Some companies in the cleaning industry try unscrupulous marketing practices designed to take advantage of their potential customers. Below are two of the most common scams in the cleaning industry along with 8 questions you should ask before inviting a professional cleaner to your home.
Consumer Warning Hotline: (201) 941-5071
Call to hear a brief recorded message to help you avoid common pitfalls in the cleaning industry.
Unbelievably Low Prices – Hidden Costs
Perhaps you receive coupons in the mail to advertise carpet cleaning for $29.95 per room. However if you ask the right questions you’ll be surprised to learn that carpet cleaning with detergent is subject to an additional charge. The same is true of pre-conditioning, deodorizing, spot removal, pet stain removal, travel and even furniture moving…each of the services incurs an extra charge.
High Pressure – Bait and Switch
In this scam the customer is baited by advertisements with unbelievably low prices. Once scam artists get into your home, they pressure you customer into more expensive carpet cleaning. For the record, honest cleaning professional will not pressure you to buy anything. Honest cleaners provide a pressure-free written estimate that spells out all the costs involved in the cleaning of your goods.
8 questions you should ask before inviting a professional cleaner to your home.
- What method of carpet or textile cleaning do you recommend and why?
- What will your machinery remove from my goods?
- How long have you been cleaning carpet/textiles?
- Can you provide me with 3 local references that I can call to check on the quality of your work?
- What formal training have you received in the science of cleaning?
- Do you have any certifications?
(ex. IIRC, certifies professional cleaners through exams) - What type of equipment do you use and are you fully insured?
- Will you provide me with a no-obligation written estimate of the services to be performed?