How to Avoid Carpet Cleaning Scams

If you are meticulous about keeping carpets tidy and stain-free, you know the benefit of a professional carpet cleaning service. Unfortunately, carpet cleaning scams may try to take advantage of homeowners with high-pressure sales tactics. The good news is that most cleaning services take pride in their work. They want to do the best job possible—but the bad apples, for lack of better words, stain the whole bunch. If you are looking to hire a pro, become familiar with the process and watch out for these three common carpet cleaning scams.

1. The ‘Unbelievably Low Prices’ Scam

You will hear this one from salespeople who come to your door, claiming to offer the lowest price in town. They might tell you about competitors’ offers or give you flyers that show what other companies charge. You may even encounter free carpet cleaning scams that offer a complimentary service. In reality, the person at your door is getting paid for the number of sales he or she makes. If you agree to the price, the salesperson leaves and a "pro" will come back a few days later.

Once inside your home, the price suddenly starts to increase because you have thicker-than-average carpet, your rooms are a strange size, or there are certain types of stains on your floor. Regardless of what you initially agreed to, the price suddenly spirals out of control and you find yourself paying for services you do not need or want.

Many carpet cleaning scams go door-to-door because it puts pressure on homeowners to make a purchase in the moment. The fix? Never agree to anything sold by a door-to-door salesperson, especially if he or she tells you it is a limited-time offer. Always call the company on your own time and your own terms.

2. The ‘Best Method’ Scam

There are several common methods for carpet cleaning, some of which can totally revive a matted or flattened carpet, as well as remove serious stains. The most popular is steam cleaning, which uses hot water and chemical detergent. Clean water and detergent are pushed into your carpet using high-powered tools, and dirty water is pulled out using a vacuum. Dry cleaning, meanwhile, uses a very small amount of water and chemicals to pull stains out of a carpet and refresh the fibers.

Some carpet cleaning company scams will claim that they are using the best method available. The problem? There is no such thing. What works best for cleaning a carpet depends on the carpet’s age, material, pile, and the amount of cleaning it requires.

Of course, this “best” cleaning method comes with a huge price tag and will not clean your carpet any better than either method mentioned above. To spot this scam, ask your prospective contractor exactly what his or her method involves. If the technician cannot explain the method or acts offended that you asked, choose a different company.

3. The ‘Surface Clean’ Scam

Of all the carpet cleaning scams, this one requires homeowners to be the most diligent. Even seemingly reputable companies try this trick occasionally, though sometimes they do not do it on purpose.

It all starts innocently enough; you contact a company, have them come and do an estimate, agree to a time, and then a uniformed employee comes to your door. You vacate the house and return when the carpet is dry, only to find that the stains return within days and none of the surfaces seem particularly clean. What happened?

There are a few possibilities. First, your contractor may have faulty equipment, which did not push enough water in or suck enough out. It is also possible the contractor made no real effort to clean your carpet, instead doing only a quick surface clean before packing up and moving on to the next job.

To avoid this scam, do your research. Be wary of carpet cleaning scam calls (these types of carpet cleaners are more likely to call you cold) and always check online reviews. If you do hire a contractor that does not do a great job, make sure you communicate your dissatisfaction. Most companies want happy customers to keep up a good reputation. 

If you attempt to fix the situation by cleaning the carpet yourself, make sure you use the proper cleaning solution and method.

Additional Signs of a Carpet Cleaning Scam

Be wary of the following behaviors from a potential carpet cleaner:

• Adding “hidden” fees during the cleaning service

• Charging extra for moving furniture, unless specified in the contract

• Using the same equipment for carpet and rugs

• No written estimate or contract

• Poor customer reviews

• Lack of available references

What to Look for in a Professional Carpet Cleaner

When choosing a carpet cleaning service, make sure to get a specific rate per room or per square foot, and ask about the preferred cleaning method. Ask if there is an extra charge for moving heavy items like furniture; many companies will only clean open floor space or demand a huge surcharge to move furniture. In this case, move furniture before the carpet cleaner arrives to avoid extra fees. If licensing is required in your city or town, confirm the company is licensed before you make a hiring decision.