Carpeting is a wise choice is many areas of your facility. It has a high end look and feel, useful sound dampening qualities, reduces slips and falls and even insulates. Of course, carpet can also be more challenging to maintain and expensive to replace. For these reasons, understanding what is and what is not true about carpet maintenance and cleaning is critical to securing optimal maintenance in your facility while you keep an eye on your bottom line. Don’t let these commercial carpet cleaning myths jeopardize the cleanliness or health in your facility.
Myth #1
In order to save money, you should wait to clean carpets until they look very dirty.
The Real Deal
While waiting to clean carpets until they look really dirty might seem like a money saver, it isn’t. Dirt, grit and other soils are abrasive and very hard on carpeting. While some of this material is released through regular vacuuming, some of it gets trapped in carpet fibers. These rough, abrasive particles then cut at carpet fibers every time someone walks on them. This unnecessarily and prematurely wears your carpets, meaning you may need to do costly replacements well before you should have to. Delaying maintenance rather than save you money will cost you down the road. In fact, many carpet warranties require that you do documented, regular cleanings to assure coverage. Regular carpet maintenance, whether your carpets look soiled or not, is critical to maintaining and getting the most wear from this pricey asset.
Myth #2
Carpet that doesn’t look dirty is clean.
The Real Deal
Just because carpets don’t look dirty doesn’t mean they are clean. What could be hiding in your carpets and why does it matter? Over time, carpets collect a variety of material and pollutants including dirt, dust, pollen, fungus, bacteria, dead skin and worse. This material is brought in through the air and foot traffic and if allowed to settle and stay put in your carpets can be detrimental to indoor air quality. Poor indoor air quality is hard on any building occupant but especially so for those who already suffer from allergies, asthma and other breathing issues. In order to maintain indoor air quality and create a healthy work environment, your office carpeting should be cleaned regularly.
Myth #3
It doesn’t matter which commercial carpet cleaning method is used to clean your carpets.
The Real Deal
The reality is that some carpet cleaning methods are more effective and easier on your carpet than others. Likewise, some carpet cleaning companies don’t do a great job of maintaining their equipment, which can also be tough on your carpets. If your commercial carpet cleaning company is using dated, ineffective or poorly maintained carpet cleaning methods in your facility, you are not getting the clean you deserve. For instance, Bonnet carpet cleaning is not recommended by carpet manufactures or the most experienced commercial carpet cleaners. Why? Because this system, originally designed for hard flooring, isn’t really effective at cleaning carpets and it can cause unnecessary wear and damage. A cleaning pad soaked with carpet cleaning solutions is rotated over carpets at high speed removing some surface dirt but wearing carpet fibers and leaving behind dirt attracting residues in the process. Why use dated, ineffective methods when you can get effective carpet cleaning at a similar cost? Take for instance truck mounted hot water extraction cleaning and portable hot water extraction cleaning. These methods set the standard for safe, green, deep cleaning. With high water temperatures and powerful suction, this carpet cleaning method results in reduced chemical usage and faster drying times. That means not only is it environmentally friendly, it is effective and allows areas of your building to be put back into use sooner. Finally, low moisture carpet cleaning methods like the Whittaker encapsulation method offer great interim carpet cleaning. This method is ideal for 24 hour building and may even earn building certification points for LEEDS.
Myth #4
When choosing carpet cleaning, the lowest price is the best price.
The Real Deal
While a higher price doesn’t guarantee more effective commercial carpet cleaning, there is a correlation between super low price points and disappointed Facility Managers. The reality is that value is more important than price. Price is what you pay, value is what you get. If you don’t get the carpet maintenance you need, it isn’t a good value at ANY price right? Don’t be tempted by unrealistic pricing from janitorial companies desperate for your business. Do your research and chose a commercial carpet cleaning company in Detroit that both understands effective carpet cleaning and will deliver value for your facility. Prospective cleaning companies should be equipped with effective, state of the art carpet cleaning equipment. Your commercial cleaning company should train their technicians to deliver the highest levels of service. Start there and THEN compare pricing to protect both your carpets and your bottom line.
Myth#5
Commercial carpet cleaning companies are all the same.
The Real Deal
The most effective carpet cleaning companies need effective equipment that is well maintained and their teams need to be trained to use it properly. Ideally, they should come armed with industry certifications that assure best practices like the ISSA’s CIMS. CIMS, Cleaning Industry Management Standard is an industry certification that designates building service professionals as industry leaders and ultra professional in their systems and processes, which directly correlate with happy customers. Selecting from carpet cleaning services that are CIMS certified is an easy way to develop your short list of contractors able and ready to deliver results in your facility.
Keep yourself informed, know the real deal and don’t let these myths keep you from maintaining your carpets in a way that assures a healthy building, a healthy bottom line and years of service from this expensive asset. Here at Stathakis, we offer South Eastern Michigan businesses commercial carpet cleaning solutions and carpet maintenance programs designed just for them. No one size fits all solutions, no cookie cutter approach. We offer a multitude of advanced carpet cleaning technologies to deliver better results for our customers. Cleaning methods include truck mounted carpet cleaning, portable machine carpet cleaning, low moisture carpet cleaning, dry carpet cleaning-- are all geared at getting you a deep clean, improving your carpet’s appearance, extending its life span and improving indoor air quality. Are you interested in learning more? Need information regarding on-demand carpet cleaning or even a subscription based carpet cleaning program? Contact Matt Brown, Stathakis Special Projects Manager at #800-278-1884 to get started.
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