. Another company in our area (Hampden County, MA) claims they have a new revolutionary way of cleaning called “Circular Dry Foam”. Dry foam has been around for 30 years, it is hardly new. Adding the word “circular” does not make it a new process. This company also states statistics from a testing institute on their ad to back up how wonderful their “Circular Dry Foam” process is. The only problem is the institute they claim did the study doesn’t exist and the statistics are all false.
There are no unique processes for cleaning carpet. Unless the company is mixing their own products in their garage and building their own cleaning equipment, it is not unique. There are differences in how companies operate their equipment (some don’t know how to operate their equipment properly) and what cleaning products they use (some products work better than others) and their attention to detail (do they treat all the spots, clean the corners and edges, etc.) but the primary method of cleaning will never be unique.
A local tile cleaner in our area claimed that other tile cleaners use harsh strippers and high pressurized hot water that sprays around your kitchen damaging your tile and grout as well as destroying your walls, cabinets, baseboards, etc. Well first let me say that I have not heard of any professional tile cleaning company cleaning anyone’s floor like that. Would any homeowner allow a company to pressure wash their kitchen floor the same as a sidewalk? Secondly, a stripper and high pressurized water will not damage tile and grout. This misleading scare tactic is almost laughable. What’s worse is this cleaner then describes his cleaning process which includes special cleaners and hot water that “blasts away grime”. Hmmm.. Sound familiar? Yes he too uses strong cleaners and high pressurized hot water. The equipment he describes is the same equipment other tile cleaners use including my company. His process is no different and his claim that other tile cleaners recklessly spray harsh chemicals and hot water all over your kitchen destroying nearly everything is ridiculous.
3) Mystery Testimonials – “I just loved the service I got from Generic Carpet Cleaner. My carpets look brand new.” “Your cleaning is the best.” Great testimonials, however if there is no name, how can you be sure it’s a real testimonial? If a company is truly great and offers superb service there will be no shortage of people willing to provide a testimonial and allow their name to be used as a reference. On our site and in our ads we provide the first and last name of the person who gave us the testimonial. (Used with their permission) It’s ok to be skeptical of testimonials you read. Sometimes even the name can be faked. One of our clients in Longmeadow Massachusetts had people calling her on the phone wanting to know if she was a real person after reading her testimonial about us in a newspaper ad. She was more than happy to tell them about her experience with us because she was so thrilled with our work. We also have 2 large books of actual cleaning testimonials that we bring with us on our in home evaluations.
Companies that have to employ deceptive and misleading advertising tactics to gain clients are no doubt lacking in quality and service. They are most certainly lacking in honesty and integrity. If a company has a great service they should be able to provide you with many references, not just 3 or 4. Check for references at EthicalServices.com. A quality company will have a guarantee in writing that lays out exactly what the guarantee covers and what will happen if you are not happy. For tile cleaning, you should be able to see a demonstration on your floor before committing to the job. For a complete Consumer Guide To Carpet Cleaning or if you are looking for a Longmeadow carpet & tile cleaner go to www.likenewfloors.com or call us at 413-596-5404. We service the Longmeadow, Wilbraham, East Longmeadow, and Hampden Massachusetts area. We have built our company on consumer education and providing an honest and ethical service.
