How to Choose the Best Carpet Cleaning Service Professionals

The best carpet cleaning service professionals know how to treat your precious, delicate carpets. Your carpet is a big investment and one of your home’s best features – a focal point for the energy in your home. Treat it well and it will brighten your home for many more years to come. The only way it can do that is if it is regularly cleaned and treated to a deeper clean at least once a year. The deep clean will extract any tough stains and general discolouration to get your carpets bright and vibrant again. It will also serve to keep your carpet smelling fragrant, an important thing in a happy, comfortable home.

Another good reason to treat your carpet to an annual professional cleaning? To save money! Carpets are not cheap! Keeping it in good condition is protecting your investment, so it’s important to upkeep it from the moment you purchase it. This is especially true if you plan to resell your house in the future.

The best reason, however, to regularly professionally clean your carpet is the health factor. Imagine all the disgusting, potentially harmful elements that could be hiding deep in your carpet, embedded there just by your daily household goings-on; dust, hair, pet fur, even vomit and urine …  All these factor contribute to poor health in your home.

What Does Carpet Cleaning Include?

You might think that you can save money doing it yourself with a carpet cleaning machine, but the the reality is that professionals can accomplish a more thorough cleaning with more advanced and suitable equipment and products. They know how to handle every situation, including tough stains and delicate fibers, and they have the equipment for most situations, like a UV light to find urine stains.

Steam cleaning is the most popular type of cleaning done in Malaysia. It is basically hot-water soil extraction, with hot water pumped through a powerful hose system that flushes out dirt from the deepest pile. The process is such:

1. Preconditioning with a special solution to loosen dirt and stains. The carpet might also be agitated with a brush.
2. Spraying hot water (up to 200 degrees) with a high-pressure hose to rinse away the lifted dirt.
3. Vacuuming the water off and exhausting the dirty air out of the room.

Extra services might include:

* Severe odour removal

* Stair cleaning

* Furniture moving

How Do I Choose a Suitable Carpet Cleaning Service Professional?

* Decide on a Cleaning Process

Which method do you wish to use to clean your carpet? There is the wet cleaning method, also called the steam cleaning method, which has a long drying time; or dry cleaning methods that allow you to use your carpet again as soon as the treatment is complete. There are methods that use strong cleaning chemicals, and there are methods that rely on steam or products that are environmentally friendly. Take the time to consider each method and its pros and cons for your carpet and environment.

* Research the Options

Once you have decided on your treatment method, make a shortlist of carpet cleaners that might suit you. Investigate into them by looking them up on review sites, reading their reviews and ratings on social media, and asking your circle about them. Go with a company that comes highly recommended amongst your circle, if possible – personal referrals are always best as you can ask your friend or family for more detailed information in order to find the best carpet cleaning service professionals.

* The Price is Not Always Right

Don’t cut price corners when it comes to cleaning your carpet. Carpet cleaning companies often use low prices to lure you in. Once in your home, however, they will start finding issues with your carpet or upselling their expensive products and services. Ask upfront for all prices that might concern your particular situation and ask for a total estimate with a breakdown of all services, materials and equipment required.

* Enquire About Included Services

Again, keep in mind that the price given to you at your initial inquiry is quite often the company’s base price. Make sure you ask about what services are included in that price, and what extra services are chargeable. Is furniture moving included or is there a separate charge for that? Will they do high-traffic areas for the quoted price? How about cleaning carpeting on the stairs?

* Check for Certifications and Qualifications

Certifications show that the carpet cleaning staff are competent and have the skills to handle your prized asset. You will have peace of mind that whoever the company sends will be able to competently carry out the job with health and safety standards in mind and safely handle the chemicals and equipment required for the job. You will also be assured that they handle your carpet properly and not cause irreparable damage.

* Ascertain Association Memberships

It’s always good to choose a service provider that is a part of a trade association. Associations hold regular trade training and keep their members up to date on industry advancements. You can also turn to these trade associations in the event of disputes. The best carpet cleaning service professionals will display their certifications and association memberships.

* Check on the Employees

If you think about it, you are inviting strangers into your home when you open the door for the carpet cleaner staff. Enquire whether the company in mind does employee screens, including criminal background checks. Will they vouch for their employees? What happens in the event of an incident?

* Enquire About Damage Policies and Guarantees

What are the actions taken in the event of damage to your home or carpet? Will the company compensate you or replace your carpet or other property? A transparent company will take you through all its processes upon inquiry. A company confident in its work will also offer a guarantee in the event that you find any issue with the treatment after it is complete.

What Are the Prices I Might Expect?

Companies may charge per room, offering a flat rate for each room since room sizes in a house are fairly standard. There will be a price cap, so any rooms larger than the cap will be considered 2 rooms. There may be extra charges for moving furniture, too.

Charges are typically per square foot, but if you have a smaller space, the price might be higher per square foot for the company to offset travel and material costs. A larger home may pay less since equipment setup and material costs are fixed.

* Hot Water (Steam) Extraction    Average RM0.35 per sq ft

Hot water is jet sprayed deep into carpet fibers, loosening stains, grime, and general debris, including oil and bacteria. The particles are then extracted. Steam extraction uses less water, removes 99% of pollutants, and is quick-drying. It also fluffs up carpet that’s been matted down. This is the best method for a household with allergies and sensitive sinuses.

* Carpet Shampooing

Special detergents are washed through the carpet fibers with a large amount of water, loosening the embedded dirt. A few rounds of clean water is then flushed through to remove the shampoo and dirt. This is a very effective method for stubborn stains but requires thorough extraction otherwise the remnant sticky residue will pick up more dust, which stays at the surface, making a freshly cleaned carpet look dirty.

* Carpet Dry Cleaning    Average RM1.35 per sq ft

Dry cleaning involves rubbing a detergent powder mixed with a little water into the carpet fibers with a rotating brush. A special extraction tool then extracts the detergent and grime. This is the best method for busy homes and offices that require quick-drying cleaning, but the chemicals used can have a strong smell, so ventilation is required to clear the smell out. Also consider that the chemicals may trigger allergies and sensitivities, so take note.

* Foam Cleaning / Encapsulation

This method is very good for extremely dirty carpets. A special foam, applied to the carpet, will bubble up, expand and trap debris at the surface of the carpet. It is then pushed into the carpet pile to pick up the embedded dirt and grime, and then extracted. Less water is used, therefore drying time is shorter and there is less chance of mold or a musty smell forming.

* Bonnet Cleaning

A bonnet carpet cleaning machine has a thick ‘towel’ or bonnet over its front. The machine moves along the carpet rubbing shampoo into the carpet which is then removed along with the dirt. This is only a good method for surface cleaning, but it is fast and well-priced, suitable for regular maintenance.