Let’s face it, things change.
It’s amazing to think that Public Schools had smoking lessons at one time. People used mercury to hand- craft velvet (hence the term mad-as-a-hatter, because the mercury sent them insane), and dangerous chemicals were widespread (I had to use many in my previous job in the ’70s and ’80s.)
A lot of things have got better over time, and carpet cleaning is no exception.
Here are three old myths that still seem to hang around like a bad smell.
Myth #1: All carpet cleaning is the same
Absolutely Not True!
Carpet cleaning products vary enormously, as does the equipment. The knowledge and skills of the person doing the job also make a massive difference.
Imagine an old, out of date carpet cleaning machine from the 1960s. Now compare it with the latest, low moisture highly effective machine now available. You’d have to be completely brain dead to think that the results would be the same from both machines.
And yet many carpet cleaners ARE using the exact same machines that came out in the ’60s!
The technology has changed so little that you’d never know the difference. And yet there are new machines that apply just the right amount of cleaning product, gently massage it into the carpet fibres, and remove the soiling. The difference can be ‘wow!’
But equipment is only part of the process. The cleaning products also vary such a lot. There are cheap carpet cleaning detergents available that cost a few tens of pence per room. Some carpet cleaners even use laundry detergent (this will ruin your carpet over the next few months). There are also products that cost many pounds per room (it can cost as much as £50 just in products if it’s a complex job).
So why would anyone buy a carpet cleaning product that costs so much, when a dirt-cheap (excuse the pun) chemical is available?
Well, it comes down to results, drying, and ethics.
The top-of-the-range products are eye-wateringly expensive. But they do an amazing job, they give your carpet some soil and stain repellency, and they dry faster. Any carpet cleaner with decent moral standards would want to use a product like that, and keep clear of cheap, harmful chemicals.
Which would you rather have used on your expensive carpets? Would you rather save a few pounds and get a poor result that will ruin your carpets?
Or pay more for a fantastic job that will keep your carpets looking better for longer?
That is the choice that is being made every day.
The final piece of the puzzle is the who.
That is, who is doing the cleaning. Many carpet cleaners don’t know wool from olefin, and a Brussels Wilton from a Needlepunch. It makes a difference because if you soak a Brussels Wilton, it will start to shrink before your eyes.
Even carpet cleaners who mean well and try hard, still need to know what they’re doing.
That’s why I decline around one in three customers who contact us for cleaning.
If they insist on only the cheapest, lowest standards, or don’t care what equipment or products are used. Or if they just think all carpet cleaners are the same. Then we’re not the right people for the job.
Myth #2: The Harsher the Soap or Detergent, the Better.
Untrue.
Harsh soap isn\’t necessary to get out the nastiest stains from your carpet. Soaps and other detergents can leave a sticky residue, too – the opposite effect you want to have for your carpet. It\’s not just your carpet that doesn\’t like harsh soaps, either. People with allergies and sensitivities may just prefer not to bring chemicals, soaps and detergents into their environment.
What works? The right product for the job. Wool needs a gentle, neutral Ph cleaning solution, applied without high heat or pressure, in lower amounts to get the best result and avoid damaging the delicate wool.
Synthetics can require higher Ph products or even oil-busting products to do a great job. (Because most synthetic carpet fibres are made from oil derivatives, they bond easily with oily soils and don’t give them up so easily.
Many stains require specific specialist treatments to be successful.
So it’s not about how strong they are, but whether they are the right product for that particular situation.
Myth #3: Soak the Carpet for a Better Clean
False! And risky.
Nothing could be further from the truth. Soaking carpets with more and more water does not equal a better carpet cleaning job. Fact: bacteria and mould need water to grow and thrive in your carpet, so, you are actually doing these unwanted guests a favour by using more water.
Pretty much every problem in carpet cleaning happens because carpets are left too wet.
Soaking the carpets can cause some carpets to shrink. Other carpets can delaminate (where the layers of a carpet separate), causing looseness and rippling.
Bacteria and mould can grow under the carpet causing a serious health hazard.
And carpets left drenched can often dry out looking dreadful and smelling unbearable.
Solution? Find the experts who know how to get rid of stains and clean your carpet using effective and proven processes. The right carpet cleaning professional will know not to soak your carpet!
What\’s the Truth to Great Carpet Cleaning?
It’s really simple. The right equipment, the best products, and plenty of know-how make a beautiful result.
Choosing the best technology, natural cleaning agents, and expert carpet cleaning professionals can save you a lot of time, money, and frustration down the road.
Making a choice based on avoiding these 3 myths will help you get the best carpet cleaning possible.
If you would like a free assessment of your carpets and a free quote for cleaning them, call me on 0800 026 3859 (it\’s free) or contact me HERE