Ways to Save Money on Professional Carpet Cleaning

Most people want to get the best deal possible for professional services like carpet and floor cleaning. I completely understand that. Typically when someone calls me they want to know my "price" for cleaning a certain number of rooms. This is an indication that they assume that the lowest price offered is the right choice. They intend to call around until they find that low price. So they go ahead and book with the lowest priced company they can find. Unfortunately, because of the less-than-professional "cleaners" that are out there, going with lowest price can actually cost more money in the long run. Please keep this in mind, low price ALWAYS means low quality service. You may as well do it yourself.

In this post I will share the ...

Best ways to get the highest quality service and save BIG money

Here we go ...

Don't Take the Lowest Price Offered

There are reasons you don't own the lowest-priced car, house, clothes, and countless other things. There are reasons you don't always order the lowest-priced meal from the menu. So, doesn't it make sense that there may be good reasons for not going with the lowest-priced professional carpet cleaning service. Please understand, I don't mean you need to go with the highest priced cleaner either ... more on that below.

Here's a few problems with the lowest-priced cleaner ...

• he will likely quote a price on the phone but change it when he arrives because your carpets are dirtier than he understood. He will need to add his "super-traffic lane cleaner" to really get it clean. This will cost LOTS more than originally quoted.
• he can't do high quality work at the lowest prices. Dedicated professional cleaners purchase industry recommended carpet detergents and cleaners. They are formulated with the right balance a PH cleaning agents and solvents. Professional cleaners have had training in the different types of cleaners and when, where, and how to use them. They are not "cheap." But they work and keep your carpets clean, healthy, and safe for your family. Paying a little more will get your carpets totally clean. If you go with the lowest priced cleaner your carpets may look clean when he leaves but will likely look dirty again within a week. No kidding! You may as well rent a Rug-doctor and do it yourself.

Don't Pay for Deodorizer

Deodorizers are profit-boosters for carpet cleaners; nothing more and nothing less. Carpet deodorizer cost literally pennies per gallon but these unscrupulous cleaners have no problem charging customers $14 per room and more. Deodorizer smells great when applied and comes in a variety of scents but the scent dissipates within hours after the cleaner leaves.

Deodorizer should be a free option for clients. They do not eliminate odors caused by pets or smoke. All they do is leave a nice scent in your home. If you have pet or smoke odor then an odor-eliminating process is required. Regular deodorizer will only mask odors for a few hours. This process does cost more and takes a skilled, experienced, and trained technician to handle it correctly. If you have these types of odors then tell the cleaning company when you call. This way you can get a price estimate as to what their odor elimination will cost. But never buy deodorizer unless you want to pay a lot of money for a scent that lasts a few hours.

Don't Pay to Have Carpets Protected Wall to Wall

Carpet protector, like ScotchGard, is indeed an excellent product. Protectors are always recommended by carpet cleaners because carpets are protected when they are made at the mill. Cleaning, vacuuming, regular traffic and wear eventually takes its toll and the protection gradually breaks down making stains and spots more difficult to remove. Reapplying the protector is a good idea BUT only within certain parameters.

Cleaners will always try to sell you wall-to wall protection. It is typically 50% of the cost to clean. So, let's say you get a price of $220 to clean 5 rooms, a hallway, and a set of stairs (too high but it is the average). The cost to protect wall-to-wall would be another $110 making the total ticket $330.

But most homeowners do not need wall-to wall protection. If you have young children you should have the main room they play in protected, such as a den, living room, or bonus room. These rooms get a lot of spills and should be protected so carpets clean easier. However, they do not need to be protected wall-to-wall. Only the open areas where the spills occur is needed. This means significant savings.

If your kids are older then you may only want traffic areas and the family room open areas protected. If you are in an empty-nest situation you may not need protection at all.

Honest cleaners will provide an assessment and audit of your carpet and offer a fair and favorable price for protection. Of course, protection is always recommended but remains optional.

Don't Call National Franchises

National franchises are easily discoverable. They usually advertise on the first page of Google. They are quite recognizable. One is known by its yellow vans. Another offers to leave zero residue. Another offers a chemical drying process. They each have great equipment and usually do excellent work. Their prices are always the highest by far and they always try to upsell customers on every conceivable service or product. Their technicians are usually fully-commissioned or at least partially commissioned and this is why they try to upsell so much. It means money in their pocket. I am not against providing extra services if it will benefit my customers; but I only offer additional services that a customer actually will benefit from. I can offer a lower price since I am already there and my equipment is set up. BUT, I only offer a service if it is indeed needed. National franchises turn huge profits trying to upsell everything possible.

With national franchises the cost is higher because they have HUGE overhead and business costs. These costs are passed on to YOU, the trusting customer.

Checkout the graphic below. It is an actual online cost estimator for a national franchise here in the Huntsville area. The cleaning is $188 for 6 areas of carpet. Another $99 for protector and $56 for deodorizer. Total ticket $343.

Remember, a big portion of this goes to cover their overhead. So, what would the cost actually be for the same service from a company like Kleaneasy?

$160 to clean the 6 areas (better than they will clean it).
No cost for the deodorizer (if you even want it).
Maybe $35 to $50 or so to protect. Can't give an exact price until what is being protected is determined.

So you can pay $343 OR $195 (or there about). That is significant savings for superior work,

Don't Hire a Company that Doesn't Offer a Guarantee or a Warranty

Any company that truly values its customers will offer some type or types of guarantee and/or warranty. If they don't, stay away from them.

Kleaneasy offers to provide the highest quality cleaning and get your carpets as clean as possible. If you are not satisfied that it is as clean as possible you simply call me back (within 30 days of original cleaning) and I will clean it again at no additional cost. If you are still not satisfied I will refund your money. No questions asked. By the way, I have never had to refund a penny.

Kleaneasy also offers a 30-day spot and stain warranty. This means that if any spot or stain reappears within 30 days after I leave. I will return to remove it at no additional cost.

Why get scammed by the low-price cleaner or pay far too much for the national franchise when you can have the highest quality cleaning complete with a warranty and a guarantee for significant savings?

Thank you,

Tony Guthrie
256-886-9100
Kleaneasy Carpet and Floor Cleaning
FACEBOOK

2525 Aspen Ave. Nw.

​Suite 100

Huntsville, AL 35810

​(256) 886-9100

Thank you for reading this post. If you want to help me spread the word about safe cleaning methods please share this post and leave a comment. Thanks again! Tony

Keeping Our Kids Safe and Healthy

As a parent you are always concerned about the health and safety of your children. From that first moment the nurse or doctor placed that precious little one into your arms you knew that you had a big responsibility. BUT, you didn't care. It was a responsibility you gladly accepted.

Even though they can try your patience at times, you love these little blessings with all your heart and soul. That love causes you to want to protect them at any and all costs. 

Keeping your children safe and healthy is such a dominant thought that you consider almost every aspects of their lives. You go to great lengths to keep your home "child-safe."

For example:

 You Consider the Physical Aspects of Your Home

• Every toy is carefully considered and examined for safety before you purchase it
• Safety latches are attached to cabinet doors and drawers
• Electrical sockets are covered with outlet plugs
• Anchors are secured to prevent furniture, TVs and ranges from tipping over and harming your child
• Corner and edge bumpers are added to prevent serious injuries from falls against sharp edges on walls, furniture, and fireplaces
• Knob covers that prevent a child from easily opening doors are secured and attached
• Cordless window coverings are installed to lower strangulation risks

These are but a few of the lengths you go to to keep your children safe.

You Also Consider the Medical Needs and Risks

• You will likely talk with other parents about illnesses and prescriptions. You will want to know what they did when their child had a certain illness and how their child reacted to prescribed medications
• You will make sure you have all the necessary over-the-counter medicines readily-available 
• You will place all medications out of sight and reach of your child
• You will have thermometers, bandages, hydrogen-peroxide, alcohol, saline solution, and MANY other medical items on hand
• Your pediatrician's number will be stored in you phone and written on a card that is attached to the refrigerator 

You Consider the Safety of Household Cleaning Products

• You carefully read the ingredients of cleaning products 
• You read informative articles such as this one
• You watch videos like this one ...

All of the above information is simply the tip of the iceberg of the lengths you will go to in order to keep your precious little one(s) safe and healthy. Beyond this, you will thoroughly check-out playgrounds, pre-schools, daycares, and other such places. 
This is VERY normal and any parent who doesn't consider these items, at least to some degree, is taking unnecessary risks related to their child's health and safety.
We all want safe home, learning, and play environments for our kids. I trust that this post serves as a catalyst for even further research you conduct into keeping your children safe and healthy.
If I can serve your carpet, upholstery, or floor cleaning needs ... please call me today!  256-886-9100
Best,
Tony Guthrie Kleaneasy Quality Carpet and Floor Cleaning
FACEBOOK WEBSITE

For the Dirty Carpet Hater

Dear Dirty-Carpet Hater,

DO YOU HATE YOUR DIRTY CARPETS?

DO YOU OWN CARPETS THAT YOU BELIEVE NOT ONLY HAVE DIRT AND GRIME IN THEM BUT ALSO BACTERIA, DUST MITES, ALLERGENS, AND OTHER YUCKY STUFF?

ARE YOU AFRAID TO LAY DOWN ON YOUR CARPET BECAUSE IT JUST MIGHT BE HAZARDOUS TO YOUR HEALTH (OR WORSE, YOUR CHILDREN'S HEALTH)?

ARE YOU CONCERNED ABOUT CALLING A PROFESSIONAL CLEANER BECAUSE YOU ARE CONCERNED ABOUT PRICE, INTEGRITY, HONESTY, GUARANTEES, ETC.?

Honestly, you should indeed be concerned about any company you hire to clean your possessions and investments. Dishonesty has been a trademark of the carpet cleaning industry for decades. The video below reveals the types of scams and dishonesty that pervades the carpet cleaning industry. The video was first aired 20 years ago and NOTHING has changed in the industry since!

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PTzkR1l-ZU

Thousands of honest homeowners, like YOU, have been ripped-off and lied to by countless so-called "professional" carpet and floor cleaners. 

Many people in this group of "ripped-off" homeowners (and I certainly hope that you are not in that group) have wasted hundreds and hundreds of dollars on these unscrupulous types of cleaners. They have literally flushed their hard-earned money right down the toilet!!! 

You deserve much, MUCH better!!!

I'm Tony Guthrie, owner of Kleaneasy Carpet and Floor Cleaning. If I am fortunate enough to earn your trust and business, here's what I will do for you.

1. I will provide you with a fair and honest price over the phone. I will not bait you with a low price to get the job and then change it when I arrive.

2. I will show up on time and within the time window I gave you when we set the cleaning appointment. 

3. I will show up in a clean, professional van and all of my equipment will be clean as well.

4. I will show up clean cut and wearing a professional company uniform. 

5. I will treat you and your home with dignity and respect. 

6. I will lay out rugs and mats at the entrance of your home so as to not bring more dirt into your home.

7. I will need to bring cleaning hoses that are attached to my van into your home SO I  will hang a curtain over the entry door so as to keep your heat or cool air inside your home.

8. I will pre-vacuum the carpets or tile I will be cleaning so as to remove as much dry dirt as possible. 

9.  I will pre-treat all spots and traffic lanes with a heated environmentally safe cleaning solution with a pressure sprayer. I will then agitate the solution deep into the carpet fibers with a carpet rake or rotary scrubber so as to break down and emulsify deep, embedded dirt.

10. I will steam clean the carpets with a truck-mounted cleaning extractor that will remove deeply embedded soil, gunk, allergens, dust mites, etc. 

11. I will place air-blowers on the carpets to help speed-up drying time.

12. I will post-groom the carpets with a carpet rake that will stand carpet fibers up and help the carpet look virtually new (or as new as possible).

13. I will provide you with a professional carpet audit and recommend a cleaning schedule of how frequently you should have your carpets professionally cleaned. I will also share the benefits of carpet protector and provide you with an estimate of the cost (this service is always recommended but is optional!) 

14. I will leave you with a 60-day spot and stain warranty that says that if any stains return after I leave (not likely) I will return at no cost and try to remove them. 

15. I will explain my full money-back guarantee. 

Why risk getting baited and switched with unscrupulous and 

unprofessional "professional" cleaners?

Call Kleaneasy today for price assessment and a no-obligation phone consultation 

256-886-9100

Thank You!

Tony Guthrie

Kleaneasy Carpet and Floor Cleaning

How to Keep Your Carpets Cleaner After Professional Cleaning

Anyone who has carpets (or rugs) wants to keep them clean. Because stains and traffic patterns are so visible we all want them erased from existence. This the primary reason people have their carpets and area rugs professionally cleaned once or twice a  year.

Once the carpets have been professionally cleaned we always want to keep them as clean as possible. Here are a few tips to help keep carpets clean after they have been cleaned professionally.

Make Sure Your Vacuum is Set to the Proper Height

If your vacuum is set to a pile setting that is too low, it can damage the carpet. If the setting is too high it will not pick up most of the dirt. To set your vacuum to the proper height, set the beater bar to its highest level and lower it until the suction starts to move the vacuum forward. Vacuum two or three times per week whether carpets show dirt of not. This keeps "invisible" dirt from accumulating. 

Place Mats Inside and Outside All Entrance Doors

This may seem obvious but I clean in MANY homes that do not have door mats. The dirt and wear is very heavy just inside the door as people walk in with dirt and oils on the bottom of their shoes. Also, moisture from rain on shoes attracts more dirt and makes carpets much dirtier much faster. Placing door mats allows people to wipe their feet and reduce tracked-in dirt significantly. 

Clean Up Spills A.S.A.P.

Stains and spills don’t ordinarily require hiring a professional carpet cleaning service. This is particularly true if you clean them as soon as they happen. The reality is that if you get to a spill as soon as it happens there’s a very good chance you’ll be able to remove it with nothing more than some water and a microfiber cloth. Press a dry microfiber cloth over the spot until most of the moisture and color is absorbed, then blot with a second cloth until the rest is removed.   Be careful not to scrub because it can damage the carpet fibers. 

Develop a Freshen-Up Mindset and Save Money

So often people will call me for cleaning when their carpets or rugs are heavily soiled. Honestly, this isn't the best approach. Heavily soiled carpets are harder to clean, require much more effort, and the costs are significantly higher. If you have a more "maintenance" mindset you can have your carpets cleaned when they are just beginning to show that they require a professional carpet cleaning service. This saves time and money and also extends the life and usage of your carpets. 

I hope these tips have been helpful. 

Tony Guthrie
Kleaneasy Carpet and Floor Cleaning
256-886-9100
https://www.facebook.com/kleaneasycarpetandfloor

Dealing with Pet Odor

Removing pet odors from a house is something most pet owners have to deal with (at least from time to time). Oftentimes home-owners with pets become "desensitized" to the actual odors within the home and actually do not notice them as much. Visitors, however, often easily notice these smells.

I once had a friend ask me to come over to his house and see if I smelled anything when I walked in the door. He and his wife owned a large dog that lived inside the home with them. My friend's wife was certain there was no "smell" because she couldn't smell it. The house, however, wreaked of the body odor of a large dog. Since they were trying to sell the house I told them they needed to do all they could to get the scent out.

Well, you may not have an issue like the one I just mentioned. Still, here are some ideas for removing pet odors from your home (just in case).

Vacuum Regularly with a High-Quality Vacuum

Obviously vacuuming with a high-powered HEPA vacuum cleaner 2 to 3 times per week will keep allergens down, prevent dirt from getting deep within the carpet fibers, and will remove pet dander and most hair. It is very important for pet owners to possess higher quality vacuums because the suction and cleaning power is greater.

Regularly Replace the Filter on Your HVAC

Change filters regularly in order to capture particles such as hair, dirt and pet dander and to keep your home smelling fresh.

Clean Stains and "Accidents" Quickly

It’s critical to clean pet accidents and stains quickly to prevent them from setting in. Obviously there will be times when you aren't there when the accident first takes place. If you are unsure of what to do to clean up an accident, call me for the steps. I will be happy to walk you through it.

Freshen the Carpet with Baking Soda

Start by vacuuming the carpet thoroughly to remove dust, dirt, dander and hair. Sprinkle baking soda generously over the carpet. Allow the baking soda to sit for a minimum of 30 minutes (the longer the better). Vacuum the carpet to remove the baking soda and any odors.

Brush and Groom Pets Often

Spending a few minutes every other day brushing your pet will reduce the amount of shedding hair in your carpets. This can also be a fun time for you and your pet. My cat loves to be brushed.

Call Me for Deep Cleaning Once a Year

I use the finest hot water extraction system to remove deep embedded dirt, stains and debris in the carpet and furniture. Yearly deep cleaning can ensure that your carpets and upholstery are not housing odor-inducing elements caused by your pets.

I hope these tips have helped.

Tony Guthrie
256-886-9100
Kleaneasy Carpet and Floor Cleaning
https://www.facebook.com/kleaneasycarpetandfloor/