Consumer

 Awareness

Guide

By

Gallagher’s Carpet Care.

ALL RIGHTS ARE RESERVED.  No part of this book may be reproduced

or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including

photocopying, recording or by any informational  storage or retrieval system

without express written permission from the publisher.

DISCLAIMER AND/OR LEGAL NOTICES:

While all attempts have been made to verify information provided in this book,

 neither the Authors or the Publisher assumes any responsibility for errors,

 inaccuracies or omissions.  Any slights of people or organizations

 are unintentional.  If advice concerning legal or related matters is needed, the

services of a qualified professional  should be sought.  This book is not

intended for use as a source of legal or accounting advice.  Also, some

 suggestions made in this book concerning marketing, product sales, or

referral fees, etc., may have inadvertently introduced practices deemed

unlawful in certain states and municipalities.  You should be aware of the

various  laws governing business transactions or other business practices

in your particular geographic location.

Any references to any persons or businesses, whether living or dead, existing

 or defunct, is purely coincidental.

PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

ANDY GALLAGHER’S CONSUMER EDUCATION

 MESSAGE - NEW, REVISED EDITION

 Hi!  This is Andy Gallagher’s.  Thanks very much for your interest. 

 I'm grateful for the opportunity to provide you with information about

carpet cleaning and help you choose a carpet cleaning company.

I'm the owner of Gallagher’s Carpet Care..  Gallagher’s has been in the

carpet cleaning business for all most 20 years.  And in that time, I've learned

 that carpet cleaning is the subject of much confusion.  In fact, people

have so many misconceptions about carpet cleaning that I decided to offer

this consumer education message  so when you select a carpet cleaning

 company, you can make an informed intelligent decision. In just a moment,

 I'll share with you six costly misconceptions about carpet cleaning. 

Plus I'll offer four  recommendations.  And I'll give you seven questions

you should ask a carpet cleaner before you invited him  into your home.

Now here is 

Misconception #1:  You should wait as long as possible before cleaning

your carpet.

No.  Dirt is an abrasive - like sandpaper.  Every time you step on the carpet,

you grind dirt into your carpet  fibers.  This cuts your carpet, just as if you

had  used a knife, causing it to wear out faster.  A dirty carpet will  not last

nearly as long as a clean carpet.  And while vacuuming helps -- by itself, its

 simply not enough.  Then longer you wait to have your carpet cleaned, the

more damage you do to your carpet and the faster it wears out.

Misconception #2: The only reason to clean carpets is to get out the dirt.

 No.  As you probably know, outdoor air contains pollens, fungus, bacteria,

air pollution, cigarette smoke, car exhaust -- and hundreds of other chemicals. 

 When you and your family members come into your home,  you carry those

pollens, bacteria and chemicals in your hair and on your skin, clothing

and shoes.   Not surprisingly, all those chemicals, pollens and bacteria

wind up -- you guessed it -- in your carpet.

If you have allergies, asthma, emphysema, or other breathing problems --

one major source of your problem could be the pollens, fungus, and

chemicals in your carpet.

In addition, as you may know, tobacco smoke contains over 4000 different

chemical compounds, 43 of which  cause cancer.  And even if you don't

 smoke, those chemicals get on your shoes, you track them in to your home

 and you leave them in your carpet.

If you're sensitive to cigarette smoke, you might find that you'll breath easier

after you hire a company to get  those harmful chemicals out of your carpet.

So in addition to getting rid of dirt, another important reason to clean your

 carpet is to get rid of pollens, fungus, bacteria, chemicals and the tars and

 residue from tobacco smoke.

Misconceptions #3:  One method of carpet cleaning is as good as another.

 No.  You can choose from two primary methods:  Dry cleaning or hot water

 extraction. First, I'll explain dry cleaning.  Many people believe that dry

 cleaning your carpet is like dry cleaning your  clothing.  This is not true. 

 All carpet cleaning methods use water in one from or another. 

Here are the three  methods of dry cleaning carpet.

When a carpet cleaner uses dry foam, he applies shampoo to your carpet,

 allow it to dry, and then sucks the  dried shampoo into a vacuum. 

Can you imagine applying shampoo to your hair, allowing it to dry and then

 removing the shampoo from your head with a vacuum?  This method can

leave a residue in your carpet, which  is one reason dry foam is not very effective.

The dry-chem method is similar to dry foam.  The major difference is that

when dry-chem is used, the company sets a large cotton bonnet on your

carpet.  Using a machine, the bonnet spins from side to side, absorbing the

dirt that's in the carpet.  After the bonnet is saturated with dirt, another

cotton bonnet is applied.  Bonnet cleaning is like trying to use a large towel

to rub the dirt out of your carpet.  Like dry foam, its not very effective.

The dry-compound method spreads an absorbent mixture that looks like

 wet sawdust all over your carpeting.  Then the machine brushes the mixture

into the carpet, which in theory causes dirt to absorb into the mixture. 

 When the mixture has dried, a vacuum cleaner sucks the material out of the

carpeting.  Because the carpet is not rinsed in any way, this method is not

 very effective. 

The second carpet cleaning method is called hot water extraction. 

This is a fancy way of saying that a hot water  cleaning solution under

high pressure is forced into the carpet and then sucked out of the carpet. 

 This method is also referred to as steam cleaning even though steam is

not used. 

Shaw Industries, the world's largest carpet manufacturer, recommends

hot water extraction and you can choose from two different types: 

Portable extraction, which is done with a small machine. 

Or truck mount extraction which means the large cleaning machine is

 mounted in a truck or van. Not surprisingly, the truck mount extraction 

cleans much better because it heats the water to a higher temperature

-- and shoots the cleaning solution into the carpet a t higher pressure --

which breaks up the dirt, bacteria and pollens.  Then the machine uses

high suction to draw the dirt out of the carpet.  This is the method my

company uses.

No question, the most effective way to clean carpeting is with a

hot-water unit mounted in a truck.  Its the most  powerful cleaning machine

on the market and the only machine that thoroughly cleans your carpet of

dirt, harmful  bacteria, fungus, chemicals, pollens and tobacco residue.

Methods that use cold and even warm water remove dirt -- but are not

as effective as the hot-water truck mount method.

Some people believe that hot water damages your carpet, but this isn't true.

  By washing and then rinsing your  carpet with hot water, we clean your

carpet completely -- in the same way that the person who showers and

 then rinses off the dirt and soap will be much cleaner than the person who

takes only a sponge bath.

Misconception #4:  Having the right equipment is all a company needs to

 clean your carpets properly. 

Not true.   Many companies own hot-water cleaners -- but a large

number of employees do  n't know how to  use them.  You probably

know someone who bought the newest computer on the market --

but didn't learn  how to use it for a year or more.  The same is

true with carpet cleaning machines.  The company may own good

 equipment, but the employees may not  know how to use it correctly. 

 This is why it's important that you choose your carpet cleaner carefully.

The best carpet cleaning companies are those that have been certified. 

 A carpet cleaning company can not buy this certification. 

 The carpet cleaner must earn the certification through study, experience

 and the successful completion of formal, written examinations.  

Cleaners who are certified , in effect, earned a degree in carpet cleaning.

 Misconception #5:  The company that offers the lowest price is the

 company you should hire.

 Maybe -- but not always.  Here are two important points to consider.

Point #1:  The price you see offered may not be for the services you

want performed.   Before you select  a company, decide what you want

to accomplish.  If you want the carpet cleaner to remove only some of

the dirt, you can choose from hundreds of companies that use small

shampooers or other cleaning methods.  Or, you can even rent a machine

at the grocery store and  do the job yourself.

On the other hand, if you want your carpet thoroughly cleaned --

if you want to remove the harmful dirt,  bacteria, pollens, chemicals and

 tobacco residues -- then you need to hire a company that uses a hot water

cleaner mounted in a truck.  This is the only way to assure that your

carpet remains healthy and free from dirt, disease-causing bacteria,

and hurtful chemicals.

So remember that the price you see offered may not be for the services

 you want performed.

 Point #2:  The price you see advertised may not be the price you pay.

Many homeowners have learned that the low price they saw advertised

was not the amount they were charged.

And if you've ever hired a carpet cleaner, you too may have been the

victim of false or misleading advertising.   You probably learned the hard

 way that some carpet cleaners offer a cheap price -- usually between $9.95

and $19.95 per room -- and then pressure you into paying a lot more once

they get inside your home.  Some of them may even break the law by using

illegal bait and switch tactics.

As in all businesses and professions, the carpet cleaning industry has its share

of bad apples.  I take no  pleasure in telling you this, but some are unethical

-- and, sadly, a few are dishonest.  By their misleading  advertising and false

 promises, they cast a dark shadow

on our entire industry.

Then you'll find other carpet cleaners -- professionals like me who work

 hard to earn your trust and respect.

As a way of improving our profession, I've dedicated my business to

educating the public.   The only way

you can make an intelligent decision is to have all the facts you need. 

This is why I've created this message. 

Misconception #6:  Any honest carpet cleaning company should be

able to give you an exact price quote over the telephone.

I wish this were true, but it isn't.  Consumers often think that if they want to

clean four rooms and the price is $6 per room, then the price will be $24. 

But this isn't always true. 

First, honest, reputable carpet cleaning companies usually price carpet

cleaning by the square foot.  So if you'd  like me to tell you the exact

cost of cleaning your carpet, I need to know the exact number of square

 feet that you want cleaned.  To get an accurate measurement, I have a

measuring wheel I use to calculate the exact size  of the carpet area.

You'll be glad to know that the carpet area to be cleaned is not nearly

 as great as most people think.  For example, if you want your entire

home cleaned and your home is 2000 square feet, the amount of

carpeting to be cleaned might be only 1200 square feet.  This is

because most home measurements are outdoor measurements. 

Plus I deduct the area taken up by walls, room dividers and the like.

  The result is that the actual area to be cleaned is usually only about 60%

of the square footage of the home.

So even though I can't give you an exact quote over the telephone, here

are things I consider when quoting a price.

First, the type of carpet.  Certain types of carpet are harder to clean than

 others.  So before I can give you a quote, I need to know the type of

carpet you want cleaned.

Second, the amount of soiling.  Carpet that hasn't been cleaned for

ten years will take longer to clean than carpet that was cleaned within

the last six months.

Third, the amount of furniture that has to be moved.  If we have to move

 your furniture, the bid must include  that labor.  But if you move your furniture,

 you'll save money.

To recap, I consider the type of carpet, the amount of soiling, and the amount

of furniture that has to be moved.  So, as you can now imagine, every quotation

is different.

If you're thinking about having your carpets cleaned, I offer these four

recommendations: 

Recommendation #1:  Make a commitment to yourself to get your carpets

cleaned.  The longer they remain  dirty, the sooner they'll wear out.  Plus the

 longer you have to breathe all the pollens, fungus, chemicals and dust mites

that live in your carpet.

Recommendation #2:  List your objectives.  Do you want only the dirt

removed, something you could do with a rented machine.  Or do you want

 the bacteria, fungus and chemicals removed, which will require a

 hot water truck mount cleaner, like I use.  Do you want to work with

an honest, reputable company --  or are you willing to risk working with

the company that offers you the lowest price -- knowing that company

might not be in business tomorrow.

Recommendation #3:  Ask questions.  The way you learn about a

company is to ask specific questions  and listen carefully to the answers. 

Here are the questions I suggest you ask:

1.  What method of carpet cleaning do you recommend?

2.  What type of equipment do you use to clean carpet?

3.  What does your equipment remove from my carpet?

4.  How often should I get my carpets cleaned?

5.  What training have you had in cleaning carpets?

6.  Are you a member of any trade associations and, if so,

which ones?

7.  Are you certified and will you show me your certificate?

Recommendation #4:  Once you're satisfied that you're working with an

 honest, competent professional, invite him into your home and ask for a

 specific quotation in writing.  A written quotation gives you the assurance

 that you know exactly what your job will cost -- no surprises.

By following these four recommendations, you'll gain all the information you

 need to make an informed, intelligent decision.  If you want a quick, cheap

carpet cleaning job, many companies in the phone book can help you. 

Or you can rent a shampooer and do the job yourself.

But if you want your carpeting to be completely and thoroughly cleaned --

removing the bacteria, fungus, chemicals, pollens, and tobacco products --

then I invite you to call me.

I'll be happy to answer your questions -- provide you a cost estimate over

the telephone -- or come into your home and give you a free written quotation --

without obligation of any kind.  To reach me, call 916-483-9062

Or, if you prefer, e-mail me at andy62764@aol.com and I will give you a call.

Here's one last point:  I know that many consumers are skeptical about carpet

cleaning companies.  Before I got into the business, I was skeptical too.

  So in addition to dedicating my business to consumer education, I do one

 more thing as well. I guarantee my work.  That's right.  I fully guarantee

every carpet cleaning job we do.  If you aren't happy  with our work,

we'll reclean the area for free.  And if you still aren't pleased, you pay nothing. 

 Not one cent. What could be more fair?

As a matter of fact, add this question to the list.  Question #8 is "Do

 you guarantee your work?"  Not all companies do -- and it's important

that you have this information before you make your decision.

Thanks very much . I hope you found this consumer message helpful. 

 If you have questions or comments -- or if you'd like to schedule a free,

in-home quotation, please e-mail me at Andy62764@aol.com

Or call me at 916-483-9062

On behalf  of Gallagher’s Carpet Care. -- I thank you for your kind attention. 

Andy Gallagher