Domestic Maintenance

Soiling

Soiling is usually the result of some local condition to which the carpet has be subjected to, or maintenance, or lack of maintenance program. The are several types of soiling which are quite common

Spillages - liquids such as soft drinks, cordials, or drink which contains sugar, particularly hot drinks, is likely to leave a stain. In such instances professional help should be sought.

Shampoo - If incorrectly applied, can leave sticky soap residues in the fibers which can result in soiling reappearing quite rapidly.

Dust - Which is carried on draughts can soil carpets in varies ways, apart from the obvious soiled edges, at gaping skirting boards for instance, dark lines appearing on surface might suggest airborne dust vacuum-drawn through poorly fitted floor boards. Some times the shape of the floor boards can be seen quite clearly. Airborne dust some times shows itself as spots on the carpet, this is due to the air carried on a draught under the carpet escaping through the minute holes both in the underlay and the carpet, leaving dust deposited on the pile much like a filter action. In such installations, the use of lining paper is essential as a preventative measure.

It is the responsibility of the retailer to advise the customer when the carpet is measured of any poorly fitting doors, skirtings, or floor boards and the consumers responsibility to ensure any remedial work to seal draughts, is carried out before the carpet is fitted, if any resulting complaint is to be avoided.

Good Vacuum Cleaner Practices

Follow the vacuum cleaner manufacturer’s instructions for proper use of their product. For the best cleaning results, inspect the vacuum cleaner periodically to be sure it is functioning properly:

• Keep brushes clean, and replace them when worn.
• Keep vacuum hoses and attachments free of obstructions that restrict air flow.
• Inspect belts frequently to make certain they are working properly.
• Always keep a spare belt for replacement as needed.
• Follow the vacuum cleaner manufacturer’s instructions, and change the vacuum bag when it is more than half full. As the bag becomes full, soil removal efficiency is reduced.
• Use original bags recommended by the vacuum cleaner manufacturer.
  

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Contract Maintenance

Proper, consistent carpet maintenance is critical to extend the life of your carpet and to sustain an optimum performance and appearance level and a healthy indoor environment. Facility managers, designers, maintenance personnel and any others responsible for commercial carpet maintenance should be encouraged to develop and sustain a complete maintenance program for all commercial facilities.

Maintenance Plan
Plan a maintenance program before installation so such factors as budget, personnel and areas of special consideration can be taken into account. Maintenance personnel are advised to:

• Obtain detailed floor plan of facility.
• Identify areas of heavy soiling:
• Track-off Regions: Areas where carpet collects tracked-in soil from the outdoors or from hard-surfaced floors. Track off regions average 90 square feet (6 x 15) at building entrances, 10 square feet (2 x 5) at internal doorways, and 40 square feet (5 x 8) in corridors six feet wide.
• Congested Channels: A concentrated channel of foot traffic, such as a doorway, stairwell or drinking fountain area. A congested channel averages three feet around a doorway to 10 feet around elevators.
• Traffic Lanes: Areas with the largest amount of foot traffic.

A complete and effective program should include three maintenance categories: preventative, daily and periodic.

Preventative maintenance
Preemptive measures can be taken to reduce the effects of soil:

Entry Mats: Placed in entryways and elevators, they will collect dirt before it reaches the carpeted area. Assure that the mats cover the distance of several footsteps.

Colour Selection: Select colour appropriate to traffic areas and local soil conditions. Medium colours, tweeds and patterned carpets hide soil, while lighter colours mask fading.

Daily maintenance
Vacuuming: Vacuuming is the most important and most cost-effective element of an efficient maintenance program. Vacuuming can remove more than 80 percent of dry soil on a daily basis. Vacuuming should be scheduled according to the amount of potential soil buildup of a particular area.
The general recommendations for vacuuming frequency are as follows:

• Heavy traffic areas: Daily
• Medium traffic areas: Twice weekly
• Light traffic areas: Once or twice weekly

Vacuuming Equipment: Two types of vacuum cleaning equipment are available for daily maintenance of commercial installations. They are:

Heavy-duty, wide track machine for wide, open areas. Should have powerful suction and an enclosed, high-efficiency particulate filtration bag and be equipped with adjustable cylindrical brushes to whip embedded soil to the surface.

An industrial version of the domestic upright for tighter areas. Should have the same features and should have hose and wand attachments for hard-to-reach areas. A backpack vacuum with a high airflow and high-efficiency filtration provides increased productivity.

Periodic pile brushing with a pile lifter vacuum pre-conditions carpet and removes dry, deeply embedded soil from high traffic areas. This can be especially helpful prior to carpet cleaning.

Extraction Cleaning
Periodically scheduled extraction cleaning will remove accumulated soil not removed by regular vacuuming and spot removal. It is suggested that a monthly or as needed cleaning of transition areas, track-off regions and congested channels. Cleaning methods include:

• Absorbent Compound (Dry Extraction)
• Absorbent Pad or Bonnet
• Dry Foam
• Hot Water Extraction (Steam Cleaning)
• Rotary Shampoo Cleaning
• Use method recommended by the carpet manufacturer.
• Spot Cleaning

Damage from spills can be minimized by immediate action. As soon as a spill occurs, blot with a clean, white, absorbent towel and repeat until the spill is fully absorbed. Be sure to follow instructions and take proper precautions when using cleaning agents.

Lightweight portable extractors are available for more efficient removal of spills. These portable extractors assist in thoroughly removing spills, rinsing cleaning solutions, and extracting wet spills. It is important to adhere to manufacturer's spot removal instructions to prevent voiding existing warranties. Failure to follow these instructions could result in damaged carpet fibers.