CARPET CARE  Here is some professional advice on care of commercial carpet . . .

 

recommended minimum maintenance frequency

 

Traffic level	vacuum	pile lift	spot clean	hot water extraction
light	Every 2-3 Days	As Needed	Daily if needed	Annually
medium	Daily	Quarterly	Daily if needed	Every 6 Months
heavy	Daily	Monthly	Daily if needed	Quarterly
severe	Daily	Weekly to Monthly	Daily if needed	Weekly to Monthly

 

Light Traffic = Private Offices & Cubicles

 

Medium Traffic = Shared Offices, Interior Hallways & Conference Rooms

 

Heavy Traffic = Entrances, Elevators, Main Hallways, Break Rooms, Work/Copy Rooms & Mailrooms

 

Severe Conditions = Airports & Entries to Hospitals, Malls & Theaters

*(Extra-Heavy Traffic & Soiling Require Frequent Attention)

 

 

What you can expect from your carpet in the real world.

 

Commercial carpets are designed for specific applications to withstand the tremendous beating that carpet receives in those recommended uses, however, there are some conditions where appearance change must be expected. 

 

For instance, in areas where the oily material from asphalt sealers is tracked into the building, carpet and other flooring may become yellowed over time.  It is virtually impossible to remove all of this material once it has penetrated the fiber of any carpet.  Areas where large amounts of sandy soil enter the building may become dull in appearance over time, due to abrasion of fibers.  Walk-off mats, frequent vacuuming and periodic cleaning can reduce these factors.

 

Another stubborn problem is the salt or deicer from snow melt, which accumulates in the carpet over winter.  Salt pulls moisture from the air and prevents the carpet from drying as quickly as it normally would.  Damp carpet acts like a wet sponge cleaning shoes and collecting soil faster.  The resulting black discoloration in the traffic lanes requires pretreatment with a traffic lane cleaner and the use of hot, not warm, water to dissolve and remove salt and soil. 

reduction of soiling and removal of dry soil

 

One of the most critical aspects of maintenance is the use of walk-off mats at building entrances.  Walk-off mats greatly reduce the amount of soil carried into a building by foot traffic.

 

Vacuuming is the most significant element in the maintenance of carpet. Walking on soiled carpet permits the soil particles to work their way down into the pile where they are more difficult to remove.  Frequent vacuuming removes soil particles from the surface before this happens. 

 

A good vacuum is vital to prolonging the life of your carpet.  A cheap vacuum can remove surface dirt but may not effectively remove particles embedded in the pile.  This can lead to rapid appearance loss and poor product performance.  A hundred dollars saved on the price of a vacuum can easily cost thousands of dollars in reduced useful life of the carpet.

 

Regular use of a pile lifter can remove deeply embedded dry sand and soil, help stand up the pile, and renew the appearance of the carpet in high-traffic areas such as traffic funnel zones, elevators and lobbies.  A pile lifter is an upright, two-motor vacuum with a large, adjustable, motor-driven brush, a high-suction vacuum motor, and a sand trap.  Using a pile lifter in traffic lanes just prior to cleaning removes the deeply embedded soil and opens up the pile so the hot-water extraction can be more effective.  Follow the pile lifting with a thorough vacuuming.

 

spot and spill removal

 

It is desirable to plan ahead of time to have the materials needed for spot and stain removal on hand in the event of an unplanned incident. 

 

General Instructions

 

jScoop up any solids gently with a spoon or dull knife.  Absorb wet spills as quickly as possible by blotting with white paper or cloth towels.

 

jAlways blot; never scrub or rub abrasively, because it may create a fuzzy area.  When blotting, work from the outer edge in toward the center of the spot to avoid spreading the spill and enlarging the problem.

 

jThorough removal of both the stain material and the detergent residue is critical to prevent resoiling.  Water extraction is the best way to accomplish this.  Many cleaning equipment manufacturers offer small extraction machines specially designed for spot cleaning.  They do an excellent job of rinsing after spot cleaning. 

 

jPlace several layers of white towels on the spot to draw out any remaining moisture.  Weight them down with a heavy object that will not transfer color, such as a plastic jug of water.

STAIN REMOVAL

RECOMMENDED PROCEDURES BY STAIN TYPE

 

*PRO—CONSULT PROFESSIONAL CLEANER

 

 

 Removal Procedures (see preceding table of stains to which these remedies apply)

 

A.  WATER-SOLUBLE STAINS – Absorb as much as possible with white towels.  Blot the affected area with more towels dampened with cool water until no more color transfers to the towels.  If any of the stain remains, use a detergent solution of ½ teaspoon (no more) of CLEAR liquid hand dishwashing detergent (do not use those containing lanolin or hand lotions) to one quart of water in a clean spray bottle, or use a general purpose spot cleaner.

For printed carpets, do not use cleaning agents with a pH higher than 8.  Spray lightly onto the spot and blot repeatedly with white towels.  Rinse thoroughly by spraying with clean water, and then blot or extract.  Do not use too much detergent, because the residue will contribute to rapid resoiling.

 

A-1.  Either:  apply a white vinegar solution (one part white vinegar to one part water) to a white towel and blot or spray onto spot.  Continue as in “A,” or use a slightly acidic spotter made for coffee, tea and other tannin stains rather than the detergent.

 

A-2. Either:  apply a solution of household ammonia (one tablespoon of ammonia to one cup water) to a white towel and blot or spray onto spot.  Continue as in “A,” or use an alkaline spotter made for removing blood and protein stains rather than the detergent.  Do not use on printed styles.

 

B.  GREASE – Blot as much as possible with white towels.  Apply a solvent designed for grease removal to a towel and blot.  Use sparingly and do not pour or spray directly on the carpet pile as damage to the backing or adhesive underneath may result.  Use the towels to transport the solvent to the carpet.  Repeat until no more color transfers to the towel.  Provide adequate ventilation, and do not use flammable solvents!  Rinse thoroughly by spraying with clean water, and then blot or extract.  If needed, continue with procedures in “A.”

 

C.  FREEZE chewing gum and candle wax with ice or a commercially available product in an aerosol can.  Shatter with a blunt object, and vacuum before the chips soften.  Follow up with solvent as in “B.”

 

D.  RUST can be removed in most cases with a 10% solution of oxalic acid.  Stubborn cases require 5% hydrofluoric acid, which is difficult to obtain and dangerous to use.  Both should be used only by a trained professional.

cleaning

 

When the color of the carpet begins to look dull, it is time to clean the carpet.  The traffic lanes will show this first.  If the carpet is cleaned before it becomes excessively soiled, the cleaning will be more successful and a much easier task. 

 

The number one recommended method of carpet cleaning is high-performance hot-water extraction, which research indicates provides the best capability for cleaning.  This system is commonly referred to as “steam cleaning,” although no steam is actually generated.

 

The process consists of spraying a solution of water and cleaning agent into the pile and, using a powerful vacuum, recovering the used solution and soil into a holding tank. This can be done from a truck-mounted unit outside the facility with only the hose and wand brought inside; or by a portable, self-contained machine brought inside.

 

Self-contained, walk-behind machines are often employed where cleaning is done by in-house maintenance staffs.  Since these machines cannot equal the performance of high-performance wand-type extractors, their use should be supplemented by periodic cleaning with a wand-type high-performance machine.

 

Cleaning systems using a rotating bonnet of terry cloth or other absorbent material attached to a rotary floor polisher used to agitate the pile and pick up soil are NOT recommended.  These do no real extraction of deep soil and may even damage the edges of some carpet tiles.  It is not a substitute for hot-water extraction. 

 

Any portable cleaning machine which continuously recycles the cleaning solution is NOT recommended.  Although large particles are filtered out, soluble materials, including detergents and soluble contaminants, are redistributed over the whole area.  With repeated cleanings, these materials become more concentrated and begin to cause rapid resoiling.

Basic Guidelines For In-House Maintenance

 

If you choose to maintain your carpet using in-house personnel, here are some guidelines to follow. 

 

1.  Before hot-water extraction, thoroughly vacuum the area to be cleaned to remove as much dry soil as possible.  Use a pile lifter, if necessary, in high-traffic areas.

 

2.  Remove spots and stains. Pretreat the heavily soiled areas and traffic-lanes with traffic-lane cleaner and wait the recommended time before cleaning.

 

Give the cleaner time to do its job before beginning extraction. Treat a small area and extract the liquid before the traffic lane cleaner dries.

 

3.  On most commercial carpets, use a detergent with a pH less than 10, preferably near 9, and with a minimum of nonsticky residue.  For printed carpets, use a detergent solution that has a pH between 6 and 8.

 

It is important to remove all the detergent you put into the carpet.  Detergent residue continues to attract and hold soil even after drying.  Increasing the amount of detergent beyond the recommended level does not increase cleaning performance, but makes the complete removal of detergent more difficult.  The use of cleaning agents with optical brighteners is NOT recommended.

 

4.  Avoid overwetting the carpet.  Prolonged dampness may cause discoloration, promote growth of mildew and bacteria in the carpet, or cause separation of the backing. 

 

5.  Do not use silicone-based anti-soil treatments on . Anti-soil products formulated with either DuPont Teflon® or 3M Scotchgard™ are recommended.

 

6.  Reduce drying time by using several fans or air movers to move air across the carpet, in combination with a dehumidifier or air conditioner to pull moisture out of the air.  Carpet should be completely dry within 12 hours or less.