Rental carpet cleaning machine vs. professional carpet cleaner. Which is the better deal?
Recently I had an opportunity to speak with a group of investors and property managers with reference to their carpet and tile cleaning needs when one of the property managers mentioned banning tenants from using rental rug machines.
You see, many tenants upon vacating a rental property will go to their local grocery store and rent a “rug cleaning” machine in an attempt to “save money” and get their security deposit back. After all, since the tenant doesn’t own the property they could care less if they leave the owner (or the next tenant) with clean carpets that are odor and pet urine free. All they’re looking to do is to create an illusion the carpets are clean so they can retain their security deposit.
As the discussions continued, many property managers say they too have banned rental carpet machines and demand tenants produce a receipt from a local “professional” carpet cleaning company within 5 days of their vacate date. Several managers relayed horror stories of tenants using rental machines that soaked the carpeting, left behind detergent residues and made the carpeting look worse that before it was cleaned.
Rental “Carpet Cleaning” Machines vs. Powerful Truck Mounts
To clean carpeting in accordance with industry guidelines, three things must be present:
- High heat in excess of 170 degrees
- Agitation of the carpet’s fibers
- Quality spotting and cleaning solution
Rental carpet cleaning machines fail to produce the same cleaning results as professional truck mounted machines because:
- Rental machines cannot generate the steam required to effectively clean and sanitize carpeting. Rental machines derive their heat from the kitchen faucet. Most homes water heaters are set between 105 and 120 degrees. Professional truck mounts are set to temp’s of 185 to 240 degrees. The higher the heat, in combination with agitation and quality professional cleaning solutions, the better the cleaning.
- Rental machines do not scrub or sufficiently agitate a carpets surface and if there’s no agitation, there’s no cleaning folks! Without agitation how clean do you think your clothes will get in a washing machine that fills up with water and some cleaning solution and then immediately drains and spins dry? Not too clean huh?
- Rental machines lack the available PROFESSIONAL spotters and cleaning solutions necessary to deep clean carpets.
At your local grocery store, these rental carpet cleaning machine companies offer a “one solution fits all” approach to carpet cleaning. Every professional knows different carpet materials require different cleaning solutions. For example, you wouldn’t use the same cleaning solution on a nylon rug as you would one made of wool or cotton. In addition, store purchased cleaning solutions are not as effective as professional – commercial grade ones, and in-fact, many store purchased cleaning solutions are over 90% water!
Your typical professional carpet cleaner has many solutions and spotters available to treat a wide variety of carpet and stain types.
Cost – Benefit Analysis
Most consumers who rent carpet cleaning machines “think” they’re saving money when the facts are just the opposite. Let’s take a look at the costs involved in cleaning a typical 4 room home.
Rental Machine Cost – $24.95
Cleaning Solution for 4 Rooms – $12.95 X 2 bottles = $25.90
Bottle of spotter for stains – $12.95
Renter’s valuable time at a minimum of $9.00 per hour X 3 Hours = $27.00
Total Cost: $90.80
Did the renter receive a quality cleaning and really save money? The simple answer is NO!
For around $110 the renter would have received a professional carpet cleaning with a 14 day guarantee. Unlike rental machines that leave behind residues and soaked carpeting that almost guarantees stains return, a professional will guarantee their work and will return if you’re not happy with the results of the cleaning. What type of guarantee does the rental carpet cleaning machine offer?
At the end of the meeting it was unanimous – a receipt from a tenant showing they had rented a carpet cleaning machine would be insufficient to show proof of a quality carpet cleaning. Property managers and investors have a responsibility to the next tenant to deliver fresh-clean carpets and this isn’t possible by a “do-it-yourself” rental carpet cleaning machine.
Tru-Clean is a family owned environmentally responsible carpet, tile and upholstery cleaning company serving all of Lee and Collier County. Our technicians are certified by the world’s most respected certification body for textile professionals and we are fully licensed and insured.
For more information on Tru-Clean and our 100% Customer Satisfaction Guarantee please visit us online at www.trucleansurfacecare.com or call us any time at 239-541-4888.
Also if you’ve like to see proof that a rental carpet cleaning machine is no match for a professional truck mount, visit this link: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6juto_ultimate-truckmount-challenge_fun