CMM – Archives • June 2012 • 14

CM/Spotlight: Carpet Care At a certain point, a deep flush of the motor is recommended; this is the equiva-lent of a hot water extraction. While the timing of the practices may not be exact with one another, I drive the point home for one reason: If you take care of your belongings through proper preventa-tive maintenance, you will increase their longevity and, ultimately, save money. With carpet, daily vacuuming of high-traffic areas and the entrance mat-ting is recommended — possibly more depending on your location and cleanliness standards. In less traveled areas, a skip cleaning approach of vacuuming twice or three times a week will suffice and is often an option cash-strapped operations choose. If you remove dry particulate soils from carpets frequently and thoroughly, less intensive cleaning will be necessary. Something to note: Vacuums are the workhorses of many end users, especially those in the hospitality industry. Because of this, a machine that is com-fortable to use for extended periods is crucial. “A consideration is to simply notice how you feel after vacuuming,” says Jolynn Kennedy, marketing manager for Tornado Industries Inc. “If your hand, arm or shoulder hurts, that could be a sign that a more ergo-nomically designed machine is needed.” supplementing the encapsulation cleaning process with hot water extraction at specific frequencies.” The well-established hot water extraction process should be performed, at the very least, yearly to completely return carpet fibers to their unsoiled state. According to Mark Baxter, an engineer with U.S. Products, it is fairly well docu-mented that carpets, because they act like a filter and absorb dust and other impurities, actually help protect IAQ. “But, we also know they do this most effectively if they are properly maintained and kept clean, which usually requires the use of hot water carpet extractors,” says Baxter. Some in-house operations do not have the capital to invest in a portable extractor — something that might not be used often enough to justify the expense — or the more powerful truckmount version utilized by pro-fessional carpet cleaners. Because of this, deep cleanings with a When You Need More Power Even the best daily and weekly carpet care regimens will not remove all soils, especially those that are greasy or ground-in. Eventually, you will have to enlist an inter-im process such as encapsulation to help remove soils. “Encapsulation is a dry cleaning process that is easily done and often a less expen-sive solution compared to alternatives,” notes Stephen Lewis, technical director for MilliCare. “Encapsulation has been labeled by the industry as a good interim solution. Most carpet manufacturers recommend LIGHT TRAFFIC – WATER ONLY, LOW PRESSURE & FLOW SPILLS & HEAVY TRAFFIC – ULTRA-LOW DETERGENT, MEDIUM PRESSURE & FLOW By putting full control of detergent, down pressure, and water ﬂ ow at your ﬁ ngertips, the EcoFlex ™ system lets you apply the exact ﬂ oor cleaning muscle you need, on the ﬂ y. Available only on Advance scrubbers, this ﬂ exible cleaning system signiﬁ cantly reduces costs Product Information no. 202 on page 24