This past weekend my wife and I were shopping for new Carpet. I am always amazed by how little the people who sell carpet actually know about cleaning carpet. When you compare it to any other item you purchase, it really is kind of puzzling. If you buy a car, the dealer has an entire segment of its business that is dedicated to servicing the product is sells. (service is the profit center for most car dealers) But when it comes to flooring and carpet, knowing how to maintain and clean it is almost taboo. 

Carpet Stains Don’t “Just Go Away”

That being said, one of the places we visited the sales person attacked the subject of cleaning carpet head on. He led us over to a demonstration table they had set up to show us how easily this particular carpet could be cleaned. (see the picture above) As he began his sales pitch, he took the sample of carpet that had obviously been stained with a red sports drink, and proceeded to tell us that the stain could be removed by just spraying water on it. As he squirted the stream of water into the carpet, like magic, the stain disappeared! “See how easy that is!” he proclaimed with joy. Then the fun began.

I asked him where the stain went? To which he replied “It just evaporated!” I am sure he is used to people reacting with “Wow” and “oooooo!”s but of course, I couldn’t let this slide. I reached over and picked up the sample carpet, turned it over and said “No it didn’t. There it is.”

Of course the red dye from the stain was in the backing and in the puddle of water on the counter. Feeling a little put off, I’m sure, he responded with “Well it has to go somewhere.” True, but of course it did not just “evaporate.”

Missed Opportunity For Carpet Stores and Cleaning Companies

This, like many flooring and carpet stores, had a very small shelf with a few products for floor and carpet cleaning, but judging from the layer of dust on them, were not promoted very much. This is a missed opportunity. Wouldn’t it make sense for the places that sell the flooring to be able to support the product after the sale? And also have the ability to provide accurate information and tools to care for and maintain the product long after it goes out the door.

Many of the brands that provide the best products for cleaning carpet and floors are unknown to the flooring retail industry. They tend to fall back on the products that are provided by the manufacturers and even then, know very little about how they work.

If Cleaning Carpet Is Your Business…

If cleaning carpet is your business, go to the source. Rather than trying to reach every customer that has carpet, why not go to the place where they get it in the first place? If someone is having trouble with keeping their carpet clean, they are going to go to the place they bought it. Why not offer to hold a carpet cleaning seminar at your local carpet store on a Saturday morning. Demonstrate the right way to remove spots and stains as well as provide information on vacuuming and general carpet care.

You may be surprised at how much business you will drum up and how open the carpet store would be to partnering with and learning from you.