The carpet that you decide to put in your home is a big decision for any household. With a typical carpet install that can range from $15 per square yard to as high as $90 per square yard, we understand the value doing your homework before you buy.
When you are in the process of buying carpeting for your home, most of the information you need is at your fingertips. You can compare between cost, style, look and feel with no problem at all. This is the easy part. What do you do 12-18 months later when it is time to have your carpet cleaned? How do you comparison shop between different vendors that offer the same exact services? Who do you trust? How do I know if the are knowledgeable and properly trained?
How Do You Compare Between Vendors?
Believe it or not, carpet-cleaning businesses are not created equal. There are literally thousands of carpet cleaning companies vying for your dollars everyday, all with varying degrees of experience and expertise. Did you know that the U.S. janitorial and carpet cleaning industry has combined revenue of over $35 billion? This is a huge market that you have to navigate and knowing what to look for will save you a lot of time and headaches.
Look For The Logo
When comparing services between carpet cleaning businesses the first thing that you want to do is to check for the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) logo.
The IICRC is the premier non-profit certification and standard setting body in the world of cleaning, inspection and restoration. The IICRC was created in 1972 and currently has trained 53,000 certified technicians. The IICRC logo is the seal of approval in the carpet cleaning business. Not everyone can display this logo on their website or business literature.
Only certified IICRC businesses are allowed to use the cleantrust-certified logo in marketing materials, and the IICRC works hard to ensure the logo is used properly.
Are They Knowledgeable and Well-Trained?
This is where you can separate the expert vs. the novices. The IICRC certification courses that many technicians have to go through on a regular basis ensure that they are knowledgeable about current trends in the carpet cleaning industry.
If you ask a carpet cleaning business what the IICRC is and you get a blank stare, the odds are they are not cleaning your carpet to industry standards. Not only does these mean your carpet is not getting cleaned properly, it will void your warranty.