Carpet Cleaning - Avoid the bait and switch

Just today I received an ad in the mail for carpet cleaning at $6.95 per room.

Let's stop and think about this for a minute...it costs me more than that in gasoline to drive to your house.

Do you really believe that any company can clean carpets for $6.95 a room on every job they schedule and be profitable? Especially when you figure in fuel and labor costs, not to mention the chemical and machine costs.

So what's the catch? This is a classic bait and switch tactic that many dishonest companies use to get their foot in your door - and unfortunately it works or they wouldn't still be doing it.

We are all attracted by low prices because everyone likes getting a good deal. That's why these type of schemes work so well. They offer an unbelievably low advertised price and once they are in your home, they pressure you into buying additional services to make up for that low priced base cost.

Here's how the bait and switch basically works:

You see a carpet cleaning company advertising any size room cleaned for 6.95-12.95 per room, (insert any too good to be true price here, but in many cases it is 6.95 to 12.95 per room or 59.95 to 89.95 for a whole house).
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Bait and switch carpet cleaners exposed on an ABC news special.

The "technician" arrives at your home with one of the following common bait and switch scenarios:

Scenario 1 - enters with a low power, portable cleaner, (very similar to what you would rent at your grocery store), and the explains your carpets will need a deep cleaning, high powered service which will cost an extra .30 cents per square foot, and by the way, did he mention the truck with that equipment is right outside?

Or

Scenario 2 - "Tech" is using high powered equipment, but explains that your carpets all require additional services (pretreatment, preconditioning, deep cleaning, deep scrub, corrective cleaning - or insert any coined phrase here).

The "technician" explains that they will not be able to perform a quality service if you refuse the extra services needed to clean your carpets, that you'll most likely be completely dissatisfied with the results (and you most likely will) - and some may go so far as to warn of a trip charge should you refuse their services today.

What do you do?

Refuse the service, pay the trip charge fee, reschedule another appointment with another firm, and take another day off work to avoid this unscrupulous cleaning company?

Going this route will cost more money - the trip charge, the time off of work - plus the hassle of looking for another company etc.

Unfortunately, in many cases, even after the extra fees, the job is still not completed as well as it should have been. Should you expect it to be, keeping in mind how you have been treated to this point? Can you really expect top quality workmanship from a company that has to bait and switch clients to get their foot in your door?

At the end of the day, a 5 room job, which was supposed to be $89.95 as per the advertisement, after the "deep scrub", "corrective cleaning", (insert extra services here) at .30 cents a square foot, plus whatever fees they have tacked on, can end up costing you between $300 - $400...a FAR cry from that $89.95 you planned. You ended up paying more than you would have using our services and you received a poor quality cleaning.

Are there situations where additional services may be needed?

Yes, absolutely. Are they in most cases needed? No, not usually.

If it's something your floors will benefit from, we'll let you know up front and without pressure.

At Stefanie Overturf's Cleaning Service, we believe in up front, honest advertising and pricing so our clients can make informed decisions. We're looking to build our company within the community, not to make a quick buck with dishonest business practices.

Do not fall victim to these types of scams. Initially it may look like we charge more than some of our competitors just by looking at an advertisement, however in the long run - we'll cost less - and you will end up with cleaner carpets.

If they had to cheat to get their foot in the door, do you really expect them to do the work properly, use the correct solutions, and offer real warranties?

You probably have thousands of dollars invested in your carpets, and it would cost thousands to replace it. Do you really want to hire the cheapest guy in town to maintain it for you?

At Stefanie Overturf's Cleaning Service we don't hide our costs, and we stand behind the quality of our work.

We service the following areas of Florida: Bradenton, Sarasota, Palmetto, Ellenton, Parrish, and Lakewood Ranch.

We have many happy clients who would be happy to tell you about their experience with us. Give Stefanie a call at 941-301-9555 or visit http://www.cleaningmanatee.com/ for more information or to schedule an appointment.

Saving money with carpet cleaning

Did you know that even though your carpet is one of the most expensive items in your home, we do less to maintain it and extend its lifespan than we do for other products?

Think about it. You probably perform maintenance to your push mower once a year but when is the last time you had your carpets cleaned?

The average household only cleans their carpets every 7 years. Yet many expect the carpet cleaner to come into their home and return their never before cleaned, seven-year-old carpet to its original glory. While we can make your carpet look beautiful again, another statistic tells us that the average residential carpet is replaced every 7 years. This means that the average carpet is cleaned once during its lifetime.

What if I told you that this same carpet is made to last twice that length of time?

How can this be?

Homeowner 1 - Cleans his carpet every 7 years. Carpet lasts 7 years.

The average costs of a mid grade carpet and labor is $2.50 per square foot. 1000 square feet would cost $2500 to purchase. To replace the dingy carpet in seven years (not figuring in the fact that the price will go up) it's another $2500. That's $5,000. Now lets throw in the one cleaning within that 7 years at $250.00, which brings the sum to $5,250.00.

Homeowner 2 - Cleans his carpet every year. Carpet lasts 14 years.

Let's clean that carpet at $250 once a year for 7 years. That equals $1750 for cleaning. Add in the one time $2500 for the carpet (that you won't need to replace for another 7 years) and homeowner 2 pays $4,250.00 for carpet purchase and yearly cleaning over that same 7 year span. $4,250.00 for yearly carpet cleaning vs. $5,250.00 for one carpet cleaning and carpet replacement. A savings of $1,000 over a 7 year period.

How can this be? How does carpet cleaning extend the life of the carpet?

Here's one reason: The single most damaging substance to carpet is sand - it grinds into and cuts your carpet fibers. Keeping sand (as well as dirt, clay, mud, soil, turf, etc.) out of your carpet fibers is the most important way to keep them looking their best. Only a professional carpet cleaning using high pressurized hot water and powerful vacuums can get to the sand and dirt beneath the surface that causes your carpet to wear out faster.

Regular carpet cleaning helps you save money and the carpet industry's product to perform up to it's lifespan.

By increasing carpet cleaning frequency to once per year, you actually save money by extending your carpet's life, keeping it looking fresh and new, and you'll have a healthier home by extracting harmful allergen.

To find out about professional carpet cleaning for your Bradenton Florida area home, visit www.cleaningmanatee.com or call Stefanie Overturf's Cleaning Service at 941-301-9555.

Green House Cleaning

Looking for a safe, natural, environmentally friendly green product that can clean and deodorize and won't break the bank? Look no further, you might already have it in your fridge...

Behold the power of baking soda!

Here are just some of its uses as a cleaning agent:

Around the Kitchen

Used with water, baking soda neutralizes dirt and grease. It is slightly alkaline (pH about 8.1; 7 is neutral); so when wet, it neutralizes acid-based chemicals and odors. Apply it with a wet sponge, then buff dry with a cloth. This works particularly well on pots and pans. It's gentle abrasiveness lets you scrub without scratching, making it ideal for polishing glass, chrome, steel, enamel, and plastic.

Odor Neutralizer

Baking soda may be known best as a deodorant. It neutralizes odors, instead of only masking them. That's why so many people keep an open box in the refrigerator. Don't forget to change the box every few months. In other areas of the house, just sprinkle baking soda on places that need to be deodorized. This even works on your gym shoes.

Here are a few other tips I've found but haven't tried yet:

Drain Cleaner

Mix the following:
•1 cup baking soda
•1 cup hot vinegar

Wait a few minutes, then flush the drain with 1 quart of very hot water.

For garbage disposals, use 1/4 cup baking soda and 1/2 cup of vinegar.

Microwave Cleaning

Make a cleaning solution of 4 Tablespoons of baking soda to 1 quart of warm water. Use it to clean the inside surfaces of the oven.---or place a few spoonfuls of baking soda in water in a microwave safe cup. Boil the water 3-5 minutes. The walls of the microwave will be damp. Simply take a sponge or paper towel and wipe down the insides of the oven.

Toilet Cleaner

Sprinkle 1/2 box of baking soda into the toilet tank once a month. Let it stand overnight before flushing. The tank and the bowl will be both clean and deodorized.

Non-toxic pesticide

Put baking soda under sinks near pipe openings and along basement windows to repel ants, silver fish and roaches. Roaches will dehydrate and die after eating baking soda.


Stefanie Overturf's Cleaning Service offers the use of environmentally friendly cleaning products in your Manatee County Florida home. Visit our website at www.cleaningmanatee.com or call Stefanie at 941-301-9555.