GLORY CARPET CLEANING SERVICE
47 Long Hill Street
East Hartford, CT 06108-1436
860-528-7205
Mr. & Mrs. C. Pat Lanyon, Owners
“We Love to Clean, Let Us Show You!”
Carpets & Furniture ** Floor Finishing ** Janitorial
Fully Insured, Family Run
Certified with IICRC, MTC #10265
Sunday, September 4, 2017
To: Curious Callers
Re: Consumer Awareness Message
This is a free audio message in response to your request to learn more about
“How to Find a Reliable Carpet Cleaning Firm.”
Transcript (Updated below from the original audio file linked above) Follows:
Thanks for calling. All of us at Glory Carpet Cleaning are excited and grateful for the opportunity to provide you with information about carpet cleaning and help you choose a cleaning company.
Since 1991, being in the carpet cleaning business, we’ve learned that carpet cleaning is the subject of much confusion. In fact, people have so many misconceptions about carpet cleaning that we decided to offer this consumer education message so when you select a carpet cleaning company, you can make an informed, intelligent decision.
In just a moment, I’ll share with you 6 costly misconceptions about carpet cleaning.
I’ll offer 4 recommendations. I will also give you 7 questions you should ask a carpet cleaner before you invite him into your home.
Now here’s…
Misconception #1: You should wait as long as possible before cleaning your carpet.
No. Dirt is an abrasive like sandpaper. Every time you step on the carpet, you grind dirt into your carpet fibers. This cuts your carpet, just as if you had used a knife. Causing it to wear out faster, Vacuuming but by itself, it’s simply not enough. Dirt filters down deep below the backings and even the pad onto the sub-flooring. ONLY HOT WATER EXTRACTION CAN REACH THAT LOCATION AND BRING IT UP THROUGH THE PROCESS OF EVAPORATION AND WICKING. The longer you wait to have your carpet cleaned, the more damage you do to it.
Misconception #2: The only reason to clean carpets is to get out the dirt.
No. Outdoor air contains pollens, fungus, bacteria, air pollution, cigarette smoke, car exhaust – and hundreds of other chemicals. When you and your family members come into your home, those pollutants are carried and usually end up in carpet.
If you have allergies, asthma, emphysema, or other breathing problems – one major source of your problem could be the pollens, fungus, and chemicals in your carpet.
Misconception #3: One method of carpet cleaning is as good as another.
No. You can choose from many methods, most of which are bad. The only two good ones are Hot Water Extraction or Bonnet Cleaning with a low moisture process.
Certain carpets are better serviced with one cleaning method over another. The company you choose is able to recommend the process that best fits your individual situation.
Hot water extraction is done with a truck mounted system that heats the water to a high temperature and shoots the cleaning solution into the carpet at a higher pressure – which breaks up the dirt, bacteria and the machine uses high suction to draw the dirt out of the carpet. Carpet will dry in approximately 2-3 hours.
The low moisture system uses a balanced ph pre-spray that when misted on the carpet reacts with the dirt and pollen in a way that allows the dirt and pollens to be loosened with emulsification and dwell time. A machine with a buffer pad on the bottom is used to pick up all the dirt and absorb the moisture at the same time. The carpet will dry in approximately one our, leaving no dirt-attracting residue,
Misconception #4: Having the right equipment is all a company needs to clean your carpets properly.
Not true, Many companies own hot-water cleaners – but a large number of employees don’t know how to use them correctly. This is why it’s important that you choose your carpet cleaner carefully, Make sure the trained technicians and continually adopts any new technique and/or cleaner.
Misconception #5: The company that offers the lowest price is the company you should hire.
Maybe – but not always.
Here are two important points to consider.
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The price you see offered may not be for the service you want performed. If you want the carpet Cleaner to remove only some hundreds of companies that use small shampooers or other cleaning methods. On the other hand, if you want chemicals and tobacco residues — then you need to use a company that uses mounted hot water extraction method, we mentioned earlier.
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The price you see advertised may not be the price you pay.
Many homeowners have learned that the low price they saw advertised was not the amount they were charged. Either yourself or someone you know may have been the victim off false or misleading advertising. Some carpet cleaners advertise room cleaning between $3.95 and $9 .95 per room - - and then pressure 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 in all businesses and professions, the carpet cleaning industry has its share of bad apples. We take no pleasure in telling you this, but some are unethical - - and sadly, even dishonest. By their misleading advertising and false promises, they cast a dark shadow on our entire industry.
Then you’ll find other carpet cleaning companies who work hard to earn your trust and respect.
As a way of improving our profession, has decided to devote time and energy toward educating the public. The only way you can make an intelligent decision is to have all the facts you need. This is the reason we have recorded this message.
Misconception #6: Any honest carpet cleaning company should be able to give you an exact price quote over the telephone.
I wish this were true, but it isn’t. Consumers often think that if they want to clean four rooms and the price is $6 per room, then the price will be $24. But this isn’t always true.
First, honest, reputable carpet cleaning companies usually price carpet cleaning by the square foot. So if you’d like the exact cost of cleaning your carpet, the company you choose will need to know the exact number of square feet that you want cleaned. To get an accurate measurement, most companies will have a measuring wheel used to calculate the exact size of the carpet area.
You’ll be glad to know that the carpet area to be cleaned is not nearly as great as people think, For example, if you want your entire home cleaned and your home is 2,000 square feet, the amount of carpeting to be cleaned might be only 1, 200 square feet. This is because most home measurements are outdoor measurements, Plus, make sure that the area taken up by walls, room dividers and the like is deducted. The result is that the actual area to be cleaned is usually only about 60% of the square footage of the home.
So even though you won’t be able to get an exact quote over the telephone…
Here are things a carpet cleaner should consider when quoting a price:
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First, the type of carpet: Certain types of carpet are harder to clean than others, So before a quote can be given, the company will need to I know the type of carpet you, want cleaned.
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Second, the amount of soiling: Carpet that hasn’t been cleaned fourteen years will take longer to clean than carpet that was cleaned within the last six months.
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Third, the amount of furniture that has to be moved: If the carpet cleaner has to move your furniture, the bid must include that labor, but if you move your furniture, you’ll save money.
To recap, a carpet cleaning company should consider the type of carpet, the amount soiling, and the amount of furniture that has to be moved, So, as you can now imagine, every quotation is different.
If you’re thinking about having your carpets cleaned, we offer these four recommendations:
Recommendation #1: Make a commitment to yourself to get your carpets cleaned. The longer they remain dirty, the sooner they’ll wear out. Plus the longer you have to breathe all the pollens, fungus, and chemicals and dust mites that live in your carpet.
Recommendation #2: List your objectives. Do you want a thorough cleaning, or would you be satisfied with a light cleaning like many companies provide? The companies that provide light cleaning are known to be here today and gone tomorrow.
Recommendation #3: Ask questions. The way you learn about a company is to ask specific questions and listen carefully to the answers. Here are the questions we suggest you ask:
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What method of carpet cleaning do you recommend?
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What type of equipment do you use to clean carpet?
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What does your equipment remove from my carpet?
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How often should I get my carpets cleaned?
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What training have you had in cleaning carpets?
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Are you a member of any trade associations and, if so, which ones?
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Are you certified by the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) and will you show me your certificate?
Recommendation #4: Once you’re satisfied that the company you found to work with is honest, competent, and punctual , then invite them into your home for a thorough cleaning job. Ask for a total prior to beginning so there won’t be any surprises.
By following these four recommendations, you’ll gain all the information you need to make an informed, intelligent decision.
Here’s one last point: I know that many consumers are skeptical about carpet cleaning companies, so add this question to the list.
Important to ask: “Do you guarantee your work?”
Not all companies do - - and it’s important that you have this information before you make your decision.
Thank you very much for listening to this consumer message help-line. If you have any questions regarding this information, feel free to call us at
860-528-7205.
This document has been updated, but was read in its original format by C. Pat Lanyon in 2009, and can be heard online here.
Sincerely,
C. Pat MTC since 1995 & Christine Lanyon, Owners
David CCT, CCM, WDR & Joseph Lanyon CMT UFT WDR
Clean Trust Certified Firm since 1991
Congratulations! Since you have taken the time to read and/or listen to this message we’d like to give you this 5 image gift: CONSUMER REPORT