The History of Carpet Cleaning

Ever since people first had carpets and rugs in their homes, they have wanted to have someone else clean them. Over the centuries, the carpet cleaning industry has grown from humble origins of mostly self-cleaning done by servants to a multimillion-dollar service industry with companies that come to your home and products you can rent in stores.

Maids and Slaves


c. 11,000 BC: an unknown early human in East Africa’s Rift Valley realizes that, no matter how good it might taste, eating the scum on the floor of his cave is totally gross. Anthropologists term this moment “the dawn of floor-cleaning consciousness”.

2560 BC: an estimated 15,000 Hebrew slaves die cleaning the floors of the Great Pyramid of Giza.

44 BC: in the first major conflict of the nascent Roman Empire, Mark Antony and Octavian fall out over who is responsible for cleaning Julius Caesar’s blood from the floor of the Roman Forum. “Not it, called it,” Octavian famously declares.

c. 400-800 AD: as the Dark Ages fall across Europe, an order of monks in Ireland preserve the remaining storehouse of ancient floor-cleaning knowledge.

1868 AD: Chicago inventor Ives W. McGaffey devises the first cleaner using vacuum principles. The “Whirlwind” is a modest success, but McGaffey abandons the idea to work on another invention: an electric-powered milk bucket that can read cows’ minds.

Up through the mid-1800s, slaves and maids were the primary carpet cleaners used by those wealthy enough to afford them. Methods for cleaning carpets included beating the dirt out of the carpets with a carpet rod or rattan rug beater or simply using a stiff-bristled broom. The use of maids and servants continued after slavery was outlawed. One piece of advice from an 1827 publication on housecleaning advised servants: "if there be any ink spots, take it out with a lemon."


HISTORIC CARPET CLEANING METHODS IN THE NINETEENTH AND TWENTIETH CENTURIES.

The American Frugal Housewife. Dedicated to Those Who Are Not Ashamed of Economy, Mrs. Child., twelfth edition, 1833. Boston/Cambridge: A George Dawson Book; Applewood Books, in cooperation with Old Sturbridge Village,

1863
Sweeping Carpets.
Persons who are accustomed to use tea leaves for sweeping their carpets, and find that they leave stains, will do well to employ fresh cut grass instead. It is better than tea leaves for preventing dust, and gives the carpets a very bright fresh look.
Enquire Within upon Everything, London: Houlston and Wright, 1863.


1879
Cleaning Carpets.
The oftener carpets are shaken, the longer they wear; the dirt that collects under them, grinds out the threads.
Do not have carpets swept any oftener than is absolutely necessary. After dinner, sweep the crumbs into a dusting-pan with your hearth-brush; and if you have been sewing, pick up the threads by hand. A carpet can be kept very neat in this way; and a broom wears it very much.

To Wash Carpets.
Shake, beat, and sweep well. Tack firmly on the floor. Mix three quarts soft, cold water with one quart beef’s gall. Wash with a flannel, rub off with a clean flannel, immediately after putting it on each strip of carpet, - Mrs. R.

Carpets should be washed in spots, with a brush or flannel, one tablespoonful ox-gall in one or two quarts water. – Mrs. A.

To Remove Ink from Carpets.
Take up the ink with a spoon. Pour cold water on the stained spot, take up the water with a spoon, and repeat this process frequently. Then rub on a little oxalic acid and wash off immediately with cold water. Then wet with Hartshorn. – Mrs. R.
Housekeeping in Old Virginia, edited by Marion Cabell Tyree. Louisville, Ky.: John P. Morton and Company, 1879.

Turn-of-the-Century Advancements
By the late 1880s, carpet sweepers appeared. In the early 1900s, carpet cleaning became a door-to-door business. The very first equipment was so large it was drawn by horse and parked on the curb outside of the home or business being cleaned. The first vacuum cleaners for personal use came shortly thereafter in the 1920s but were very expensive. It would be decades before every household could afford a vacuum cleaner.

Stanley Steemer
Taking advantage of post-war prosperity, Stanley Steemer carpet cleaners was established in 1947. The company, which uses hot water-extraction to steam clean carpets, is still in existence today and still makes house calls to clean your carpets. There are many other local and national carpet cleaning companies in existence today.

Traveling Salesmen
The first traveling salesmen started making their rounds in the mid-1800s, and by the mid-1900s in America, they were a common sight for many housewives. Traveling salesmen would visit suburbs and towns across America, often hawking products door-to-door. Many traveling salesmen would demonstrate their wares on the carpets, effectively letting people "try before they buy." Some carpet cleaning products that were once sold by traveling salesmen included vacuum cleaners. Though they are much less prevalent today, there are still door-to-door salesmen who hawk vacuum cleaners.

Rug Doctor
In 1998, the Rug Doctor company was launched, making it easier for homeowners to deep-clean their own rugs and carpets. The company was originally located in Fresno, California, but it relocated to Texas. You can rent a Rug Doctor steam cleaner at many home-improvement and grocery stores across America.


Since 1995 SuperClean Handyman Services Company has been servicing and educating our customers in the proper methods of cleaning and maintaining their carpet and delicate upholstery fabrics. Our steam extraction method assures the best possible and safest cleaning results for all of your carpets and upholstery without using harsh abrasive scrubbers.
All of our technicians are highly trained in the proper methods of cleaning and we guarantee your complete satisfaction with the job that we do for you.
Our truck-mounted cleaning equipment is state of the art and we use only environmentally safe cleansing solutions. These factors help to assure that your prized carpets and upholstery are not subject to harsh chemicals that could damage the fabric and lead to a shorter lifespan.

We know that where you live and where you work are the two most important places to you and your family, that's why we are committed to providing you with a safer, cleaner and healthier indoor air environment.

Dealing With Dangerous Customers

Dealing with customers on a daily basis is not without risk. The rewards are often large in a customer based business, both on a personal level and when it comes to money. Many people love dealing with people, the communication and opportunity to help is what drives them. Also, the monetary rewards for running a successful customer based business or even just working for one can be very substantial.
However, there are dangers lurking in being around and dealing with a high number of people every day. A small percentage of humans are dangerous, and some of them will target you just for being in the wrong place at the wrong time, so to speak. So what can you do to minimize the risk involved? A few small steps can prevent you from being the victim of either a planned or unplanned crime.
Let me first say that nothing you can do will eliminate risks. Just being alive is risky, but doing things right can be the difference between injury and escape. Here are a few tips for staying safe in a customer relations environment.
Always keep yourself to yourself. The customer doesn't need to know anything about your personal life, and only very rarely do you have to reveal anything about your personal life to make that sale. Preserve your privacy.
Stay calm. There will always be unhappy customers, there will always be complaints, and some of these complaints and unhappy customers will get to you, perhaps making you annoyed or even angry. Keeping your cool will also prevent the other party from escalating the situation, and that will in turn give you the upper hand.
Put an early stop to escalating situations. If need be, get your manager - if you are the manager, "freezing" a situation will often be an effective course of action. Inform the other party that you need to consider their claims, and schedule a new meeting at a later date, or even just later the same day.
Make sure you keep your distance at all times . If you have a desk or a counter, keep it between you and the agitated other.
As the observant reader will have picked up by now, keeping your cool and being able to freeze a situation are key points. Freezing a situation is a tried and tested way for everyone from bankers to cops to prevent injury and difficulty, and with a little practice, you will be able to use it effectively to your advantage.
A would be dangerous customer will be tamed very easily if you give him or her no reason or opportunity to escalate, and the result is that you will most likely "win" the argument and prevent further difficulty.
Also, the customer will take his or her aggression elsewhere, which is the most important part of it all.
Written by Gunnar Sommerfeldt
EzineArticles.com

The Christian advantage

Forgive the one responsible even if they are totally wrong.
Ephesians 4:30-32, 5:1-5

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people.

Make no attempt to defend yourself
Luke 12:12

“For the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.”

Ask the Lord
Psalms 141:3

Set a guard over my mouth, O LORD;
keep watch over the door of my lips.

Maintain a quiet spirit and ask the Holy Spirit if and where you are at fault.
Ask God to show His purpose in allowing this conflict in your life.

Remember conflict is inevitable, Response is a choice!

Not Your Average Carpet Cleaner

Not Your Average Carpet Cleaner

It's a major investment in your home, but yet all you do is walk all over it. It's your carpet, and sometimes it needs professional TLC that your trusty vacuum cleaner just can't provide.
Is hiring a professional carpet cleaner really worth it?

There is a lot of information out there, or I should say misinformation. Most people want service “Good, Fast and Cheap” Who do you trust?

There are lots of companies out there telling you all kinds of stuff like “Dries in 1 hour” or “Whole House $74.95” Try calling Stanley Steemer or Sears and see what they charge.

Today money is tight and people are looking for ways to save but let’s use some common sense here, carpet cleaning is a process that takes time and effort.
Many companies use independent contractors. These are individuals who work on a percentage of what they sell. Yes, you heard me correctly. Sell!
This is where the add-ons come in sometimes referred to as “Bait and Switch”

Do yourself a favor; take a moment to gather a little information so that you can make an intelligent decision.

“Character is like a tree and reputation its shadow. The shadow is what we think it is; the tree is the real thing.”- Lincoln

He shall be like a tree

Planted by the rivers of the water;

That brings forth fruit in it's season.

Whose leaf shall not wither;

And whatever he does shall prosper

Psalms 1:3

Carpet Myths

Carpet myths dispelled

by Jeff Cross

Most complaints about carpet are due to maintenance and installation issues.
Consumers, whether in the residential or commercial market, rarely have their carpet cleaned as often as they need to be cleaned. That's part of the maintenance issue.
And because of this, the carpet often looks terrible and the solution - to the consumer - is to replace them with hard flooring.
It's interesting that the hard floors in a home or facility will get a frequent cleaning, while carpet is ignored until it is blamed for non-performance.
And therein lurks the problem - and the solution. Clean each surface with equal fervor, and you will see myths dispelled.
Carpet myths abound in today's world. Let's look at some of these that affect your customers or facilities.

A positive study

There is an interesting study that the carpet cleaning industry enjoys analyzing.
The study comes from Sweden, with final results very much in favor of the carpet manufacturing and carpet cleaning industry.
Apparently, circa 1975, Sweden made a huge push to remove carpet.
Many blamed carpet as the culprit for allergy sufferers. They said that carpet was the cause of poor indoor air quality.
A document found on the Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) website shows that nearly all carpet was removed from Swedish homes and facilities because of a nationwide scare of allergens.
Interesting is the fact that allergic reactions and other illnesses blamed on carpet in homes and facilities went up dramatically after carpet had been removed.
Quite the opposite of what was expected.
Sweden has become a nation consuming less and less carpet, and at the same time, suffering more and more from what was originally blamed on carpet.

When you analyze and compare all living conditions in today's world, carpet actually makes a healthier home or facility. You don't have the dust load in the air as you do with hard floors - all things being equal, of course, and cleaned accordingly.

Dust mites and pet dander are often blamed for allergic reactions. Both can build up in carpet, and both can be found on hard floors. We won't even go into tobacco smoke, pollution from automobiles, pollens, and more...

When in carpet, the proper vacuum system - used regularly - along with regular carpet cleaning, keeps allergen levels very low.

For hard floors, the proper dusting and mopping system is important. With just a small amount of air movement on a hard floor, allergens are swept up into the air and into the respiratory systems of occupants.

Potential carpet problem

Many people feel that carpet is a "dirt sink" that traps potentially dangerous contaminants.
True... but that's a good quality of carpet..

With carpet, the fibers act as a filter and hold onto contaminants until they can be vacuumed or cleaned. Hard floors do not do that.
One way to see this for yourself is to watch the air in a home or business when the sun is shining into the home. With carpeted surfaces, you see some dust in the air, but not much.

So you have two options:

Option #1: Carpet, which will hold onto dirt and contaminants until the carpet is either vacuumed or cleaned.

Option #2: Hard floors, which do not hold onto dirt and contaminants, but still perform well if cleaned regularly.

Regular cleaning makes any building or home healthier. Don't blame the product - instead, make it perform better with better maintenance.

Carpet has another great trait: There are less slip and fall accidents on carpeted surfaces.

Carpet and mold!

Can mold grow on carpet? Yes. Can mold grow on just about any surface? Yes. All it needs is an organic base - dirt, as one example.
Mold needs a food source, moisture, a warm temperature and typically a dark place to reside.
Mold does not use carpet as a food source. Today's carpet, the vast majority, are made from synthetic materials. Mold has no appetite for these materials.
Mold, however, will "eat" contaminants in carpet, so if a carpet is damaged (water damage, sewage, etc) and not remediated properly, mold can grow on it. However, it also will grow on the walls, concrete, furnishings, and hard floors.
It's not picky. It just needs certain things to exist, just like people need certain things to exist.

Carpet and off-gassing?
People who are chemically sensitive definitely have a challenge in today's world. Carpet is no more a problem for chemical reaction than any other product on the market today.

Some claim that carpet off-gasses fumes, such as formaldehyde. Formaldehyde isn't used in the manufacturing of carpet.
Any odors from a new carpet is simply a "new carpet odor", just as you might find in a new car or other manufactured product.
Then people blame the latex in carpet, saying they have an allergic reaction to the natural glues.
Problem is, latex in today's carpet is also synthetic, which studies show does not contribute to allergic reactions.
The best thing to do when it comes to deciding which type of flooring to install is to think about how it is going to be used. If you want a comfortable, quiet atmosphere - and a healthy one, too - then carpet is a great choice.

Does God Fight Against Us?

God will fight against us for our good. He permits us to experience defeat so that we will listen to Him when He says, Rend your heart, and not your garments; return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness”

Spots B' Gone

Spots B’ Gone

There is a cleaning firm in California that actually goes by this name. I actually met Bruce the owner of Spots B’ Gone on a job that I was doing. You see the homeowner had scheduled a cleaning appointment with Bruce’s company the same time that my company was scheduled. Sometimes people will schedule multiple appointments with different service companies to get them to drive to their homes and get them to compete for the lowest price. I assume that we were the lowest price because we got the job, which is not always a good thing. The following day the homeowner called and said they were placing a stop payment on the check because we didn’t get out the spots.
After several trips to court and winning a judgment of over six-hundred dollars we found out the customer was a former carpet cleaner that had lost the business due to mismanagement. We never did collect any money on the judgment. Hmmm, I wonder if Bruce is still in business?

Listed below are conditions which are the most commonly encountered for which we disclaim liability and for which the customer agrees not to hold us responsible.
The nature of some spots makes it impossible to restore original color or texture. At times a spot will appear to be even more visual after a general cleaning of the material. Spotting work on rust, liquor, cosmetics, ink, coffee, lipstick stains, is performed at the customer’s risk because
REMOVAL OF SPOTS IS NOT GUARANTEED.
There are not many customers that actually turnover the back of the agreement they have just signed to read this disclaimer. On top of that how many do you think actually believe this is true or even want to?
Unfortunately this is a true fact of life. Removal of Spots is Not Guaranteed.

In doing research for these blogs for “Carpet Cleaning Scams” the name Barry Minkow always came up in the top ten results on every search engine. Who is Barry Minkow? The carpet cleaning boy wonder that started ZZZZ Best carpet cleaning who is now a minister in San Diego, California.

ZZZZ Best Inc., 1986 - Barry Minkow, the owner of this business, posited that this carpet cleaning company of the 1980s would become "The General Motors of carpet cleaning". Minkow appeared to be building a multi-million dollar corporation, but he did so through forgery and theft. He created over 10,000 phony documents and sales receipts without anybody suspecting anything. Although his business was a complete fraud designed to deceive auditors and investors, Minkow shelled out over $4 million to lease and renovate an office building in San Diego.
ZZZZ Best went public in December of 1986, eventually reaching a market capitalization of over $200 million. Amazingly, Barry Minkow was only a teenager at the time! He was sentenced to 25 years in prison.

Minkow who served 71/2 years in prison for defrauding investors is now helping put away scammers by working with the government and has started the Fraud Discovery Institute, which is dedicated to investigating scams.
“Money has a way of blinding objectivity, even for we who are believers,” Minkow says.

We are all infected and impure with sin. When we proudly display our righteous deeds, we find they are but filthy rags. Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall. And our sins, like the wind, sweep us away. Isaiah 64.6

“But those who reject me are like the restless sea. It is never still but continually churns up mire and dirt,” There is no peace for the wicked, says my God. Isaiah 57:20-21

Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Romans 5:1

Good, Fast Cheap

Good, Fast Cheap.

I recently saw a show on television (Bernie Mac) where the homeowner was having a room added on to his home. When the contractor entered the home he stated to the homeowner, “If you want it Good and Fast, it won’t be Cheap, If you want it Fast and Cheap it won’t be Good”
Most homeowner’s are faced with this dilemma “How much money do I need to spend?”
There was a young couple I recently met that was faced with that question with regards to carpet cleaning for their home.
The wife had called for a professional cleaning service because her folks were coming into town in a few days and her father is considered by the husband to be a very tidy person.
Now the wife is very budget minded and decides they need to have only the family room professionally cleaned because the carpet cleaning machine they bought two years ago doesn’t seem to be doing the job they expected.
Now the day the professional cleaner arrives he becomes very concerned because the wife is only concerned with cleaning the one room and she had been quoted a 3 room minimum price so he offers an alternative solution. (What most customers don’t realize is that it takes the same effort to set–up the equipment to do one room as it does the whole house.)
The alternative solution; he offers to clean the entire house for the price she had been quoted for the 3 room minimum service if she agreed to purchase carpet protector that was already at a reduced price. Plus the cleaner offered to clean her sofa at no extra charge.
Now what do you think the homeowner decided? Yes
This now became a win-win situation for everyone.

Fact #1: Many people waste time on the phone going through the yellow pages to find out who’s giving the best deal. Fast and Cheap.
Fact #2: People only do business with people that they Like and Trust.

Remember businesses only stay in business when they are profitable and are giving back to the communities they serve.

Sometimes the Christian life boils down to the uncommon expression of common virtues. What a difference practicing that virtue would make in society
Tim Sanders, in his book Likeability Factor, says a person who provides others with “a sense of joy, happiness, relaxation, or rejuvenation” is more likely to be hired or promoted. Let us all work together on increasing our “L-Factor”


“From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.” Luke 12:48

As we have opportunity, let us do good to all. Galatians 6:10

Carpet cleaning Scams

Why scams work
SCAMS work because they appeal to people's emotions, needs and desires. Scam artists will use extremes to lure consumers into a sell--even if it means playing on consumers' greed, fear and insecurities.

Consumers typically don't become aware that they're being manipulated or dealing with a scam unless they take the time to research and ask questions before making a commitment. By the time a consumer realizes he or she is a victim it's often too late to back out. Both the consumer's money and the scam artist are gone. Scam artists spend a lot of time polishing their pressure tactics. They include:

• Guaranteeing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity;

• Promising winnings or earnings;

• Playing on a person's desire for wealth, or need for health and safety;

• Making the consumer feel stupid for not going along with them;

• Providing nothing unless the consumer makes an appointment;

• Providing only partial disclosure and obscuring facts or sources;

• Telling victims they must make an on-the-spot decision to avoid missing an opportunity;

• Pressuring the victim until he or she gives in and commits;

• Offering to share "inside information;"

• Telling consumers that the product or service is legal;

• Advising consumers to borrow money or cash in retirement funds to invest in the products;

• Using a name that sounds like a legitimate or respected brand or business;

• Using military-sounding names;

• Pretending to be the consumer's friend and taking a personal interest in his or her life;

• Claiming to be a charitable organization and playing on consumers' guilt;

• Giving false credentials so consumers feel no need to check out the business with the Better Business Bureau; and

• Selling poorly understood products, especially financial products.

Here’s one example:

The Kirby Vacuum Scam
These guys came into our home to sell us a vacuum. They insisted on going to places in the home we were not comfortable with. When we said no, they actually insisted. We of course stood our ground.

When the demonstration was over, my husband decided he wanted to buy. They did the whole let me get your info and said we were approved for the payment plan and left the vacuum. They also “gave us a discount" if we gave them our old vacuum.

So they left theirs and took ours. Then three weeks later they came back to our home and said they were here to retrieve the vacuum because we were not approved. We never heard from the finance company saying we were not approved they just showed up to take it.

When my husband called them to say it wasn’t right, he got a little hot because of the huge hassle this turned out to be and because we felt as though we were being swindled. The guy on the other end said he was going to put a warrant out for our arrest and say we stole it if we didn’t let them pick it up.

At the same time not saying anything about returning the vacuum they took from us. We signed a contract with them saying we were approved and what the payment plan was. How did we steal it when they left it here saying it was ours?

My biggest concern is that these guys drive around doing this to all kinds of people and I am not sure this isn’t a gimmick for scoping out peoples homes.

Charity
Murfreesboro, Tennessee
U.S.A.

Other scams:
Nigerian Scam
Work at Home Scam
Insurance Scams
Phishing Scams

Let’s face it there are hundreds of scams out there and from time to time many of us play in the role of the scammer.
We embellish (lie) on our resumes to make ourselves look more qualified for the position we are applying for. There are even many of us who walk around in the marketplace with cell phone up to our ears or even have unimportant conversation to make ourselves look important.

Carpet Cleaning Scams
Like every industry, the carpet cleaning industry has its share of bad companies. Although the majority of the companies are honest, there are some that are looking to scam the consumer. This article will help you identify the unethical carpet cleaners and help you avoid getting ripped off by a carpet cleaning scam.

Bait and Switch

This is the classic carpet cleaning rip-off. In this scam, the customer is lured in by a ridiculously low priced carpet cleaning. Often the advertisement you read will offer carpet cleaning in the neighborhood of $5 per room. There is no way that a company can be profitable selling its services that low. But the companies usually have no intention of leaving your home with only the advertised amount. So how do they increase the bill after you have taken the "bait" of the low price?

Preconditioning Scam

One way they will increase the bill is by selling you preconditioning. Most legitimate companies include this in their pricing. That low price they offered probably didn't include it. It may have been $5 per room to clean it with water only but pre-conditioning will cost you an additional 25 cents per square foot. Considering an average room size of 150 square feet that would be $37.50 per room extra. So at $5.00 per room that home would go from the advertised carpet cleaning price of $25 to $212.50. Quite a difference!

But what if you just refuse to pay for the pre-conditioning? Chances are you will get a substandard cleaning or a rush job, but there is another way that they can try to force you into paying for the pre-conditioning. They may offer to do a demo for you. This isn't necessarily bad; many good carpet cleaning companies do demos. What Bait and Switch companies will do however is clean an area in a highly visible area. If you decide to not pay for the extra service, you will have an extra clean spot in the middle of your carpet that will stick out like a sore thumb. By doing this you are forced to pay the extra price.

Extra Room Scam

Another way for Bait and Switch companies to increase their bill is through extra room charges. If you use a coupon, you must read the fine print. Some companies will charge extra for rooms over 100 square feet of carpet for example. It is hard to find a room in a typical home under that square footage, so that means the typical room will count as two and the typical living room or family room will count as three or even four rooms.

Carpet Protector Scam

Almost all carpet cleaning companies offer protection at reasonable prices and carpet protectors themselves are good products. This doesn't become bait and switch until a company uses high pressure tactics. Customers may be told that their carpet will be ruined if they don't have protection applied. This is simply not true. Protection will certainly extend the life of your carpet and make future cleanings easier but it is in no way necessary.

What does the word of God say
“A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the Day of Judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Matthew12:35-37NKJ

Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.
Ephesians 4:29 NKJ