The Importance of Carpet Maintenance

• First impression is important
• Increases life of carpet
• Helps reduce replacement costs
• Shows concern for employees working environment
• Improves employee health
• Removes dust and allergens

Proper Carpet Maintenance is the Key

Proper scheduling and use of cleaning systems to remove contaminates are key factors in a successful Carpet Maintenance Program.

Carpet starts out new, and then due to soil, its appearance starts to decline. Once appearance reaches an unacceptable level a cleaning is scheduled, usually from the lowest bidder. The appearance improves, but due to soil damage, the carpet will not return to “like new”.

However, the above approach, combined with untrained cleaning crews, will only lead to short periods of high appearance and greatly shorten the life of the carpet or fabric. Any company can “clean” relatively new carpet, but Steam-Pro is able to design a customized program that will extend the life of the carpet and save you time and expense in the long run.

A good example of carpet fibers under a microscope is like looking at some fishing line with color. Once the soil scratches the carpet fiber the carpet appears dull. This causes the fiber to reflect light differently than the rest of the carpet.

Keys to Proper Maintenance Program

• Proper site evaluation
• Dependable, punctual, and hard working employees
• Updated equipment
• Constant on going training

Steam-Pro has the knowledge to evaluate your facility to keep your carpet looking great and replacement costs down.

Maintenance from the Start

Carpet gets dirty from the first day it is installed so you need to start maintaining it from the beginning. Even if your carpet is not new today it is important to begin your maintenance program as soon as possible.

The quality of your maintenance program depends on the people that are doing the work. Remember, people clean carpet not machines. Carpet Mills have designed carpet that is easily maintained, but, if you do not maintain it, you cannot expect it to stay cleaned.

By defining the traffic areas in your facility Steam-Pro can determine a proper maintenance care program. We will take a look at your floor plan and work with you to identify these areas and create a color coded plan to indicate high, medium and low traffic areas. For example…..

• High Traffic = Outside entrances, hallways, break rooms, cafeterias, core corridors, elevator lobbies, stairways, waiting areas, etc….
• Medium Traffic = Non core corridors and conference room, etc…
• Low Traffic = Offices, cubicles, executive areas, etc

Maintenance Procedures

• Vacuuming and Pile Lifting
• Hot Water Extraction

Vacuuming: This is the most effective way to remove soil. Most dirt comes out with vacuuming. All high and medium traffic areas should be vacuumed daily while all low traffic areas should be done 2-3 times a week.

Pile Lifting: A pile lifter is a “vacuum on steroids.” Pile lifting breaks up packed down dirt and removes 10% more then vacuuming alone. Pile lifting should be done monthly on all high and medium traffic areas while low traffic areas should be done every other month.

Hot Water Extraction: The SINGLE BIGGEST MISTAKE people make in cleaning carpet is the excessive use of chemicals. The purpose of chemicals is to ATTRACT DIRT. When too much chemical is left in your carpet it can cause re-soiling.

Steam-Pro uses chemicals when needed, but hot water is our main cleaning agent. The key to great looking carpet is using the proper combination of methods and the correct chemicals in the most effective manner. The right procedures, combined with the right people is all you will ever need to maintain your carpet and your investment.