Machine Survey

they have gone up in price already

    Survey results

A June 2007 survey questioned carpet cleaning professionals on a variety of issues regarding green carpet cleaning, carpet cleaning equipment, programs that “approve” hot-water extractors, and how they make purchasing selections.

E-mail invitations were sent to more than 3,000 carpet cleaners asking them to take the survey, with 884 answering some or all of the questions asked.

All responses were tabulated in the final count.

One of the questions asked of carpet cleaners was if they were aware of the Carpet and Rug Institute’s Seal of Approval (SOA) program that evaluates the effectiveness and performance of carpet extractors.

More than 80 percent indicated that they were aware of the program. However, approximately 80 percent said that they believed their customers were unaware of the SOA program.

About a quarter of the respondents said that more of their customers are asking if the chemicals and products used to clean their carpets are Green.

The rest indicated there has been no “new” interest in environmentally preferable products among their customers, or at least they have not noticed it.

Pay for the Gold?

The overwhelming majority of respondents, nearly 85 percent, believed that if a carpet extractor has received SOA approval, it means the machine has been tested and proven to be more effective at cleaning carpet, has improved moisture recovery, and/or can help reduce cleaning times and labor costs.

Aware of these benefits, the respondents were then asked if SOA approval affected their purchasing decisions.

For instance:

When asked if they would select an SOA extractor over a conventional machine even if it cost a bit more, 36 percent said yes; 23 percent said no; 41 percent indicated they were not sure.

When asked if they were willing to pay a bit more for an extractor that has earned the gold label, the highest ranking possible in the SOA program, 38 percent said yes; 22 percent said no; 40 percent indicated they were not sure.