Colorado Springs Carpet Cleaning Myths – Part 2

Welcome back!  In part one of this series, we discussed several different myths concerning Colorado Springs carpet cleaning.  Now, we are excited to finish this series with part 2.  We will also be giving more detail about different types of carpet cleaning.  Here we go!

Myth #4 – All carpet cleaning methods are created equal

No! There are two main types of carpet cleaning to choose from in Colorado Springs: dry cleaning or hot water extraction.  First, I’ll explain dry cleaning method of carpet cleaning.

Dry carpet cleaning methods

Many people believe that dry cleaning your carpet is like dry cleaning your clothing.  This is not true.  All carpet cleaning methods use water in one form or another.  Here are the three methods of dry cleaning your carpet.

Dry Foam Carpet Cleaning

When a Colorado Springs carpet cleaning company uses dry foam, he applies shampoo to your carpet, allows it to dry and then sucks the dried shampoo into a vacuum.  Can you imagine applying shampoo to your hair, allowing it to dry and then removing the shampoo from your head with a vacuum?  This method can leave a residue in your carpet, which is one reason dry foam is not very effective.

Dry Chemical Carpet Cleaning Method

The dry-chem method is similar to dry foam.  The major difference is that when dry-chem is used, the carpet cleaning company sets a large cotton bonnet on your carpet.  Using a machine, the bonnet spins from side to side, absorbing the dirt that’s in the carpet. After the bonnet is saturated with dirt, another cotton bonnet is applied. Bonnet cleaning is like trying to use a large towel to rub dirt out of your carpet. Like dry foam, it’s not very effective.

Dry Compound Carpet Cleaning Method

The dry compound method spreads an absorbent mixture that looks like wet sawdust all over your carpeting. Then the machine brushes the mixture into the carpet, which in theory causes dirt to absorb into the mixture. When the mixture has dried, a vacuum cleaner sucks the material out of the carpeting. Because the carpet is not rinsed in any way, this method is not very effective.

Hot Water Extraction Carpet Cleaning Colorado Springs

The second and most popular Colorado Springs carpet cleaning method is called hot water extraction.  This is a fancy way of saying that a hot water cleaning solution under high pressure is forced into the carpet and then sucked out of the carpet.  This method is also referred to as steam cleaning even though steam is not used.

Shaw Industries, the world’s largest carpet manufacturer, recommends hot water extraction and you can choose from two different types: Portable extraction, which is done with a small machine or truck mount extraction which means the large cleaning machine is mounted in a truck or a van.  Not surprisingly, the truck mount extraction system cleans much better because it heats the water to a higher temperature and shoots the cleaning solution into the carpet at a higher pressure which breaks up the dirt, bacteria, fungus, chemicals, pollens, and tobacco residue.

Methods that use cold and even warm water remove dirt but are not as effective as the hot water truck mount method.  Some people believe that hot water damages your carpet, but this isn’t true.  By washing and then rinsing your carpet with hot water, we clean your carpet completely in the same way that the person who showers and then rinses off the dirt and soap will be much cleaner than the person who takes only a sponge bath.

Carpet Cleaning Myth #5 – You should hire the carpet cleaning company with the lowest price

The company that offers the lowest price is the company you should hire.  This may not always be true, or a good idea.  Here are the reasons:

Reason #1 why you shouldn’t hire the Colorado Springs carpet cleaning company with the best prices

THE PRICE YOU SEE OFFERED MAY NOT BE FOR SERVICES YOU WANT PERFORMED.
Before you select a Colorado Springs carpet cleaning company or one from anywhere else, decide what carpet cleaning service you want performed.  Before you select a carpet cleaner, decide what you want accomplished!  If you want the carpet cleaner to remove only some of the dirt, you can choose from hundreds of the companies that use small shampooers or other cleaning methods. You can even rent a machine at the grocery store to do the job yourself.

On the other hand, if you want your carpet cleaned thoroughly- if you want to remove the harmful Colorado Springs mountain dirt, bacteria, pollen, chemicals, and tobacco residues-then you need to hire a carpet cleaning company that uses a hot water cleaner mounted in a truck or van. This is the only way to assure that your carpet remains healthy and free from dirt, disease-causing bacteria and hurtful chemicals.  So remember that in Colorado Springs and other places, the price you see offered may not be for the services you want performed.

Reason #2 why you shouldn’t hire the carpet cleaner with the best prices

THE PRICE YOU SEE ADVERTISED MAY NOT BE THE PRICE YOU PAY.
Many home owners in Colorado Springs and surrounding areas have learned that the low price they saw advertised was not the amount they were charged.  If you have ever hired a Colorado Springs carpet cleaning company, you too may have been the victim of false or misleading advertising.  You probably learned the hard way that some carpet cleaners offer a cheap price-usually between $8.95 and $12.95 per room-and then pressured you into paying a lot more once they get inside your home.  Some of them may even break the law by using illegal bait and switch tactics.

As with all businesses and professions, the carpet cleaning industry has its share of bad apples.  I take no pleasure in telling you this, but some are unethical, and, sadly, a few are dishonest. By their misleading advertising and false promises, they cast a dark shadow on our entire industry.

On the other hand, you can find other carpet cleaning professionals like me who work hard to earn your trust and respect.  As a way of improving our profession, I’ve dedicated my business to educating the public.  The only way you can make an intelligent decision is to have all the facts you need.  This is why I’ve shared this message with you.

So as far as misconceptions or myths go regarding carpet cleaning these are the five main ones to be concerned about.  You previously enjoyed Carpet Cleaning Myths Part 1 and now you have enjoyed part two.  You have also seen how important it is to ensure that you are educated about the different types of carpet cleaning.   Now, with all of this information, the next question and the subject of our next post will be, how to choose the right carpet cleaning company or carpet cleaning professional.  This will be especially interesting for those who live in the Colorado Springs area and need to find a trustworthy Colorado Springs carpet cleaning company, since here in the area we battle with many different types of carpet cleaning issues and there are a lot of companies to choose from.

Stay tuned for more!

Sincerely,

Jeremy