Don’t sweep correct procedures under the carpet – Carpet Cleaning

Hi there and welcome back. In my last blog I explored all the different kinds of carpets that can be found in the workplace, helping you understand the ins and outs of one of the most popular floor coverings.

This week I am going a step further, sharing with you the best ways to clean all of the various types of carpets and what equipment you should use. So, whether it’s wool, silk, cotton or polyester carpet, this blog has got it covered.

Equipment is key

It’s crucial to plan and implement an effective and rigorous cleaning regime to ensure your carpet not only looks in tiptop condition but does its job properly too.

My previous blog helped you understand what type of carpet you have; here’s a look at all the processes you can choose from to ensure you get the most out of your carpet.

Vacuuming

As I mentioned in my previous blog, there are two types of soil, wet and dry. Wet is usually from internal factors whereas dry is often trafficked in from outside, easily removed with your regular vacuum cleaner.

How does it work?

Vacuuming creates an air stream through the carpet pile that surrounds the larger, dry particles to dislodge them allowing them to be sucked up into the vacuum cleaner.

So many choices

Now the choice of vacuum cleaner is entirely up to you – a single motor vacuum will suffice for low traffic areas while a commercial upright vacuum cleaner with a separate brush motor is far more effective in heavy traffic areas and will cut down labour costs when operated in a “one pass” action.

If you do have an upright vacuum cleaner or are looking at purchasing one for your workplace these three simple steps will ensure maximum efficiency.

SM20-image_

Spot and Stain Removal

It may be time consuming and somewhat frustrating but spots and stains, when left, can quickly build up and ruin your carpet’s whole appearance.

“What is the difference between a stain and spot?” you may ask. Well, a spot is a concentrated substance lying near the carpet’s surface, which can be removed using general purpose spotters and shampoos. Stains however, have already penetrated the carpet fibres, making it more of a task to remove.

There are several factors that can affect spot and stain removal:

  1. Age of Stain – for most effective removal, spots/stains should be treated as soon as possible.
  2. Type of Stain – the composition of the stain will determine the method you should use when removing.
  3. Temperature – stains produced by hot spills are normally more difficult to remove than cool or warm. Heat expands carpet fibres making them more porous.
  4. Concentration – the higher the concentration the more difficult to remove.
  5. Carpet Pile – shag pile presents more difficult removal of stains than loop pile.
  6. Carpet Construction – wool fibres absorb stains faster and are harder to treat. Nylon and polypropylene have good removal properties while acrylic fall between the two categories.
  7. First Removal Attempts – sometimes incorrect treatment can cause a bigger problem, such as permanent discolouration, carpet pile distortion, spot migration and wicking where upper levels of the spot are removed but the lower levels remain.

SM20-image_2

I also have a handy animated guide to help you on you way with spot and stain removing here.

Extraction Cleaning

Known as the most effective method of removing soil from carpets, extraction cleaning essentially involves injecting cleaning fluid at high pressure and sometimes at a high temperature into the carpet pile.

Soil is then loosened, dissolved then almost immediately vacuumed up again. Although this is not necessary for regular maintenance, it can prove highly effective when carried out periodically.

SM20-image_3Never tried extraction cleaning before? Why not take a look at our video, which shows you how to use the equipment safely and efficiently, while explaining the process of extraction cleaning.

Bonnet what?

Yes, bonnet buffing. This is a technique used to remove soil held in the carpet by an oily film, which cannot be removed by vacuuming. This can either be carried out monthly in low traffic areas or weekly in high traffic. If this is kept up regularly enough it can actually prevent soil spreading from entrances into other areas of the building.

This method is quick, with the drying time extremely short. A basic bonnet buffing technique involves the use of a slow speed rotary floor machine fitted with a yarn pad or bonnet, which has been soaked in a cleaner solution and wrung out thoroughly. The cleaner loosens the soil and attracted onto the yarn bonnet, while the friction between the bonnet and the carpet helps the drying of the carpet.

If you would like some further advice on the best way to clean your carpets, check out our Safe Working Procedures guide here.

These cleaning processes are the most common techniques used to clean workplaces carpets. Of course there are other options including, foam shampoo, rotary shampoo, dry foam shampoo and dry absorbent granules so, if you do have any questions about the techniques I haven’t delved into, please don’t hesitate to drop me a line of my social media pages.

https://www.facebook.com/JangroLtd

https://www.twitter.com/JangroLtd

To explore all the different carpet cleaning products available to you, why not visit our website to find the right product for you?

If you are looking for any further information on how to care for your carpets, contact Jangro on 01204 795955 or email enquiries@jangrohq.net

JangroGenius-3

Leave a Reply