Extending The Life Of Your Carpet!
By Joanne Labunski
Have You Ever Noticed How Hard It Is To Keep Up The Appearance Of The Carpet In Your Common Areas - particularly lobbies, hallways and entrances to elevators?
Cleaning the carpets only when you can see the soiling is part of the problem. You need to take a proactive approach to maintenance. This will not only improve the look of your common areas, but it will also help maintain the longevity of your carpet. Here are some guidelines to include in your maintenance program:
- Vacuuming regularly will help avoid signs of wear and also prevent dirt from settling deep into the carpet. Pay extra attention to the high traffic areas such as lower floor hallways.
- Remove spots as they occur using a blotting technique. If you are unable to remove the spot entirely, call a professional right away. Do not try to rub out a spill or stain as this can damage the carpet fibres. The longer a stain sits, the harder and more expensive it is to remove.
- Sweeping or washing parking lots and sidewalks often prevents dirt from being tracked inside. Over 90% of dirt found on indoor carpets is tracked in on shoes.
- Using walk off mats is a great way to keep carpets cleaner. Place mats in high traffic areas such as entranceways. These mats should be able to trap both dirt and moisture and should be vacuumed daily, cleaned professionally regularly and changed when wet.
- Use carpet in your elevators to prevent the spread of dirt to upper floors. This carpet should also be vacuumed daily and cleaned regularly.
- Scotch guarding not only helps to protect the fibres in your carpet from staining, it allows for better releasing of soil during vacuuming. Scotch guarding used properly has been proven to be very successful in extending the life of carpets.
- Have your carpets professionally cleaned with a truck-mounted unit at least once or twice a year. If the budget only allows for once a year it is important to clean early in spring after the snow is gone. Most wear and tear on commercial carpets happens in the spring by delaying or extending the cleaning date. This causes soil to be packed into carpet fibres, and this scratches and damages the carpet resulting in premature wear. Rental units or portable cleaners used by untrained professionals can leave a detergent residue, which will attract dust from the air, causing quick re-soiling and the need for more frequent cleanings.
Following these simple tips can help maintain the appearance of your carpet, avoid premature wear and extend the life of your carpet - saving you both time and money.
JoAnne Labunski is the Property Management / Commercial
Coordinator for Magiclean Cleaning Services Inc.
She can be reached at
229-3323.
