How Do We Maintain the Floors in Our Building?

vaccum van Cleaning Common Area Carpets should be considered a “medium frequency” cleaning. Pre-planned maintenance is essential for:

Keeping the carpet looking great (Appearance Management)

Keeping the building healthy (air quality)
Increasing the life span of the carpet

(Reduce capital expenditures)

The latter point is critical: Most common hallway carpet is replaced before the end of its life because it greys out. This generally occurs when a carpet has been neglected and has not received proper cleaning over a long period of time. Microscopic dirt particles create striations on individual fibers, which cause it to lose its colour and turn an area grey. A regular cleaning will maintain its appearance far longer, since it removes the particles before they can cause damage.

The Building Blocks of a Carpet Maintenance Program

Preventative Maintenance – “Keep The Dirt Out”

Perhaps the simplest and most effective tool to keeping the common area carpets clean is the placement of appropriate entry systems (mats) at all access points. Best practices is for entry systems to be at minimum 3 strides long. A 15-foot long walk off area can effectively remove 80 % of the soil and moisture before it reaches the carpet.[1]

Vacuuming

vaccum guy floor
Regular Vacuuming is the most important part of any maintenance program. Make sure your janitorial provider has up to date vacuum equipment, which generally should include an HEPA filter or better. Technique is also important: the area around a baseboard is frequently neglected, leading to filtration lines appearing around them.

Spot Removal

Remove a spot or spill quickly and there is less chance if will become a permanent stain. The chemistry behind spot removal is important as to not damage the carpet and have success removing the spot.

Interim Cleaning

whittaker trace An interim cleaning is a low moisture, light extraction cleaning method. It is intended to be a midway point between vacuuming and a restorative deep clean. Regular vacuuming and spot cleaning can only postpone the need for a true restorative cleaning. Interim cleaning utilizes systems with a goal of maintaining a carpets uniform appearance.[2]

Restorative Deep Cleaning

Deep or corrective cleanings are applied to return the carpet to a relatively clean condition. Restorative cleaning uses systems that extract accumulated soils and cleaning residue at higher intensity to maximize removal of embedded soils. Hot water extraction is the primary common restorative deep cleaning method. This usually entails applying hot water with a cleaning solution (usually a set of enzymes), which binds to dirt, oils and other foreign items within the carpet. The solution and dissolved impurities are then drawn out by the extractor, leaving the carpet restored to a clean status.[3]