Carpet Care Interim Maintenance - Is Vacuuming Enough?

So now that you have your preventive carpet care maintenance plan in place, what about interim maintenance? Here are a few things you should know.

Typical soil particles found deep down between the tufts of carpet—dirt, sand, dust particles, etc. have over 25 different cutting edges. If left in the carpet, these gritty, sharp-edged particles cut, scratch and grind against carpet fibers, causing premature wear. The carpet loses density and resilience and appears dull and faded. Today's industrial and commercial carpets can outlast and outperform earlier floor coverings if they receive the correct care. But you need to know what you're doing to get the best results.

While vacuuming removes most dry soils from carpet, oily soils from cooking vapors, air pollution and greasy dirt tracked in from outside attract more dirt and cause colors to dull. If not removed, greasy soil can literally glue carpet fibers together and ruin the carpet. Greasy soil is best removed by water extraction, but fast, light, surface cleaning can be effective using absorbent compound (dry extraction or powder cleaning), bonnet or spin cleaning, or shampooing.

Absorbent compound cleaning involves applying a dry absorbent cleaning compound to the carpet, working it in with a powered brushing system and vacuuming soiled compound and dirt away. Bonnet or spin cleaning uses a rotary floor machine with a bonnet or spin cleaning pad sprayed with or dipped into a bonnet or spin cleaning solution. The pad absorbs soil as it is worked over the carpet in tight, overlapping circles. The pad should be cleaned in cool water as it becomes loaded with soil. (This method is not recommended for some kinds of cut pile carpets.)

Shampooing uses either a dry foam shampoo with a shampooing machine or conventional shampoo with a rotary floor machine and carpet brush to work chemical deep into carpet fibers. Suspended soil and residue are then wet vacuumed away.

WAXIE Sanitary Maintenance Consultants can recommend the right product for each of these procedures for your facility. Contact us today at (800) 995-4466.