Angie's List: Carpet cleaning - 13 WTHR Indianapolis

Either on TV, online, or on the radio, it's hard to miss those deals for low, low prices on carpet cleaning. But how many of them are too low to be true?

There's no doubt Wendie Zeller loves her dog. What she doesn't love are the tracks Joe leaves behind. That's why an online professional carpet cleaning deal was seemingly a good buy.

"Good price. I needed the bedrooms done and for four rooms, so I just bought it," said Zeller.

She regretted it when the cleaner showed up at her door.

"It was awful. You know, he had told me that because my carpets were so dirty that they would need to do a deep cleaning and that would be extra," she said.

To avoid those added extras, consumer experts recommend homeowners insist on a written detailed estimate of what the company will do for the advertised price, and never be shy about sharing your own family's details.

"Do you have pets? Do you have kids? Do you have special areas that need treatments because you've had spills? The more information you give them, the more prepared they can come to do the actual project," said Angie Hicks, Angie's List.

Carpet cleaners like Chris Stone from Gallery Carpet Care in Zionsville offer this advice to homeowners to save some cash.

"You want to try to move as much as possible in the areas that you want clean. If there are any couches or sofas or magazines, everything you can do to help it move faster when they come to clean your carpets," Stone said.

As always, it's important to do your homework on the company you're thinking about hiring. Check out online reviews and know that a good company will return to clean spots that re-appear within a short period of time.