Special Care Areas A good maintenance program pays special attention to areas where soil is tracked (such as entrance doorways) and where foot traffic is most concentrated (such as passageways and lift entries). Although this may only be a small percentage of the total carpet area, it can account for the majority of the maintenance required. Regular Maintenance Carpets are very tolerant floor coverings and can be significantly soiled long before it becomes visible to the naked eye. Reducing and preventing the build-up of abrasive dirt that can damage the carpet keeps overall soiling to a minimum. The most effective way to do this is to implement a regular vacuuming schedule. Effective vacuuming reduces more than three-quarters of soiling, therefore making it the most important component of any carpet maintenance program. Interim Maintenance Interim maintenance is usually carried out in high-traffic areas or areas with tracked-in soil. Of course, other specific areas may need this level of care to restore a 'clean' carpet appearance. EC suggests that this be carried out approximately once a month or prior to any occasion that your carpet needs to make a positive statement.
Several techniques are used for interim maintenance, but the most common are absorbent powder cleaning, bonnet buffing, or encapsulation cleaning.
Note: These methods are unlikely to remove dirt that may have accumulated deep into the bottom of the carpet pile. Interim maintenance should, therefore, is not a replacement for periodic deep cleaning. Long Term Maintenance Long-term maintenance cleaning should be undertaken on a fixed annual cycle. Such maintenance involves a deep cleaning process to remove oil, dirt, soils, etc., that can’t be removed by regular or interim maintenance. Wet or spray extraction cleaning is recommended for this process. Wet extraction (sometimes called steam cleaning) removes the vast majority of the spots and stains present. It also removes abrasive soils trapped in the carpet fibres, restores colour, and removes bacteria, dust mites, and other allergens, thus dramatically improving Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) in the building. Under normal circumstances, it is essential for the longevity of your carpets to deep clean every 12 months. Depending on the volume of traffic or in instances where people suffer from allergies such as asthma, EC recommends deep cleaning every 6-8 months.
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