Need 3 Carpet Care Preventive Maintenance Tips?

Preventive maintenance prolongs carpet life, improves appearance and reduces the need for more complicated maintenance procedures.

There are three basic elements to a good preventive maintenance program:

1. Using walk-off mats
2. Vacuuming
3. Spot removal

 Nearly 80% of the soil in carpeting is tracked in from the outside by foot traffic and can be stopped by the proper use of walk-off mats. Mats should be kept clean and dry or they become a source of soil and abrasive materials themselves. To maintain the mats, a pressure washer or extractor will do a thorough job of cleaning. Mats should be cleaned at least weekly, more frequently where traffic is heavy. During rain or snow seasons, clean mats with a wet pick-up vacuum. Also, do not apply soil protection to mats after cleaning. You want them to attract soil so it doesn't get tracked onto your carpet.

Almost 80% of the soil that gets into carpet can be removed by vacuuming, so it is obviously a key part of your overall maintenance program. For best results, carpet manufacturers recommend frequent vacuuming. They used to solely recommend using a vacuum that uses a revolving brush with its head properly adjusted to the pile height of the carpet. (The brush creates a high-speed sweeping action and loosens dirt while the vacuum's suction removes it. Most commercial vacuums have dual motors to best accomplish this—one to drive the brush and one to create the vacuum suction.) New studies indicate that any vacuum with sufficient suction (airflow-measured as CFM) will remove soil just as well.

While many carpets are treated to be stain resistant, no carpet is completely stain proof, so anything spilled on a carpet should be cleaned up promptly. With spot removal, the first step is to scoop up as much of the spill as you can and then absorb as much of the liquid as possible, using paper towels or clean cloths. Use a blotting action to prevent fuzzing the carpet surface and work from the outside in to prevent spreading the spill. The next step is to identify the stain and find the right process to remove it.

There are four basic categories of stains:

1. Water-soluble (the most common, including mud, ice cream, sugar, etc.)
2. Oil-based (including paint, oil, grease, ink, lipstick, etc.)
3. Non-soluble (including sand and grit which can be removed by vacuuming)
4. Special treatment (stain requires a specific chemical change for removal, including rust, dye stains, red wine, etc.).

WAXIE Sanitary Maintenance Consultants can recommend the right product for each of these types of stains, properly sized entrance mats and an efficient vacuum for your facility. Contact us today at (800) 995-4466.

Click the following to browse our online catalog for:

• Matting
• Vacuums
• Carpet Spotters