C05 - CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE GUIDE

C05-1 Introduction
C05-2 Scheduled maintenance programs for carpet installations
C05-3 Carpet cleaning
C05-4 Carpet cleaning precautions
Preface:
This guide on cleaning and maintenance of carpet is provided for general information only. Specifiers and/or persons requiring specific maintenance and/or cleaning information about carpet should verify the requirements with the selected carpet / material manufacturer.
More detailed information (Carpet Cleaning Standard S001) can be obtained from the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) at 2715 East Mill Plain Blvd., Vancouver, Washington, 98661, or 360-603-5675, or http://www.iicrc.org.
1 • INTRODUCTION
  1. A lot of care and attention is put into the selection of a new carpet. One must choose the right colour and style, as well as select the type of fibre and construction to meet the performance required. To preserve a carpet's aesthetics, assured continual satisfaction and reduce maintenance costs, a thorough appearance maintenance program is a necessity.
  2. A carpet maintenance program will greatly deter carpet soiling and will help to maintain a carpet's appearance and extend its service life. Any maintenance program must include a regular vacuuming schedule and must specify the type of equipment, materials and methods to be used for scheduled cleaning and for spot removal.
  3. There are many companies that offer "carpet maintenance" programs that are customized to each installation. Not all programs are equal and it is recommended that the carpet supplier or manufacturer be contacted for specific recommendations to suit the carpet selected. The differences of price often reflect the types of service and/or cleaning methods you are getting.
  4. A great difference exists between carpet cleaning and carpet maintenance. Carpet cleaning is the removal of apparent soil that generally occurs when it is visible. Carpet maintenance, on the other hand, is a planned, ongoing process that is required to maintain a carpet's appearance and performance level. A sound maintenance program should be established prior to, and initiated immediately following, a carpet's installation. Before developing a maintenance plan however, it is important to understand the performance characteristics of the carpet, as it relates to trafficking and soiling.
  5. Soil and What it does to Carpet:
    1. Soil is a primary cause of premature wear of carpets. Carpets can absorb large amounts of dry soil and grit without appearing very dirty. The type and particulate size of soil and grit is important. Sticky types of soil and grit tend to be deposited on the surface of a carpet. As, well coarser dirt tends either to lie visibly on the carpet surface or is buried within the pile. The cause of most discolouration associated with a generally dirty carpet however tends to be caused by finer soil that is generally not visible to the naked eye. Traffic movement over soiled carpet causes embedded grit to rub against pile yarns. This constant grinding can cause the pile fibres to break down and lose their sheen and resilience. Oily greasy films, like those caused by body oils, factory, furnace and cooking fumes and road tars, can cause carpets to mat and soil rapidly as dirt is attracted to the carpet.
    2. No matter how resistant a carpet may initially be to soiling, it must be properly maintained in order to maintain its appearance and performance. Each and every carpet installation requires its own specific maintenance plan based on its type, usage, traffic and soiling rates. Only prompt and proper attention can prevent the unnecessary cost of premature carpet replacement.
  6. Carpet Colour, Texture and Fibre Type:
    1. Both commercial or residential carpet installations require some thought as to the type of fibre to be used, as well as the texture and colour. These choices can greatly affect the appearance and performance of a carpet.
    2. The type of expected traffic (light, medium and heavy), as well as the type of soiling that may occur due to the carpet's location must also be considered when choosing a carpet. Where these issues are a concern, the carpet manufacturer should be consulted in regard to the selection of the appropriate type of carpet for the condition.
    3. Note that what is more aesthetically pleasing (e.g., texture, pattern and colour) may not be the best and or most practical choice when choosing a carpet.
    4. Stain resistance of carpet fibre (and warranties offered) is determined by the style of the carpet, the fibre, and inherent stain resistance and/or stain resistant coatings that may be applied. Warranties are based on the carpet's ability to withstand exposure to common foods and beverages. No carpet type however is completely resistant to all stains.
  7. Topical versus Inherent Treatments:
    1. The selection of both commercial and residential carpets require some thought in regard to the type of soil and stain resistance offered.
    2. Before the introduction of inherent treatments the use of topical treatments were the primary method of soil and stain resistance available. These treatments added surface tension to carpet fibres, which caused spills to bead up on the surface of the fibre. This property acted in much the same manner as a Teflon frying pan. Spills were repelled by the treatment and many spills could be removed, if removal was attempted immediately. Dry soil was repelled in much the same manner, allowing the soil to release more easily, thus improving cleaning results. However, topical treatments have the tendency to slowly wash away with routine cleaning and/or wear away with foot traffic. These treatments should be reapplied periodically in accordance with the treatment manufacturers recommendations
    3. Inherent treatments are different from topical treatments, in that they are an integral property of the carpet fibre that are "designed" to prevent or by their nature, "inhibit" permanent staining and never need to be reapplied. Refer to NFCA Reference Manual Part C04C - Carpet Material Guide for further information on carpet fibre properties.
2 • SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE PROGRAMS FOR CARPET FLOORING
There are four basic requirements of a good maintenance program:
  1. Planning:
    1. When developing a commercial carpet maintenance program, traffic and soiling conditions must be evaluated. To begin, one must identify the key traffic areas. These areas can usually grouped into three kinds; track-off areas, funnel areas and normal traffic areas.
      • Track-off areas: are those places where people walk from hard surfaces onto carpeted ones. These track-off areas may average 90 square feet in front of external doorways and 10 square feet in front of internal doorways (these areas radiate from the doorway).
      • Funnel areas: are those areas where foot traffic is narrowed through a concentrated area. Examples can be found at doorways and in front of elevators and vending machines. These areas average 12 square feet at doorways and as much as 20 square feet in front of elevators and vending machines.
      • Normal Traffic areas: are areas not considered funnel or non-trafficked areas but are the areas usually considered as the main walking areas subject to everyday wear and tear.
    2. These key traffic areas often control overall maintenance duties and determine cleaning frequency.
    3. Remember, a maintenance plan should be initiated immediately following carpet installation. Often the installation of carpeting precedes the interior construction of the room, office, or building. Plastic sheeting may not suffice in the prevention of soiling. Small punctures in the plastic allow silt to be ground into the carpet. Therefore, care must be taken during this time to preserve the carpets original appearance.
  2. Preventative Maintenance:
    1. Before the carpet is used an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Preventive maintenance extends the life and performance of carpeting versus the corrective cleaning method. Although carpets, through use, will gradually lose their original appearance level, they will retain a good appearance longer with the correct appearance maintenance program in place. Time and costs will be greatly reduced, when a program is put into place to eliminate as much soil as possible before it is tracked throughout the building. Remember, it is not really traffic that wears out a carpet and causes a decline in the appearance level, but rather the dirt and grit getting into the structure of the carpet.
    2. Doormats, walk-off mats and elevator carpets are the most important preventative measures one can take to remove the soil from foot traffic areas. In high traffic areas, walk-off mats are a big asset in saving unnecessary cleaning labour costs. These mats can stop water, dirt, salt and sand from being tracked onto carpeted areas. The utilization of scraper-type mats at building entrances removes larger particles while carpet-faced mats placed at all other entrances will wipe soil and sand from shoes. These mats should be vacuumed frequently - daily or bi-weekly, dependent upon seasonal conditions and cleaned on a regular basis.
    3. Airborne particulates (dust and dirt) eventually settle out and end up on and in the carpet. Carpets act as a "sink" collecting such material which may also include air borne allergens, mould, and dust mites. These materials may become airborne again due to foot traffic and air circulation. It is therefore important to also consider proper Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) maintenance of the total building space, in addition to carpet cleaning and vacuuming, as part of a carpet's maintenance program. This includes, frequent cleaning and replacement of air filters in the air handling equipment, keeping doors and windows closed to limit airborne particulates and pollution from entering indoor spaces, and the use of litter baskets.
  3. Regular Maintenance:
    1. Carpet is probably subject to more abuse than any other floor finish and furnishing. Different colours, styles and weight of carpet will perform differently, and the way the carpet is maintained can also affect performance.
    2. To retain an acceptable appearance level throughout the life of the carpet requires a continual effort. A proper vacuuming program is one of the most important factors in a maintenance program. Heavy traffic areas must be aggressively vacuumed even if soiling is not apparent. Twice daily vacuuming may be required for severe soiling areas, depending upon weather conditions and traffic flow. Note: Refer to the CRI website for updated information on vacuum types (for the address refer to Part C02A - Reference Guide - Associations).
    3. Thorough vacuuming involves three to five slow passes over an area with vacuuming parallel to carpet seams rather than across them.
    4. Using a top quality vacuum will help to prolong the life of the carpet. Vacuum cleaners with revolving brushes or beater bars and a high filtration internally housed vacuum bag are recommended for the best overall cleaning. Vacuums with top loading dust bags are generally more efficient and the use of paper bag inserts inside the dust collection bag help to minimize the spread of dust into the air. For efficient vacuuming the vacuum bag should be emptied frequently and never allowed to become more than half full. Brushes, belts, and the motor should be checked regularly to maximize operating effectiveness. In addition if high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters are available for the vacuum cleaner these should also be considered from an environmental point of view.
    5. Periodic pile lifting is a useful means of pre-conditioning the carpet before cleaning and removing embedded soil to restore crushed pile. A pile lifter allows greater exposure of pile fibre for cleaning, improves the appearance of the carpet and makes regular vacuuming more efficient.
    6. To maintain carpet appearance effectively, a vacuum cleaning schedule should be established at the time of carpet installation. Light traffic areas may only require weekly cleaning, and twice weekly vacuuming will usually suffice for medium traffic areas. Heavy traffic areas, on the other hand, usually require daily and sometimes more frequent vacuum cleaning. Visual inspection is the best indication for specific requirements. If soiling or traffic patterns change, the schedule should be adjusted.
    7. No matter how thoroughly carpets are vacuumed, unattended spills will attract dirt and oily films will accumulate and dull a carpets original brightness. Overall grime not only causes discolouration, it presents another undesirable quality. Carpet that is not cleaned and reconditioned regularly, no matter how faithfully it is vacuumed, will tend to permanently crush and mat down. As greases settle on the carpet, pile yarns may become gummy enough to stick to each other and flatten in use. Matted carpet appears to be worn out, even if there is no real pile loss.
    8. In addition to vacuuming, carpet repairs are also an important part of a proper maintenance program. Tears, split seams, and cigarette burns should be attended to immediately. These repairs can be made easier by keeping all trimmings from carpet installation.
  4. Spot and Stain Removal​
    1. Many carpets today are treated with a stain resistant topical treatment (typically residential carpets) and/or possess soil repellent or inherent stain resistant properties (typically commercial carpets).
    2. Before any attempt is made to clean a carpet the carpet manufacturer should be consulted in regard to the type of treatment or properties of the carpet and for the applicable stain removal procedures.
    3. In most cases, accidental spills can be looked after with a minimum amount of effort and a few simple techniques. Spot cleaning carpet must be done in accordance with the carpet manufacturer's recommendations or be done by a professional IICRC certified carpet cleaner.
    4. Note: Some spills contain chemicals that may discolour or even damage the carpet fibres or dyes. In addition, some store bought spotting solutions may cause a reaction with some finishes that the manufacturer applies at the mill and may void some warranties.
    5. Caution: Many household chemicals and non-prescription medications (e.g., benzoyl peroxide (in foot powders) and chlorine (bleach), will cause irreversible discolouration of carpets. To protect carpets, special precautions must be taken to prevent any contact with these chemicals.
    6. In all cases the carpet supplier or manufacturer or a professional IICRC certified carpet cleaner should be contacted for proper cleaning methods and procedures. 
    7. Each manufacturer provides a list of acceptable treatments that are specific to each of their carpets; NFCA does not. 
    8. As each carpet fibre type and backing material varies there are no "general" spot and stain removal techniques that can be safely applied without first consulting the manufacturer of the carpet to be treated - doing otherwise may void the manufacturer's warranty conditions.
3 • CARPET CLEANING
  1. Periodic cleaning is required to remove soiling that is not removed by daily physical maintenance. As previously stated, all carpets will eventually build up a layer of oily dirt. Since this film is sticky, it resists vacuum removal. It will first be noticeable on track-off areas then in funnel areas.
  2. When soiling becomes noticeable it should be cleaned and not allowed to be tracked further onto other areas. Regularly cleaning obviously soiled areas will retain a high appearance for the entire carpet. To optimize a carpet's appearance and extend its life, most key traffic areas should be cleaned every one to three months. Not only do maintenance costs become more predictable but also the downtime due to cleaning is significantly reduced.
  3. There are six types of cleaning methods used in either singularly or in combination in maintaining carpet. These are:
  • Absorbent Powder Compound Cleaning Method: This dry extraction method utilizes a compound (usually in powder form) that has been coated with emollients to absorb soiling. It is primarily a maintenance tool rather than a system for periodic deep cleaning. When employing this method, the granules or powdery particles are saturated with water, detergent and a small amount of solvent and brushed into and through the carpet pile by a cylindrical, twin-brush machine. Soil and grit then adheres to the compound particles and are extracted with a beater bar type vacuum. Any remaining compound continues to absorb soil until later vacuuming. This system is best for removing oily contaminants that sit on the pile surface rather than water-soluble soils.
  • Spin Bonnet or Absorbent Pad Cleaning Method: This method is more of a maintenance procedure for surface cleaning than a deep cleaning procedure for heavily soiled carpets. This procedure uses a special fabric bonnet or pad that is placed under a rotary brush machine. A cleaning agent is then sprayed lightly onto the bonnet as well as onto a small section of carpet. As the bonnet spins over the surface of the carpet, the moistened bonnet picks up loosened soil. After having rinsed the bonnet in clean water to remove the dirt, it is replaced and the procedure is repeated until the cleaning operation is complete.
  • Dry Foam Extraction Method: This cleaning method utilizes a specialized machine that converts a detergent solution into foam, which is then worked into the carpet using a rotating cylindrical brush. After the foam has dried a vacuum removes the residues. Some dry foam machines include a vacuum to remove the wet shampoo, dirt and soil immediately.
  • Rotary Brush or Wet Shampoo Method: This cleaning method involves working a detergent solution into the pile with a rotary brush machine. The machine is moved across the carpet in a circular motion. By using a wet vacuum immediately, drying time is reduced and suspended dirt removed before it can be re-deposited into the carpet pile.
  • Hot Water or Steam Extraction Method: This cleaning method utilizes a steam wand to inject a hot water / detergent solution deep into the carpet pile under pressure and a vacuum system, operating simultaneously, to immediately extract the solution and suspended soil. Heavily soiled sections and key traffic areas should be treated with a variety of stain removers prior to steam cleaning.
  • Note: Where any wet cleaning process is used over wetting must be avoided and any moisture must be properly extracted and the carpet must be properly dried otherwise shrinkage, mildew, and/or staining may occur
  • Dry Crystal Method: This cleaning method utilizes low-moisture chemistry designed to clean carpet fibres by encapsulating soil. Oily soil is "surrounded" and neutralized with a detergent that inhibits the attraction of dry soil that then becomes easy to remove by vacuuming.
4 • CARPET CLEANING PRECAUTIONS – CAVEAT EMPTOR OR BUYER BEWARE
  1. It is very important to follow a carpet manufacturer's written requirements in regard to carpet cleaning and the removal of stains for the specific type of carpet installed. General guidelines for carpet cleaning that are available in brochures, magazines, handouts, or on the web should be used with a great deal of caution or not at all as they may do irreparable harm to the carpet and may void any warranties.
  2. In addition, the use of "spot-cleaning" materials and methods available from cleaning product manufacturers and other sources should also be used with a great deal of caution or not at all for the same reasons outlined above.
  3. Whether the Owner or a carpet cleaning company cleans the carpet, the cleaning methods outlined herein and the products used are critical in the cleaning and maintaining a carpet. To alleviate problems resulting from the use of improper cleaning methods and materials, it is the Consumer's / Owner's responsibility to be properly informed. Both the carpet manufacturer and the carpet dealer also have an obligation to inform the consumer / owner of the pertinent facts in regard to the cleaning methods and materials to be used for the specific carpet installed.​
The governing rule in carpet cleaning should always be to follow the carpet manufacturer's specific recommendations in regard to cleaning and maintenance for          the type of carpet installed. 
​When in doubt call the carpet manufacturer or an IICRC certified carpet cleaner.
END OF PART C05