Unfortunately, the carpet cleaning industry attracts many uneducated, uninformed and sometimes downright dishonest individuals. Since there is no license required to become a carpet cleaner, it’s very easy for anyone to call himself one. That’s where the IICRC comes in. They have established proper cleaning techniques, types of chemicals and ph scale ranges for cleaning carpets. They also educate cleaners on different material types and the best way to clean them. To become certified requires attending classes and passing tests. It’s kind of like having a degree in carpet cleaning. Using the wrong type of prespray or a cleaning compound with too high of a ph can severely damage your built in stain protection and void your carpet warranty. Also the majority of cleaners do not neutralize the carpet after applying the high ph prespray. This will cause accelerated fading of the carpet’s color as well as causing rapid resoiling. By the way, the IICRC estimates that 99% of all carpet cleaners are not certified!