FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
For detailed answers specific to any of our services, choose a service below:
General FAQ
- What area do you service?
Our primary service area is Allen County, Indiana. This includes Fort Wayne, New Haven, Huntertown, Leo, Grabill, Hoagland, Woodburn, and Harlan. However, we will travel outside of Allen County to Northeast Indiana with a small trip charge and minimum cleaning order based on the distance we travel. From time to time we travel:- West as far as Warsaw, Columbia City, Huntington or Roanoke
- North as far as Churubusco, Laotto, Avilla, Kendallville, Garrett, Auburn, Angola, Fremont and Coldwater, Michigan,
- East as far as Hicksville, Paulding and Van Wert, Ohio
- South as far as Decatur, Bluffton or Berne
- What do I need to do to prepare?
See our cleaning preparation checklist - What services do you offer?
Click here to see Referral Cleaning & Restoration’s Services - Can you clean my apartment / office in a high rise building?
Yes, we typically clean using our truck mounted machine, but if this is not possible we have portable machines that can be taken into any area of a building needing cleaning that has water access. There is an extra set up cost involved for this type of work. - Will cleaning remove fleas and bed bugs?
Referral can clean your carpet, rugs, upholstery and mattresses and is an important step in removing fleas and bed bugs but alone will not kill or remove them. We recommend you contact a professional licensed pest control service to develop a plan to ensure that the eggs, larvae and adult fleas /bugs are 100% dead before cleaning. In Fort Wayne contact Jackson Pest Management at 260-747-9772 or online at www.jacksonpm.com - Do you guarantee stain removal?
No, Stain removal success depends on the fiber type, what caused the stain, and what attempts have already been made to remove the stain. Many stains do not come out with a regular cleaning and require additional attention. We have invested in specialized training and stain removal solutions to help us remove as many stains as possible. View our specialty spotting page for examples. Some challenging stains may clean out but return after drying. This is a common complaint we hear from clients that have used other companies. This is usually because there is a dirt-attracting residue that wasn’t neutralized or rinsed out completely or because a quick surface cleaning was done. However even when cleaned properly, some fabrics and some stains will return after wicking and will require additional treatment on a separate visit. In unique circumstances, our technician may disqualify some stains from a “free recheck” if a second visit is required for additional treatment. - How do I make sure my inbox receives all your emails packed full of information and monthly specials?
For Gmail:
1. Click the Promotions Tab.
2. Find an email we have sent to you.
3. Click and drag it to the Primary tab.
For Outlook:
1. Go into your Junk folder.
2. Open an email from Referral.
3. Click “not junk” near the top. (This moves it to your inbox.)
4. Go to your inbox and open that email.
5. Hover your mouse over Referral’s name, located at the top of the email.
6. Click “add” when the pop up appears.
For Yahoo:
1. Go to your Spam folder.
2. Open an email from Referral.
3. Click “not spam” near the top. (This moves it to your inbox.)
4. Go to your inbox and right click on that email.
5. Select “add sender to contacts”.
6. Click “save”.
Scheduling FAQ
- I work all week and can’t be home, do you offer residential cleaning appointments on the weekend?
As a small family business we reserve the weekends for rest and family time, so generally we do not offer weekend appointments for residential cleaning. (We do offer 24/7 Response for Water Damage Emergencies). However, there are many options. If you have things prepared and arranged for payment, you can leave a door unlocked, hide a key, provide a garage code or have someone else meet us there. If you have particular concerns, schedule for our first appointment and you can show us your concerns and then leave for work and we can lock up. If you are able to leave work, we can give you a 30 minute notice before we arrive at your home so you can come back home to meet us. - What time will you arrive on the day of my appointment?
When you call to schedule let us know if you have any time restrictions we need to work around. We lay out our schedule the day before your appointment so we can coordinate everyone’s schedule. We will call you the day before and give you an arrival time window. The day of your appointment our technicians will call you when they are headed to your home. If for any reason we cannot arrive in the time window we told you we will call you to update you. The only appointment with an exact arrival time is our first appointment. If you can’t be home the day of your appointment review the options below. - Do I have to be home when you clean my carpet?
No, We are often left unattended while cleaning. Below are several options if you can not be home or need to leave before we are finished.- Hide a key
- Give us a garage door keypad code
- Leave a door unlocked
- If you schedule is flexible we can call you on your cell/work phone and give you advanced notice to leave work and meet us at your home.
- Schedule for our first appointment, you can meet us, show us the work to be done, leave payment and leave for work. We can stay and complete the work then call you when finished to review the results and lock up.
- Have a friend, relative or neighbor let us in.
- Bring a key to our office in advance. If you will not be there be sure we have specific instructions on what you would like done, particular concerns, a cell/work contact phone # in case we have questions and payment. You can leave a blank signed check or credit card information.
- When finished we can lock the door behind us or push the garage door button to close it and ‘jump’ over the beam.
- How far ahead do I have to make an appointment?
It depends on the season and how much time is necessary for your appointment. Before the holidays or during spring and fall are our busy seasons. If you have an exact day you need to schedule because of having the day off of work or moving in or out of a house let us know as soon as possible. However many times we can schedule an appointment on short notice. Call us at 260-483-4383 to check our availability. - Why do you ask for my husband/wifes name?
To ensure duplicate files aren’t made for the same address and so we maintain accurate records. We file by last name, his name & her name (if applicable) - Why do you want my email?
1. To send you our cleaning preparation checklist before your appointment.
2. To send you our invoice after cleaning is completed.
3. To send you our email newsletter that is sent no more than once a month and contains helpful cleaning and maintenance tips for your home and available promotions. - Do I need to reschedule cleaning in the winter when its below freezing and/or snowing?
No, We understand you don’t want snow tracked in or cold outside air to come inside your home. Don’t worry, we won’t make a mess.
- We shovel the snow off your walks to the entry.
- We use a door mat outside to wipe our shoes.
- Our door drape and door stop, seal the opening to keep cold air outside.
- If you have an attached garage, we lower the door down to our hose to keep the cold air outside.
- Do I need to reschedule cleaning if it’s raining? No, We understand you don’t want rain or any outside messed tracked in and you want your carpet to dry fast. Don’t worry, we won’t make a mess.
- Our technicians have rain coats in the truck.
- We use an inside / outside technician approach during set up / wrapping up to minimize tracking in from the outside.
- We use a door mat and floor protectors on hard surfaces to prevent tracking in from the outside.
- Because of Referral’s unique cleaning technique, carpets dry quickly after cleaning. By following our drying tips, using fans and properly setting your home’s thermastat, dry time inside your home will be quick regardless of what is happening outside even if it is raining.
Payment FAQ
- Can you send me a bill and I will send you payment?
Payment is required in full upon completion of work for residential cleaning. We accept cash, check and credit card with an additional credit card convenience fee. In rare circumstances, credit may be extended by the manager and should be arranged when making the appointment. - Do you offer Gift Certificates?
Yes, you can purchase a gift certificate in any amount. The gift of clean would make a great house warming or baby shower gift.
Pricing FAQ
- Do you have any specials, military or senior discounts?
Since we stay so busy as a small local business we usually don’t run specials very often. If we do it is often during our slow winter season or you will find them in our email newsletter. We do not offer senior citizen or military discounts. You can save money by being well prepared and qualifying for our discounted empty carpet cleaning rate. We also have a referral reward program where you can earn a $25 cleaning credit for each new client you refer to our company. You can also earn cleaning credit by leaving a review online, click here to learn more. - Why are your prices higher?
When comparing prices, make sure to ask a lot of questions and please keep a few things in mind. Our price includes top of the line, properly maintained equipment and high quality cleaning solutions administered by our technicians (not sub-contracted) who are always trained by the Falls family in our specialized cleaning technique. Our technicians are certified by the IICRC and are taught the rare, professional skills of customer service and respect. This is what allows us to stand behind all of our work.
See our Carpet Cleaing Consumer Guide for ideas on what to ask when calling around for carpet cleaning services. - How much will it cost?
Carpet, Tile and Rug cleaning is based on the total size or square feet of the area being cleaned and how much furniture you would like moved. Simply call in your room sizes for a phone estimate. We will measure exactly the day of the job. From then on, we will have those room sizes on file for future reference. Upholstery cleaning is based on size, number of loose cushions, arm covers and type of material. We can give you a telephone estimate based upon the information you provide to us. - Why does low priced carpet cleaning often leave you shortchanged?
- Volume: Low price cleaners survive on volume – which means get in and get out fast! If your carpet cleaner isn’t taking the time to pre-treat soiled areas, spot clean stains and thoroughly rinse cleaning solutions and soils from your carpet, then you’re being shortchanged.
- Employees: Low price cleaners cannot afford to pay wages that attract long term dependable employees. High employee turnover is common and leads to poor quality workmanship from under-trained cleaners. It takes time and experience to become a top notch cleaning technician. If you see a constant stream of new faces from your cleaning company, chances are you’re being shortchanged.
- Low Quality Equipment: Low price cleaners must survive on slim profit margins. This often leads to using low quality cleaning agents and equipment that’s in disrepair. Such agents and equipment cannot perform a quality job. If your cleaning company isn’t using the best available cleaning agents or equipment, you’re being shortchanged.
- Technology/Education: Low priced cleaners often do not have the time, money or man power to invest in technology. Carpet cleaning technology is constantly evolving with new equipment, safer more effective products and advanced cleaning techniques. Formal education of technicians is very costly, but necessary, to ensure you are getting your money’s worth. If your cleaning company does not belong to trade associations, subscribe to industry journals, take part in seminars and formal training courses…you’re being shortchanged.
- Guarantees: We’re all familiar with the saying, “A guarantee is only as good as the company that stands behind it”. If your cleaning company doesn’t have a track record that says they’ll be available today, tomorrow and more importantly next year to stand behind their work…you’re being shortchanged.
- Premature Replacement: The number one reason carpets are replaced prematurely is due to wear caused by inefficient cleaning. Poor cleaning leaves dirt and grit behind to act as an abrasive to carpet fibers. This leads to wear patterns and ugly traffic lanes. Most quality carpeting is designed to last at least 15 years, however if you’re considering replacement after 3 or 5 years, then poor cleaning is costing you many times more than you could ever hope to save by using a low priced cleaning company.
- Concerned about cost?
Let me start right now by telling you we are NOT the cheapest cleaner in town. Quality minded clients seek out our services. Some people are so caught up on price only that they are easy targets of prey for low quality cleaning companies, at least until they have become a victim of poor quality. We cater to clients who are particular and expect top-notch service. Our clients are aware there are cheaper advertised prices but they know from experience that “you really do get what you pay for.” They are willing to pay more for our service since their high expectations are met. Many new clients state how they felt they wasted their money on a cheaper service because the cleaning company went so quickly through the job. We do not rush our work! We will give you more cleaning passes and take more effort with extra vacuum passes to be sure your carpet dries fast. You will get your money’s worth from us. No other carpet cleaner in Fort Wayne offers this much personalized service and attention to quality detailed workmanship for the price than Referral does. “In this day and age, quality and low price are two entities that rarely come as a pair”. This statement is especially true when it comes to carpet cleaning services. All cleaning companies know what they’re worth and they price their services accordingly. Would you buy the cheapest carpet available for your home? Of course not. You wouldn’t get a quality, long lasting carpet. So why settle for the cheapest priced cleaning of such a quality item. In the end, low priced, low quality cleaning, will actually damage a fine quality carpet. We’ve seen damage many times. So what have you really saved? We also notice that do it yourself machines and the cleaning agent used by the homeowner leaves a residue that actually attracts soil faster than if it were not cleaned at all. Remember, “Referrals Built Our Business”. When we’re referred by friends, neighbors and relatives, they tell each other that we cost more but we’re definitely worth it.
For detailed answers specific to any of our services, choose a service below: