Contract Carpet Care and Maintenance
Regular cleaning of your carpet will reduce loss of appearance and accumulation of contaminants. The vast majority of soiling to carpets is brought into the building on people's feet, so stopping this ingress of soil is the initial priority. It is therefore recommended that barrier mats are placed by all the doors to reduce contamination of the main carpet.
Vacuuming
Vacuuming is the most important procedure to clean and extend the service life of the carpet. Vacuums with high suction, brush and beater bar are recommended for our cut pile carpets, such as our Axminster woven and tufted twist ranges. For our tufted loop pile carpets, a cylinder vacuum is recommended. Vacuums with microfilters are often the best option, so dirt is not extracted and then blown back into the building.
Spillages
Spillages should be attended to straight away. Absorb the spillage and, if necessary, use the stain removal treatment outlined in Appendix A. When treating the spillage, NEVER rub or overwet the carpet as this may cause permanent damage to the carpet pile.
For a solid spillage, first, remove as much of the contaminant as possible by scraping it up using a knife or spatula.
Liquid spillages should always be absorbed by a clean cloth/kitchen tissue, pushed gently onto the wet area. Ensure that a blotting technique is used, rather than rubbing the pile surface, as this may also damage the pile.
A suitable carpet shampoo should then be used to clean the carpet, preferably using a hot water extraction cleaning system.
Hot water extraction is the most effective deep cleaning method, however, overwetting the carpet can cause dimensional problems. Hot water extraction is best carried out by trained professional cleaners, such as the following examples:
Revival | www.revivalcorporatecleaning.com
Servicemaster | www.servicemasterclean.co.uk
Woolsafe | www.woolsafe.org
Regular maintenance and prompt attention to spillages are the most effective methods to help extend the life of the carpet.
Interim cleaning methods
Absorbent powders - A powder impregnated with a cleaning solvent is brushed into the carpet and allowed to dry. The powder is then vacuumed up. Axminster Carpets recommend the ‘SEBO’ dry cleaning powder and vacuum cleaners.
Dry foam cleaning - A dry foam crystallizing shampoo is fed from a cylinder onto rotating brushes which apply the shampoo to the carpet. Straight after application, the brushes from a suitable vacuum device remove the majority of the soil and shampoo. The carpet is allowed to dry and then the residue is thoroughly vacuumed up.
We’ve put together a handy chart to help you come to your carpet’s rescue.