cals are compatible with every type or car-pet, so pile construction must be known and manufacturerʼs recommendations need to be followed. Easy Add-ons After you have decided to offer more in-depth carpet care than the vacuuming you currently provide, the decision must be made as to what exactly you will make available to your customers. An inexpensive add-on — one that will likely lead to further business — is carpet allergen testing. This service consists of a “dust sock test” that is nothing more than placing a dust sock on the vacuum discharge outlet in place of a bag. The dust sock collects dust mites, soil, pollen, skin cells and other contaminants that are sent to a laboratory for analysis and returned with a detailed report. “This lends a scientific air to the simplest of projects and enables a contractor to stand out from the crowd,” affirms Stephan Joseph, product manager for Building Health Check. “It also creates tremendous customer confidence as itʼs possible to do a before and after testing to show the effica-cy of whatever cleaning was done on a microscopic level.” The training for interpreting the report is provided by the lab and according to Joseph, the entire process costs less than $100. According to Crawford, odor control is another very affordable and viable proce-dure that janitorial service providers can offer. Little training is required and few to no equipment purchases are necessary. “Some procedures may be more involved and costly,” proclaims Crawford. “But carry-ing a line of products that control odor [and] can be used on fabrics and/or carpet and hard surfaces is a simple, yet effective way to add value to your service.” This type of service is more involved, so under no circumstances should you attempt to tackle a carpet restoration proj-ect without extensive knowledge that comes with proper training. If carpet restoration is something you are interested in, and you are willing to make the investment for equipment, it can be very lucrative. “You must be aware of the current condi-tion of the carpet and what the customerʼs expectations are versus what realistic results may be,” notes Crawford. He adds that some carpets should not be over-wetted because the backing can shrink and some dyes will bleed through when the chemical solution is applied. Therefore, choosing the right cleaning method and the right products for each job is important. Carpet spotting should only be per-formed after extensive cleaning — like that of restorative cleaning — has been per-formed. The success of carpet spotting greatly depends on the condition of the carpet and its level of cleanliness. Carpet spotting is a procedure that can be performed daily to reduce unsightly spots in carpet between restorative clean-ings. equipment and custodial hardware,” notes Sawchuk. “Having a green carpet care pro-gram is important and another step in the journey of going green.” What Do You Have To Lose? It makes good business sense to be diversi-fied and be able to service any type of floor. According to the Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI), carpet makes up 70 percent of the floor coverings in the U.S., so if you have not already incorporated carpet care into your service offerings, you are leaving 70 percent of the facilityʼs flooring up for grabs. The more quality services you offer, the more value you provide, and the more diffi-cult it will be to replace you. CM Think Of Carpet As A Giant Air Filter Carpet — in essence — acts as a filter inside of a building, trapping dirt and other contaminants that would otherwise be airborne. Unlike the air filter in your car, for instance, carpeting is expensive to regularly dispose of and replace, and ongoing disposal is not sustainable or often feasible. Moreover, vacuuming alone is the equivalent of taking that same air filter, shaking out the large particles and then replacing it. Sure it still works, but not as well as it did when it was clean. While most of the large, visible soils have been removed, microscopic con-taminants such as dust mites, skin cells and bacteria still exist. In order to keep carpet clean and pleasing to the eye, interim carpet care such as bonnet cleaning, low-moisture extraction and other deep cleaning and restorative methods must be regularly performed. Not only will this help carpet last longer, but it will also contribute to a healthier indoor environment. After all, isn’t keeping facilities clean, safe and healthy what your job is all about? Green Carpet Cleaning Environmentally conscious cleaning con-tractors are differentiating themselves from their competitors by using green carpet cleaning products that emit minimal or no volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and help reduce indoor air pollution. Some of the newer carpet cleaning prod-ucts are made with plant-based ingredi-ents, such as sage, bergamot and other cit-rus sources. “Because the formulations of plant-based products are low foaming,” asserts Luke Bobek, director of industrial and institution-al sales for Earth Friendly Products, “they eliminate the need for defoaming agents, thus decreasing overall cleaning costs.” According to Bobek, these environmen-tally friendly products are also less taxing on equipment and the carpet itself, elimi-nating corrosion issues with machinery and reducing premature carpet wear. “Green cleaning is the integration of var-ious components — products, procedures, Interim Carpet Cleaning Another possible add-on is restorative car-pet cleaning. Low-moisture, hot-water extraction and deep cleaning with a bonnet or scrub pad machine is generally an annual procedure, but depending on the amount of traffic and the level of soil a carpet receives, it can be done more frequently. www.cmmonline.com 31
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