Common sense tells us that floors in high-traffic public places will be subjected to much more usage than floors in a traditional residential setting. This means that they have the potential to get dirty more quickly and show signs of wear sooner.
Of course, it is important to purchase and install commercial grade carpet that can stand up to heavy traffic. But, it is just as important to maintain a program of regular cleaning to ensure that the floor’s professional-looking appearance lasts as long as possible.
According to the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC), their professional recommendation is to rely on scheduled commercial maintenance that includes routine thorough vacuuming along with quick attention to spots, spills and stains.
Carpets are like sponges, soaking in everything that falls on them, is tracked on them or settles into them from the air. The very characteristics that make them desirable for public spaces – sound absorption, slip resistance and soil-trapping ability – become compromised over time unless the commercial grade carpet is thoroughly cleaned.
Of course, professionals will have the heavy-duty equipment, the appropriate floor covering training and enough commercial-related experience to thoroughly clean your company’s floors. But their professional attention can also revive colors and refresh fibers to bring back the original beauty while improving indoor air quality by removing breathable pollutants.
Carpet that is walked on by dozens of people coming into your business from the outside environment every day must be vacuumed regularly with a commercial-grade machine that is well-maintained and properly filtered.
However, no matter how often business floor coverings are vacuumed, you will still need the periodic rejuvenation of professional cleaning to remove deep-seated grime and pollutants. Just as you trust a trained mechanic to keep your car in peak condition with regular tune-ups, so should you trust a trained professional cleaning service to remove dirt that you can’t see.
Between professional visits, however, there are things you should do:
Hallways and entries – Sweep or use a leaf blower to keep exterior sidewalks, porches and steps clean of soil and debris that could be tracked onto the floors of your business. Place mats outside every exterior door to trap dirt and moisture before they are tracked in.
Vacuums – Purchase, or make certain your maintenance crew uses, a durable upright machine with brush agitation (the Carpet and Rug Institute has a list of approved vacuums at www.carpet-rug.org). Make sure your machine uses high-efficiency double-lined filter bags that will trap even the tiniest particles. Schedule frequent vacuuming maintenance that will prevent dirt from becoming embedded in the carpet of your business.
Heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) filters – Always use high-quality electrostatic filters. These will have acrylic rods that create static electricity that attracts dirt particles to the filter.
Moisture and humidity – The most common allergens in our southern climate are dust mites and mold, which can be addressed by commercial carpet cleaning. But they can be eliminated if the inside relative humidity of your entire building is maintained below 50 percent.