Did you know that the average indoor carpet has about 200,000 bacteria per square inch?

That means your carpet is likely 4,000 times dirtier than the average toilet seat.

Gross! It’s most likely time that you hired a carpet cleaning service.

Not all carpet cleaning services are created equal, though. Let’s take a look at 10 questions you should always ask before hiring a carpet cleaning company.

1. Do You Provide Free Quotes?

Any reputable company will be willing to offer you a free quote or estimate of their carpet cleaning fees. If a company is not willing to provide this for you, you shouldn’t hire them. Without giving you an estimate, they could end up charging you way more than it should cost for the job.

A carpet cleaning company might visit your home or give you a quote over the phone. Generally, the estimates are made either based on the number of rooms or the square footage.

Carpet cleaning prices can also vary by area, so do your research about the costs where you live. You should also be aware that companies will sometimes give you a base price and then charge you for add-ons and include hidden fees.

2. Do You Provide a Written Service Guarantee?

Without a written service guarantee, you might not have any possible course of action if you’re unhappy with the job.

Asking this question before hiring a company will make sure you’re not caught in a bind. You should be aware that guarantees usually have a time frame on them, so you should check the quality of the work right away. If you aren’t happy with it or something went wrong, follow up on the guarantee right away.

If the guarantee isn’t written, it isn’t legally enforceable. That’s why it’s absolutely essential to get the guarantee in writing.

3. How Long Have You Been in Business? How Much Experience Do You and Your Employees Have?

There’s nothing wrong with supporting a brand new business, but when you’re talking about something as important as your carpets you don’t want to take any chances.

Research carpet cleaning companies by looking on their website, or simply ask them how long they’ve been in business. The longer a company cleaning service has been in business, the higher the likelihood that they know what they’re doing and are highly experienced.

It can also be worthwhile to ask about their staff, too. Check into how long their current staff has been working with them. Your carpet is valuable, and it’s important that someone with knowledge and experience is responsible for cleaning it.

4. Can You Provide References and Reviews?

Hearing what others have to say about a company is absolutely essential when deciding what business to hire.

References and reviews can give you insight into the experience that other customers have had with this business. If a company is unable to provide you with reviews or references, that is not a good sign and you shouldn’t hire them. Any reputable company that wasn’t started yesterday should be able to provide you with positive customer feedback about their work, services, and employees.

5. Are You and Your Employees Insured?

This might be the most important question of all to ask.

This is because if anything were to happen to the workers in your home, without both general liability insurance and workers compensation insurance, you’ll be held liable. For both your protection and the protection of the worker, it is absolutely essential that the company and their employees are fully insured.

If a carpet cleaning company doesn’t have insurance, you should absolutely not hire them.

Not only does this put you at risk, but it speaks volumes about their level of professionalism and legitimacy.

6. Have Your Been Certified By the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration (IICRC)?

Having a certification from the Insititute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration essentially means that the carpet cleaner has earned it through studying, experience, and completing and passing written exams.

These technicians are highly trained and know everything they need to know about spot removal and proper cleaning procedures.

Having a certificate from the IICRC is meaningful because this certification cannot be bought. It must be earned and therefore signifies a carpet cleaning company is highly skilled in the field.

7. What Methods Do You Use to Clean the Carpet?

There are a number of different methods when it comes to carpet cleaning.

Ask any carpet cleaning company whether they use dry cleaning methods, wet cleaning methods, or steam cleaning methods. Wet and steam cleaning methods will require a much longer drying time than dry cleaning methods. Dry cleaning methods allow you to use the carpet immediately, right after the carpets are cleaned.

Depending on what you’re looking for, one of these cleaning methods might be more applicable to your needs.

When it comes to hot water extraction, there are two different methods to choose from. One is portable extraction, which is achieved through the use of a small portable machine. The other option is truck mount extraction, which means that a van or truck is outfitted with a large cleaning machine inside.

8. How Long Will It Take for My Carpet to Dry?

Depending on what type of carpet cleaning method the company is using, the answer to this question can vary greatly.

If you’re getting your carpet cleaned and will need to use it immediately afterward, you should talk to the carpet cleaning company about your options. Wet and steam methods of carpet cleaning can require anywhere between 6 and 24 hours to fully dry. The amount of time it takes to dry can depend on the amount of air circulation, the time of year, as well as the temperature and humidity in your house.

If you’re having your carpets cleaned during the winter, you can help shorten the drying time by raising the heat in your home to 70 degrees Fahrenheit or hotter. You can also use ceiling fans, box fans, and dehumidifiers to increase air circulation and decrease the humidity. You can even enlist the help of your stove vent and your bathroom fans to help them dry faster.

If your carpets are being cleaned during the summer, running your air conditioning can speed up the drying time. This is because air conditioning can help remove moisture from the air. You also might consider opening your doors and windows in order to increase the air flow in your home.

9. Do You Vacuum First? Do You Charge Extra to Move Furniture?

Before hiring a carpet cleaning company, you’ll want to have a grasp of just how much it’s going to cost.

There’s nothing fundamentally wrong with extra services costing extra, but you’ll just want to know ahead of time the ballpark figure and not get surprised when you get the bill. Sometimes a company will charge you extra if the furniture needs to be moved off the carpet, while others will include this in the cost.

It’s also important to know whether or not they vacuum first before cleaning the carpets. Some companies say that they only vacuum if it’s necessary, meaning that you can’t rely on them providing this service for you. Neither of these things are necessarily deal-breakers, but it can just be good to know what to expect before you hire a service.

10. Do You Charge Extra for Anything Else?

Some companies will tack on a bunch of hidden fees at the end of your bill, leaving you stunned and dismayed. Asking ahead of time what the extra costs might be can protect you from having this experience.

Making sure that the company has the best cleaning tools for all different carpet sizes and styles is essential. Even more important, though, is determining how much they’ll be charging you for the use of these tools.

Things like standard spot-cleaning and pre-spray might show up on your bill as extra costs. Before hiring a company, check-in about what it will really cost if other extras are added on.

Asking These Questions to Any Carpet Cleaning Service Will Ensure You’re Satisfied With the End Result

It’s always difficult to decide which company to hire for any of the types of cleaning services. Your carpet in particular is a delicate and central part of your home’s decor and feel, and you don’t want to regret hiring the wrong carpet cleaning service.

Is it time for you to get your carpets professionally cleaned? Click here to learn more about our prices and deals, and to get a free quote today!