Misconceptions and myths about commercial carpet cleaning can be costly. Commercial textiles and carpet cleaning can be a confusing subject. Here are list of common misunderstandings that can lead to costly mistakes.

Misconception #1:   You should always wait as long as possible before cleaning your carpet. 

No. Commercial carpet is designed to hide dirt. Some types of weaves can hide as much as a pound of dirt in one square foot of carpet before it is even noticeable. All dirt or soil is extremely abrasive. It is also insoluble, meaning it does not dissolve in water. Dry soil is similar to sandpaper. Every time you step on the carpet, you grind soil into the fibers. Carpets that are dirty for extended periods will cause damage to the fibers. Damaged carpet fibers are what make your carpet look worn, dull or dingy. Even a thorough cleaning cannot return your carpet to its previous appearance once the fibers have been damaged.  Imagine wiping a piece of sandpaper across a mirror. Once the mirror is scratch it will never reflect light same way it did before it was scratched.  

Therefore, it only makes sense that a dirty carpet will not last nearly as long as a clean one. A systematic vacuuming program is one of your greatest allies, but by itself, it is simply not enough. The longer you wait the more damage you do to your carpet and the faster it wears out.

Misconception #2:  The only reason to clean carpets is to remove the dirt. 

No. In fact the IICRC standards for carpet cleaning S100 as well as the CRI carpet & Rug institute and United States EPA all state, CARPETING MUST BE CLEANED FIRST FOR HEALTH, AND THEN FOR APPEARANCE. Studies conducted by the Environmental Protection Agency or (EPA) have proven that the indoor air quality of many buildings is more polluted than the outdoor air.  

Carpeting acts like a gigantic filter. It traps all sorts of pathogens, toxins, bio pollutants and volatile organic compounds from recirculation to the air. Tobacco smokes a great example of toxins found in soiled carpets. It contains over 4000 different chemical compounds, 43 of which have been proven to cause cancer. Therefore, even if you or your employee’s do not smoke, those chemicals and many others from your parking lot are picked up by your shoes, tracked into the office and deposited in your carpet. Maintaining a clean work environment means your office will be healthier, leading to less employee absenteeism. Maintaining a clean environment also means longer carpet life, which translates to a lower per yard, per year average replacement cost. 

Therefore, in addition to removing dirt or soil, you need to consider the health issues and indoor air quality issues related to pollutants in your carpet. 

Misconceptions #3:  Hot water extractions or steam cleaning is always the best method of cleaning carpet. 

No-- There is no silver bullet in carpet cleaning, especially when it comes to commercial grade carpeting.  While there are, several carpet-cleaning methods available to choose from, they can all be separated into two basic categories: dry cleaning or hot water extraction.  

Dry cleaning, many people believe that dry-cleaning your carpet is like dry cleaning your clothing.  It is not true.  All carpet-cleaning methods use moisture in one form or another.  The term dry cleaning simple refers to the short time it takes for the carpet to dry after being cleaned. There are several types of dry cleaning methods. These methods are most often used as an interim or maintenance cleaning application because it allows a faster return of foot traffic to the area cleaned.  

The second carpet cleaning method is called hot water extraction.  This method is also sometimes referred to as steam cleaning. There are two different types: Portable extraction, which is done with a smaller portable machine, or truck mounted extraction, which means a large cleaning machine is mounted in a truck or van. The truck mount extraction heats the water to high temperatures and uses high pressure to inject water into the carpet which suspends the soils, bacteria and pollens. Then the machine uses high suction to draw the soils out of the carpet. This method is often used in a restoration cleaning as part of a multiple step process to prepare the carpet for interim or maintenance cleanings.  

No question, the most effective method to clean residential carpeting by far is with a hot-water unit mounted in a truck.  It is the most powerful cleaning machine on the market and thoroughly cleans your carpet of soils, harmful bacteria, fungus, chemicals, pollens and tobacco residue.  

On the other hand, commercial carpeting can be very challenging to clean using this method.  

The main problem is there is no airflow under the carpet; it is glued directly to the floor. In your home, this method usually takes only about 4 to 8 hours to dry. Because there is no pad between the carpet and floor to allow airflow in a commercial building, it can take a several hours longer to dry. Slow drying times usually cause a problem known as wicking. Have you ever had your carpets cleaned and they look great when jobs done, but in the next day or two all your spots and stains came back. That is wicking. When carpet dries, too slowly it pulls stains from the backing of the carpet to the tips of the fiber. Wicking is only one of several challenges, but it is a big one.  

Another important point is the amount of moisture being introduced in a large enclosed structure such as an office building. Hot water extraction uses about 120 gallons of water to clean 1,000 square feet of carpet, not really a big concern when cleaning 800s.f. of carpeting in an average residential home. Imagine how much water is used to clean a 10,000 s.f. office. Regular cleaning using hot water extraction only can lead to Indoor air quality problems.    

To recap, all carpet-cleaning methods have strengths and weaknesses. It is true; there are times when one method is more appropriate than another is. There is also, times when a combination of methods can be used to correct a particular problem or produce a desired result.  

Misconception #4:  Having the right equipment is all a company needs to clean your carpets properly.  

Not true.  Many companies own good equipment—but a large number of their employees do not know how to use it.  You probably know someone who bought the newest computer on the market—but did not learn how to use it for a year or two.  The same is true with carpet cleaning machines. There are many companies, whose employees receive minimal training before they are handed the keys to the truck and sent out to clean carpet. This is why it is important that you chose your carpet cleaner carefully. 

Misconception #5:  A janitorial company is properly trained to in all cleaning aspects including carpet and upholstery cleaning. 

Most janitorial crews have no formal training in textile carpet cleaning. Their training often consisted of on the job training or in the best-case scenario; they attend a two hour class at the local Janitorial supply company. Janitorial supply companies make their money renting and or selling equipment and chemicals. The person providing advice on how to clean carpet is the person renting the equipment and selling the chemicals. Consequently, the people giving the advice are no more qualified than the person receiving it. Their training consists of information imparted by the chemical or equipment manufactures who want to sell chemicals and equipment. This is often a recipe for disaster.  

Another point to consider is many of the major carpet mills now require their carpet be maintained by IICRC certified firms and technicians or your warranty is voided.   

Misconception #6:  The Company that offers the lowest price is the company you should hire. 

Maybe,-but not always.  Here are some important points to consider, the price you see offered may not be for the services you actually want performed. There are three types of carpet cleaners we have run across, who compete on price. That is, trying to be the lowest bid or in the middle in order to win the contract. These cleaning companies have something in common, they charge low prices, yet still over charge the customer.  

The first type of cleaner is known in our industry as the splash and dash company, which prices his estimates very low, knowing they cannot or has no intention of, providing the service you want for the price you agreed to pay. They usually never work for the same customer more than once.  Most of them manage to stay in business by constantly marketing for new customers. As in 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.  

The second type of cleaner is usually new to our industry. Often it is their first entrepreneurial venture. Carpet cleaning can be inexpensive start up business for an owner operator. Many have the best intensions and can be a very nice person just trying to do better for their family.  They use rented or buy used equipment and have no formal training what so ever. Unfortunately, without the proper training they usually create more problems than they solve.  

The third type is the (been there done that) 20 year veteran carpet cleaner that has managed to stay in business for many years without ever having any formal training. Many of these people have been using the same type of equipment, chemicals and cleaning methods to clean since the 1970’s. They have one year of experience that they have been repeating for the past 19 years, and that first year was usually bad year. 

So remember, that the price you see offered may not be for the services you want performed. 

There are however, many highly qualified professional cleaners in the industry; you just need to know what to look for and where to find them. Most often, they are not in the yellow pages. Most successful commercial textile and carpet cleaning contractors work on a word of mouth referral basis and by directly marketing to property and facility managers of class A properties. 

Misconception #7:   Any honest carpet cleaning company should be able to give me an exact price quote, over the telephone. 

I wish this were true, but it is not.  Most consumers think carpet cleaning is priced by the room, like the $6.95 per room ads in the paper.  

The truth is honest, reputable carpet cleaning companies usually price carpet cleaning by the square foot.  So, if you would like us to tell you the exact cost of cleaning your carpet, we need to know the exact number of square feet that you want cleaned.  To get an accurate measurement, we need to come to your facility and measure those areas. 

Unlike residential carpet cleaning in a commercial setting there are many things that should be considered, before a cleaner can provide you with an accurate price quote.  

A professional would want to inspect your carpet. We need to see the carpet to determine the soil levels in it. Carpet that has not been cleaned in ten years is going to be harder to clean than carpet that was cleaned last month. After a through inspection, we always ask for brief interview with the person responsible for your indoor environment. During the interview, we conduct an environmental need analysis of your facility. That is how we get the all the information we need to give you an honest accurate price quote. We also like to give prospective clients a free cleaning demonstration; most people like to see what they are getting before they buy it.