would like to do the best possible job every time; however, the realities of this business require a balance between efficiency and effectiveness. On one hand, the building owner wants a clean, attractive and healthy environment for the workers and visitors in the building. On the other hand, the cost of providing this environment must not exceed the finan-cial benefits of maintaining furnishings and surfaces. This reality requires two types of cleaning methods — maintenance and restorative. and methods that are designed for the type of carpet and soil that you are cleaning. Like doctors and paramedics, carpet cleaners should take special training. The Commercial Carpet Maintenance Technician (CCMT) courses approved by the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) are designed specifically to teach you how to properly maintain carpet in commercial facilities. What you learn can help you to live up to the health care credo, “first, do no harm.” CM Bruce DeLoatch is an instructor approved by the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC). He is an IICRC-certified Master Textile Cleaner and Master Restoration Technician. Bruce is co-founder of The Cleaner’s Coach, a marketing and consulting firm, as well as marketing director for Truckmounts and Cleaning Solutions in Norcross, Georgia. His e-mail address is [email protected]. The Dichotomy Of Cleaning Maintenance methods are quick and rela-tively easy; they improve carpet appear-ance and dry fast. Their goal is to increase the time between expensive and time-consuming restorative cleanings. The most popular maintenance methods require the application of a cleaning agent, mechanical agitation and absorption while damp and/or post-vacuuming when dry. Some of the cleaning agents used in these maintenance methods leave behind a beneficial polymer residue that encapsu-lates soils and dries brittle. Once dried, the residue is vacuumed away along with the encapsulated soils. Done regularly, and before the carpet reaches a heavily soiled condition, mainte-nance cleaning provides improvements to IAQ. Eventually, though, there comes a time when maintenance methods are not enough. Restorative methods involve some form of rinsing the carpet to remove soils and residual cleaning agents that are usually left behind from spot cleaning and mainte-nance methods. Restorative in this context simply means that the carpet is restored to its cleanest state by thoroughly flushing and rinsing the fibers with the hot water extraction method. This can be done with a truckmount carpet cleaning machine or a portable extractor. By getting the carpet clean and dry, you create a health benefit for everyone in the building. This alone will dramatically improve the quality of your cleaning without negatively impacting IAQ. Use quality cleaning agents, equipment Heated Mats Melt Snow for 866.766.9628 [email protected] www.heattrak.com www.cmmonline.com 35
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