Purpose of Cleaning and Maintenance
Your commercial carpet installation is a significant investment, both in monetary terms
and overall facility image. It is important to implement a maintenance program from the
beginning. A consistent and effective carpet maintenance program can maintain the
initial facility image and dramatically extend the life of your monetary investment. It is
the goal of this publication to assist you in preserving the original appearance of your
commercial carpet.
There are many valuable reasons we clean or maintain any object, including carpet. The
incentive for an effective cleaning and maintenance program is magnified when we
recognize these activities contribute to the following:
Allows for the healthy reuse of space and materials.
Maintains the value of property and reduces the rate of depreciation.
Contributes directly to personal security, comfort, and productivity.
Accents aesthetics.
Creates a unique psychology that enhances quality of life.
Encourages topophilia (affection for place).
Elevates a sense of well-being, which is the essence of good health.
Sends caring messages and image.
Promotes human dignity.
Manages waste and hazards and contributes to environmental protection.
Ensures sanitation – reduces adverse exposure levels.
Serves as a form of insurance that reduces risk and prevents crisis.
The appearance of carpet depends upon several factors – color, pattern, density, fiber, and
a viable carpet maintenance program. In order to keep carpet products performing their
best, designing and implementing a comprehensive maintenance plan is very important.
Great care should be taken when choosing carpet colors, patterns, and textures. These
features combined with fiber quality and construction standards engineered to meet
performance requirements are important factors.
Maintenance Plan and Schedule – the five elements
A customized comprehensive carpet care program consists of five elements:
1. Soil Containment – isolation of soil entering the building using mats at
entrances.
2. Vacuuming – scheduled frequency for removal of dry soil
3. Spot and Spill Removal System - using professional spot removal
techniques.
4. Interim Cleaning – scheduled frequency appearance cleaning for all
traffic areas.
5. Restorative Cleaning – scheduled frequency deep cleaning to remove
residues and trapped soils.
There are some conditions where appearance change must be expected. In areas where
the oily material from asphalt sealers is tracked into the building, carpet and other
flooring may become yellowed over time. Check the traffic lanes often for slight dulling
of color; this indicates a build up of soil. It is virtually impossible to remove all of this
material once it has penetrated the fiber of any carpet. Entrance mats and scheduled
cleaning can reduce this phenomenon. Areas where large amounts of sandy soil enter the
building may become dull in appearance over time. This is due to abrasion of the fiber
surface, affecting the reflection of light. Frequent vacuuming helps to minimize this
problem.
A thoughtfully designed and implemented maintenance program performed by qualified
personnel, properly equipped and trained, is essential for optimal long-term performance.
If you don’t maintain it, you can’t
expect it to stay clean.
For a free carpet cleaning maintenance evaluation contact Carpet Technologies at 615-972-1441 http://www.carpettechnologies.net/
Information provided by CRI
