Carpet Maintenance Program

Keys To A Successful Carpet Maintenance Program

Overview:

One of the most significant changes housekeeping and other building maintenance personnel have seen over the pase years is the increased use of carpeting in all kinds of public, commercial and institutional facilities.

Some time ago it was estimated that at least 50% of all existing non-industrial floors have been carpeted. The recent trendin new construction is to install carpet instead of vinyl tile flooring. This has been due to the fact that the initial carpeting benefits of comfort, noise control and aesthetic appeal have been supplemented with lower initial cost due to improved manufacturing technology and decreased maintenance costs.

Carpeting can either improve the overall appearance and function of a facility…or cause more headaches than it’s worth. As with other types of flooring, carpeting requires daily, periodic and deep cleaning to maintain a high level of appearance.

Carpet care does not need to be difficult. With education, the correct procedures and a system of matched products, a facility’s carpet can maintain a high level of appearance and you can protect your expensive investment.

Eight Keys To A Planned Maintenance Program:

1. Walk Off Mats: do you have walk off mats at every entrance to protect your carpets from outside soils?

2. Frequent Vacuuming: are your carpets vacuumed on a planned frequency basis to prevent soil build-up and carpet abrasion?

3. Frequent Spotting: do you have a spot and stain removal program? The long spots remain on a carpet, the more difficult they are to remove.

4. Pre-Spraying: does your program include always using a pre-spray prior to extracting or shampooing? Chemicals take time to work.

5. Interim/Deep Cleaning: do you have a planned program to insure interim and deep cleaning of your carpets? Scheduled, frequent cleaning keeps oily soils from bonding to carpet fibers, improving appearance and prolonging carpet life.

6. Training: have your operators been trained in proper cleaning procedures?

7. Equipment: do you have the proper “tools” necessary to effectively clean and maintain the appearance of your carpets? Vacuums, floor machines, extractors, pressure sprayers and blowers are among tools that can help with the cleaning tasks and reduce manpower.

8. Distributor Service: are you purchasing your supplies from a Distributor that carries a complete line of carpet care chemicals? Can your distributor provide the technical assistance you need?

Whatever procedure you are using, always gather the recommended janitorial equipment and supplies together and bring to the area to be cleaned. And allow time to clean up and return the cleaning equipment to the storage area when the procedure is completed.