Do I need to do anything before the cleaners arrive?
I have a pet, can I still get my carpets cleaned?
Yes, we can still clean your carpets even if you have a pet. We understand that accidents happen and pets can be messy. We will do our best to clean your carpets and get them looking and smelling fresh and new again.
How often should I clean my carpet?
This is a commonly asked question. Regular cleaning extends the life of your carpet, which saves you a lot of money as you won’t need to replace your carpet as often if it is well maintained. Cleaning carpets on a regular basis provide a healthy, hygienic environment for you and your family. For a rough guide to how often your carpet needs cleaning, consult the advice below for the level of traffic and soiling to which your carpet is subjected.
Light traffic and soiling:
You should vacuum your carpet once a week, and spot clean daily or as soon as any spots are noticed. Professional cleaning should be carried out every 12 to 18 months on the heaviest-used areas, with a restorative clean every 2 years or according to the carpet manufacturer’s warranty.
Normal traffic and soiling (families with children or elderly members):
You should vacuum your carpet once or twice a week, and spot clean daily or as soon as any spots are noticed. Professional cleaning should be carried out every 6 to 12 months on the heaviest-used areas, with a restorative clean every year or according to the carpet manufacturer’s warranty.
Heavy traffic and soiling (families with smokers or pets):
You should vacuum your carpet 2 to 4 times a week, and spot clean daily or as soon as any spots are noticed. Professional cleaning should be carried out every 3 to 6 months on the heaviest-used areas, with a restorative clean every 6 months or according to the carpet manufacturer’s warranty.
Extreme traffic and soiling (large families with many pets or smokers):
You should vacuum your carpet every day, and spot clean daily or as soon as any spots are noticed. Professional cleaning should be carried out every 2 to 3 months on the heaviest-used areas, with a restorative clean every 3 months or according to the carpet manufacturer’s warranty.
Carpets cleaned on a regular basis provide a healthy, safe living environment for you and your family at the same time adding years of life to one of the larger investments in your home. So the question is, how often should they be cleaned? The answer can depend on several factors. The chart below taken from the IICRC Reference Guide for Professional Carpet Cleaning can assist you in answering this all important question.
Traffic Soil Rating | Vacuuming | Spot Cleaning | Heavy-Use Area Cleaning | Restorative Cleaning |
Light Soil | 1x per week | Daily or as soon as spots are noticed. | Traffic areas every 12 to 18 months |
Every 2 years or per manufacturer warranty. |
Normal Soil (families with children or elderly) |
1 to 2x per week | Daily or as soon as spots are noticed. | Traffic areas every 6 to 12 months |
Annually |
Heavy Soil (families with pets, smoking) |
2 to 4x per week | Daily or as soon as spots are noticed. | Traffic areas every 3 to 6 months |
Semi-Annually (2x annually) |
Extreme Conditions (large families, multiple pets) |
Daily | Daily or as soon as spots are noticed. | Traffic lanes every 2-3 months |
Quarterly (4x annually) |
I’m going on holiday, can you clean my carpets while I am away?
Yes, we can. Just tell us who has the key, and arrange for a friend or neighbour to be on call should we need them. We will do the work while you are away, and send you an invoice to be paid when you have returned and seen the finished results. We have one client that we have never met, whose cleaning we have done during her holidays for the last 25 years. She simply leaves the key and a note to tell us what she wants cleaning, and relies on us to do the rest. It must be lovely for her to return refreshed from her holiday, to find her home is clean and fresh too!
I work six days a week, can you clean my carpets without me being at home?
Yes, we can. Let us know when we can collect a key from you, and we will clean your carpets, curtains or upholstery while you are at work. We will then return the key at a time that’s convenient for you.
How long will my upholstery take to dry?
Drying times for upholstery vary depending on the types of fibre used in your upholstery fabric, but we will keep the drying time as short as possible for you.
How long before I can walk on the carpets?
It is better if you can leave them to dry completely, but if you cannot avoid walking on them we will provide you with shoe protectors.
How long will my carpets take to dry?
This depends on the type and thickness of your carpets, and on the weather at the time, but most carpets will be dry in two to three hours. Some may take a little longer. We can provide a turbo dryer if rapid drying is required.
Will you be able to remove all of the stains on my carpet?
We cannot guarantee complete stain removal, because some stains cause permanent colour change to the fibers and may react adversely to stain removal products. Differences in fibre type and construction, the dyes used, and the finish of the fabric have to be taken into consideration. The composition of the spill and the length of time the stain has been left on the fabric also has a bearing on stain removal. Not all spots and stains can be removed from every fibre and fabric on the first try, but some stubborn stains will respond to repeated cleaning.
Do you move furniture?
We will move most couches, chairs, and tables free of charge. Heavier items, and furniture holding electronics or breakables, will either need to be moved before we arrive or we can clean around it. Any items that can’t be moved will be identified beforehand during your free estimate or walk-through pre-inspection.
Why choose Competent Cleaners?
We are founder members of the National Carpet Cleaners Association (NCCA), which enables us to keep up with the latest cleaning techniques. As proud members of the WoolSafe Organisation we are recommended by carpet manufacturers for the care of their products. We also regularly train our staff in customer care and cleaning techniques, and offer a money back guarantee. We arrange appointments to suit you, turn up when we say we are going to, and work on fixed prices.
How much does it cost?
To be honest we can’t answer that question until we’ve seen the furnishings that require cleaning, but our customers tell us they think we offer great value for money. We also offer a range of discounts including bulk discounts (i.e. the more work you have done, the cheaper it becomes) and neighbourhood discounts (i.e. if your neighbour uses our services at the same time, we will give you both a discount) as well as seasonal and last-minute discounts.
Competent Cleaners recommend that we have a look at the items to be cleaned BEFORE we make an appointment. Our technician can give you honest advice regarding how much furniture will need to be moved, how long the job should take, how long it will need to dry, and whether you should consider stain removal and protection. We will then give you a FREE no-obligation quote for the work. If you’re short of time and can’t have us round to give you a quote, you can still make an appointment – we will take a look at the items and let you know the final price at the start of the appointment.