Carpet Manufacturer’s Warrantees

With over 30 years in the carpet cleaning industry, I have learned a lot about carpet manufacturer’s warranties. My experience has taught me that these warranties can be misleading. When a carpet manufacture honors a warranty, it is usually in the first year after installation. If your carpet has a 10 year warranty, and in 5 you need repairs, you will end up paying for the 5 years you’ve already used the carpet. Carpet manufacturers also recommend certain types of carpet cleaning and imply that if you use any other method, you could void the warranty. This scares some carpet owners into using either the manufacture’s cleaners or their recommended cleaning method - even when the recommended method is not the best method for your carpet.

Making Your Carpet Last

So how do you choose a good carpet cleaner who will not void your warranty? First, look at how long they have been in business and the type of clients they serve. Visit the sites where they clean, especially the sites that have carpet 5 or 10 years old or older. Then talk to some of their clients. Most importantly, know that not all carpet cleaners are alike. You should trust the professional who is cleaning your carpet and trust that they will use the best method for your carpet - not just base it on what the carpet manufacturer suggests or even recommends. Be sure that your carpets will be cleaned the right way, on a regular program so that the life of your carpet will surpass the warrantee.

I was fortunate enough to have a very wise mentor who once told me, “You can have the best equipment in the world with a poor to mediocre technician, and you will get poor to mediocre results. On the other hand, you can have the worst equipment and give it to a good to great technician and get good to great results. It’s not the equipment; it’s the technician and the training.”

David F. Whitman
CEO, Whitman Global Carpet & Floor Care