How to get the best out of your carpet cleaning contractor
Don't sweep it under the carpet
Carpet cleaning has tended to be a once-a-year event in our household and, every year, we forget the routine and end up playing it all by ear. There has to be an easier way and that set me thinking.
The first thing we struggle to find is the phone number of the carpet cleaning contractor we use. Every year we have to wade through the local newspaper looking for his advert. We now have his business card pinned to our notice-board as well as being under 'carpet cleaning' in our address and phone book.
If you want to get the best out of your carpet cleaning (which isn't cheap if done properly), then there are a few simple steps which you can take to help the contractor.
The carpet cleaning equipment comes in two parts - a van which contains a tank of special carpet cleaning fluid and two long hoses with cleaning tools at the end. The van needs to get as close as possible to your house otherwise there may be carpets which cannot be reached - you will still have to pay so therefore make sure your drive is clear or the road directly outside the house is free of parked cars. Consider borrowing some traffic cones from the local police.
Remember that the carpet cleaning contractor is not a removal firm. It is probably a single operator - maybe with an assistant. They certainly do not come prepared to move your furniture around so have this done for them - make sure the floor is as clear as it can be beforehand. If you can, stand beds on their sides and put cupboards etc onto non-carpeted floors.
Pack away any fragile ornaments or anything delicate which may be affected by the higher humidity (as the carpet dries out). Don't attempt to do this while the carpet cleaning is going on. If you have young children, get them to put all their toys in boxes; partly because of the nuisance factor of having to work around them and partly because the cleaning chemicals can be toxic. The contractor will also need to be able to move the equipment - and especially the hoses - freely between rooms.
Time the event to coincide with a school day or, better still, arrange for the children to stay with a relative overnight while the carpet dries out. Make sure any pets are kept away for the day, too. Why not make an event of it and stay in a motel for the night to give everything a chance to dry out thoroughly?
Understand the difference between carpet cleaning and vacuum cleaning. Of course the carpet cleaning will take in the latter but you will find the whole service more effective if you do a thorough vacuum cleaning first.
Finally, the cleaning contractor will want to make you a regular customer and will be happy to advise you on how best to prepare for the carpet cleaning.
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