The real estate market is going through a wild ride as we speak. There are thousands of people purchasing homes across the country, and the rise in home prices is remarkable. This means that homeowners must make their homes remarkable as well, investing in services to improve home value.
Since there are so many people wanting to purchase homes and not enough supply to meet demand, real estate professionals are having to deal with a lot of competition. They need to find unique ways to attract buyers and offer services that set them apart from their competitors. Most people look to remodeling and landscaping to increase property value, but did you ever consider carpet cleaning?
Flooring can be a major show stopper for your home, but this doesn’t mean that you need to go all out and replace old flooring. If you have carpet, carpet cleaning can be essential to increasing home value and attracting potential buyers.
The Power of Flooring in Your Home
Now is your chance to floor potential buyers with the appearance of your home, particularly your floor. Most buyers notice flooring in a home before anything else.
The first thing buyers will see inside your home is the flooring. This is why you should pay special attention to the appearance of your floors, and professional carpet cleaning can help.
The Process of Carpet Cleaning
If you haven’t tried professional carpet cleaning before, there’s no better time if you want to sell your home or even increase its value. Keep in mind that not all carpet cleaning companies are created equal. You want to find a reputable, experienced company to help you with the process.
Here is some insight on how to invest in carpet cleaning, including choosing the best carpet cleaning company for your needs.
How to Choose a Carpet Cleaning Company
To find the best carpet cleaning company for your needs, focus on their training and specializations. You should ask questions on the equipment they use, their certifications and their experience. They should also be insured and licensed.
If you do not have experience dealing with a carpet cleaning company, you may want to choose a cleaner that specializes in carpet cleaning. They should be a preferred vendor at your local Better Business Bureau.
How Do You Know If a Carpet Cleaning Company Is Good?
If you’re still questioning that a specific carpet cleaning company is right for you, consider the following:
- Know if the company provides professional service by calling references, checking the web, and visiting their web site.
- Ask for a list of references, and ask for detailed information about the service.
- Look around online for customer reviews such as Google or Facebook
- Is the company licensed, bonded, and insured? If the company does not have a license, does the company have a good reputation? What’s their BBB rating?
Find out if the carpet cleaning company has liability insurance and worker’s compensation.
How Much Does Carpet Cleaning Cost?
When it comes to selling your home, there are costs to consider to get your home looking its best. Sometimes these costs are for aesthetic purposes and other times you have to pay for repairs. You should consider carpet cleaning as part of this budget. But how much does carpet cleaning cost?
The most important thing to consider is your goal as a seller. Do you need a quick clean that will do wonders for the overall quick sale of your home? Then you can ask for a “deep clean”. Real estate agents can specifically help you ask for carpet cleaning in relation to selling a home, which gives you the proper type of cleaning that you need.
As part of the process, you’ll need to deep clean your carpet. The first step is to remove as much of the dirt, grime, and mud as possible. To do this, the cleaners use a powerful vacuum machine to remove the bulk of the problem. Next, they use a shampooing machine to help restore the luster and sheen to your carpet fibers.
Pricing
Carpet cleaning costs can vary. The price will depend on the size of the area needing cleaning, the type of carpet and the level of cleaning required. A general cost for carpet cleaning is about $2 per square foot.
There are several factors that will contribute to the total cost of your carpet cleaning. First, how old is your carpet? New carpet is going to cost more to keep clean than older carpet. Older carpet doesn’t hold on to dirt and stains as tightly as new carpet.
The type of carpet you have will also play a role. For instance, you will be paying more to clean carpet that is stain resistant than carpet that has no stain resistant features.
The most expensive part of carpet cleaning is the actual cleaning. You should expect to pay between $2 to $4 per square foot for professional cleaning.
When you hire a carpet cleaner, you also pay for their equipment and other costs. You can expect to pay for deep cleaning and regular cleaning. You can also pay for stain removal or cleaning. Other costs vary and depend on your individual situation. You can expect to pay between $10 and $35 per hour for a cleaner.
Preparing for a Cleaning
You’ve selected a carpet cleaning company. What is the process to begin with your carpet cleaning project? The first step is to prepare for the cleaning.
Your professional carpet cleaner will want to know what type of carpet you have, how much carpeting you have, and how you cleaned it in the past. A professional carpet cleaner may assume that the carpet is professionally cleaned every 12 to 18 months. If you have a really busy family or you get a lot of spills, or if you have a pet, the time may be shorter. There are some steps you can take to prepare for the cleaning.
- First, you should take apart furniture that needs to be moved; you should move it to the center of the room or to an area where the furniture won’t get damaged by the cleaning process.
- You should remove items that may be damaged by water, like small electronics, toys, and personal items.
- Vacuum the carpet thoroughly. You can also use a soft brush attachment on the vacuum to remove stubborn stains and soil.
It is important for the cleaning company to know as much as possible about your home and the type of traffic that the carpet normally sees. They will also want to know what type of carpet you have:
- Is it natural or synthetic?
- What is the material?
- They can’t know the full extent of what they will be cleaning, but a good cleaning company should know the basics.
- The cleaning company will also need to know about other things such as: Does the carpet have any stains or spots?
Here are some other considerations to think about when it comes to preparing for carpet cleaning:
- How much time do I have to get the carpet cleaned for the first open house?
- What is the size of the room or rooms I want cleaned?
- What kind of furniture do I need to move?
- Do I want to move the furniture myself or do I prefer to have the cleaning company move it?
- Where do I want the furniture placed once the carpet cleaning is done?
- Do I want the furniture covered while the cleaning is being performed?
Get Carpet Cleaning from Hydra Clean Northwest
Remember, if you are selling your home, it is not only in your best interest to keep it looking as good as possible, but it is also in the best interest of the buyer.
One of the biggest reasons homeowners care about their floors is because the appearance of their home is a reflection on their character. Well-kept carpet can make a great impression on potential buyers. If you want clean and beautiful carpet to help sell your home and increase home value, contact us today to get started.