Would you be surprised to learn that most carpet cleaning companies have no formal training? That they are not required to be licensed? That there is no requirement to have any certification whatsoever? Is training and certification important? After all, isn’t carpet cleaning a ‘menial’ task that anyone can perform?
Actually, a carpet cleaning professional is working with one of your most valuable assets. YOUR CARPETS, Your Upholstery, and your Area Rugs, sometimes very expensive Area Rugs. Should it be trusted with just anyone? Unfortunately, our industry is full of ‘rogues’ that only care about how much money they can get from you, and nothing about the life of your carpeting and fine furnishing. They do not care about the industry in which they work.
Have you ever noticed that in many states, air conditioning companies, plumbers, and pest control companies are required to be licensed? Not so for carpet cleaners. Fortunately for you, and for me, there are many fine people in the carpet cleaning industry that realize the standard must be raised. Those of us in that process help to police our own industry. In order to do this, associations and certification organizations were created.
One such organization is called the IICRC (Institute of Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration Certification). This organization provides certification courses and exams for the carpet cleaning industry. By attending these courses, carpet cleaners are taught about fiber identification, carpet construction, cleaning chemistry, cleaning methods, and professionalism.
There are several levels of certification: Certified Technician (1 certification point), Journeyman Technician (5 certification points and one year of active status), and Master Cleaning Technician (10 certification points and 3 years of continuous active status).
Here at Vic’s Carpet DRY Cleaners & Dyers, when I come to your home you can be reassured that you are getting a Master Technician with over 30 years of active continual cleaning status. Active in cleaning all types of Carpet Fibers, all types of Upholstery Fabrics, Area Rugs and Fine Orientals, and a Certified Master Dyer.
So, the question remains – ‘Does it mean anything?’ YES, YES, YES! It means a lot! It means that the certified firm is on the cutting edge of technology and change in our industry. It means that a certified firm knows the right way to apply cleaning procedures and chemistry. It means that the certified firm is working together with other certified firms to raise the standard of carpet cleaning in general, therefore providing you with a higher quality product.
