Bail & Switch

Just seen the Watchdog programme about Bait & Switch carpet cleaners.
If you did not see this then go to
www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00vr84q/Watchdog_04_11_2010/. Forward to minutes 12, 34 & 48.

It represents all that is terrible about some aspects of the carpet cleaning industry. Bait & Switch is also illegal, so any company using this method is breaking the law!

I have given out so much information in the past about this sort of thing and I am really pleased it has now been recognised on national TV for what it really is... a BIG Rip-Off.

It basically works by a company offering a really low price on a leaflet, (£8.99 per room etc), then once the 'cleaner' (salesperson), comes to clean your carpets, all they want to do is upsell a better (and much more expensive) cleaning method. If you don't go for this upsell then they will keep slightly lowering the price until you agree. If you still insist on only paying the price that was advertised then they only wet the carpet and get out of your house as quickly as they can.

This can be really bad for some carpets and as they admitted, can make some carpets look worse!! As i have always said, "the most expensive carpet cleaning is bad carpet cleaning". The price may seem cheap upfront, but the cost of this type of cleaning can be huge... to the potential damage to your carpet, to your time being wasted, and probably having to book another professional carpet cleaner to come back and fix problems and clean it correctly.

So i highly recommend you go to the link above and see for yourself how this works.

See you soon.
Kevin

What Carpet...?

I was asked by a customer today - What type of new carpet would I recommend?

I have been asked this question many times and my answer is always the same... So I hope that if your are thinking about buying a new carpet, this may be of interest.

Obviously it all depends on budget, the old saying 'you get what you pay for' is very true. WATCH OUT, I've found most of the big carpet retailers will price a certain item at 50-70% more than it is worth in order to bring the price down to it's correct value in their MASSIVE DISCOUNT SALES! I haven't seen many carpets sold for lees than they are worth, so please bear this in mind when you are comparing prices.

So, bearing in mind you can't stretch to the highest quality carpet, I'll answer with a good middle range item that is very practicable for the average family.

• Go for an 80/20 Twist Pile. (80% wool / 20% nylon)
• The highest weight you can afford. - This is how dense the pile is - the heavier the better. They are measured in Oz per Sq-Yrd. So, 30 oz per sq-yrd is the lowest quality, 60-70 oz per sq-yrd is very good quality. 40-50 oz per sq-yrd is a good average to go for.
• Avoid plain White, Off-White's or cream colours etc... you can get very nice pastel colours like greens, blues, Burgundy's, reds etc that still look very bright and modern. If you want to be un-modern but very practicable, choose a patterned carpet!
• Have your carpet protected with a stain guard treatment and a stain guarantee if you can get it. - I visit so many homes that have just had a new carpet fitted and a cup of hot drink has just gone all over it!!! It happens... If you didn't do this, contact me and I can arrange/recommend a very good stain protection treatment.

That's it. I hope this helps. Good luck and happy shopping.
Kevin Goodwin
www.directcleaners.com

England Football Song

For those of you who don't already know, I also play in a band and we are releasing an England world cup song called 'Give us the World'. We are also give all proceeds to Skillnet www.skillnetgroup.co.uk.

Go to www.giveustheworld.com for details to download.

Thanks
Kevin

Anthea Turner's Big Clean

Thursday 5th March turned out to be a really great day for us!

We were asked to help with some natural stone hard floor cleaning, some carpet cleaning and stain removal in Anthea Turners home near Guildford, Surrey.

It is a stunning place and a real pleasure to work in, and Anthea really is a LOVELY person! As you may know, Anthea has been recommending our Perfect Care Carpet maintenance Plan for quite a while now and as a result of what we did on Thursday she agreed to give us a personal recommendation which we are really thankful for. See it on You Tube here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOaO8iWqxGk.

I also have some great footage of some Natural Stone cleaning on Anthea's patio. Anthea was concerned with some bronze staining on the stone and asked us to attempt to remove it. See the video for the results! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3X8QhfuiO4

By the way, we carry out cleaning for many famous people and obviously we respect everyone's privacy. Anthea is more than happy for us to use here name and image to help us promote our services. This is because she believes in what we do, and wants to help us raise more awareness of the importance of a clean and healthy home.

Thanks for reading my blog.

I look forward to seeing you soon.
Kevin Goodwin

Welcome to my first Blog!!

"Hi, I'm Kevin Goodwin, the owner of the South London Based, QUALITY CARPET CLEANING COMPANY DIRECT CLEANERS. I have been carpet cleaning in the South London area since 1990."

"During that time I have completed instructional courses in a variety of carpet cleaning areas. They are: Carpet Cleaning and Advanced Carpet Cleaning, Upholstery Cleaning and Advanced Upholstery Cleaning, Odour Control, Smoke and Fire Restorations, Water Damage Restoration, Carpet Repair and Reinstallation, and Carpet Colour Repair. These certifications are received by attending classes and completion of written exams. I am a member of the NCCA, IICRC and PROclean."
Areas we cover include carpet cleaning Wimbledon, carpet cleaning Croydon and carpet cleaning Sutton.

My Vision
"My aim is to focus on consumer education and dedicate my time on providing the latest information, so the consumer can make an educated decision on choosing the best carpet cleaning company for them. I provide a 24 hour free recorded consumer information message that allows consumers to phone a recorded number and listen to the differences in carpet cleaning methods and provides questions to ask a carpet cleaner before inviting them into their home. The recording number is 0800 542 1358 . This consumer information is also provided in a booklet form and may be obtained by calling 0800 056 2332."

"Direct Cleaners are used by carpet retailers to provide Stain removal and Protection service for their warranty customers. Providing service for the retailers requires expertise that most Carpet Cleaning Companies cannot provide."

"I am always ready to assist the media in providing information and copy for Spring cleaning, cleaning advisory articles for consumers. I am also part of a nationwide campaign to eliminate the bait and switch Carpet Cleaning Companies that prey on uneducated consumers who know nothing or very little about carpet and upholstery cleaning."

What We Do
Created to fill a specific need, Direct Cleaners helps to make your life easier, your home healthier & fresher, and your business more successful. We saw the need, and we addressed it with a comprehensive range of services.
The Company Direct Cleaners is staffed by professionals who are devoted to solving your problems. We will consult with you to determine your requirements and to configure solutions that are specifically tailored for your challenges. We've expanded our business to include this Web site so our customers can enjoy convenient access to information, new products and new ideas.

Call me to arrange a free on-site survey / consultation of your premises to see how we can improve your in-door environment. Call 020 8687 1711 quote ref 150/395.