CM Oct'09 64+4pp 19/10/09 15:02 Page 44
Carpet & Upholstery Care
Prevent commercial complaints
The topic for CM’s bi-monthly column by Keith Robertson, training director of the
National Carpet Cleaners Association (NCCA), centres on the pitfalls of commercial
carpet cleaning
ne of the worst things that can happen to a carpet cleaner is The importance of dry extraction
O
to carefully clean a commercial carpet and yet fail to get top The sharp soil particles left in the pile will cut and abrade the carpet
results. Worse still, is to be called back the following day by a fibres and in the process, the overall appearance of the carpet will
disgruntled customer. Understandably, no matter what business we appreciably dull. So, the first thing to remember about vacuuming is
are involved in, none of us are happy to receive complaints but that it must never be ignored. It doesn’t matter how powerful your
particularly so if we believe that we have done everything possible to cleaning equipment is, dry extraction (i.e. vacuuming) is vital on every
ensure a good end result. single job.
In this case the carpet cleaner may well have carried out the job
correctly in accordance with PAS86:2008, the Publicly Available Other working methods
Specification (PAS) that professional cleaners follow. The PAS86 was Other steps which might have been added to improve the situation
developed by the National Carpet Cleaners Association (NCCA) in include using a single disc rotary machine or a cylindrical brushing
collaboration with The British Standards Institute (BSI). machine to ensure the pre-conditioning agent is worked thoroughly
In many situations the carpet will have been carefully vacuumed into the carpet. Combining methods such as a rotary machine with
with a twin motor upright vacuum. A reputable cleaning agent will hot water extraction can also be very successful.
have been applied to the floor and a hot water extractor will have Low moisture cleaning has gained popularity and one particular
been used to remove the soil. process stands out for giving a finish hard to emulate. The system
Faced with a call-back, most carpet cleaners will immediately uses a bonnet to massage the surface of the carpet but unlike its
volunteer to re-clean the carpet at their own expense competitors, the drive plate is heated and the
hoping that the second clean will make a difference. combination between the heated pad and the
In some cases the cleaning technician may well have unique cleaning product really produces an
quickly noted that there was a problem and re- excellent finish particularly on a low piled carpet tile.
cleaned before they left the job. If the additional work
helped, the client will arrive the following day without any Selecting the right cleaning products
knowledge of there ever having been a problem. After you have sorted out your working methods it is important to
look carefully at the products you use. Economising on cleaning
Prevention rather than cure solutions is usually a recipe for unhappiness. Shop around asking
Regardless, the question is whether anything could have been done questions and reading as much as possible before trying a new
to prevent this happening in the first place. It would be wrong to product on a job or two. Talking to others in the trade can also be
assume that there is an easy answer, however, it it is worth examining useful but remember not all carpet cleaners are as discriminating as
the situation in greater detail. you are.
Most commercial carpet, whether in sheet or tile, is typically either Find products that are designed to break the bond between the
low-level loop with tight construction or has a short cut pile. fibre and the soil particle. Test until you find those that work on ever
Commonly it is largely polypropylene or another man-made fibre smaller soil particles. Decide where different products can be used
and receives very heavy usage. Looped piled carpet, because of its safely. For example, a product with an oxygen booster may have great
construction, usually holds more soil which has worked its way under ability to attack the smallest of soil particles and reduce the ‘greyness’
the loops and becomes trapped. often associated with commercial carpets but if it has a high pH,
Daily vacuuming in most offices is carried out using tub vacuums consider whether it is safe to use in the first place and if you do go
by operators who are under considerable time pressure to cover a ahead, also decide whether a rinsing agent is required to neutralise
large amount of work in a short period. The vacuuming will mainly the carpet. Never forget that if you leave the carpet alkaline it will re-
remove the larger soil leaving the smaller particles to accumulate. In soil fast.
other words most commercial carpet is never vacuumed thoroughly
or correctly. Tailored cleaning solutions for success
Successful carpet cleaners recognise that each job is different. What
works in one office on one particular carpet may not be as effective
on another, so they are likely to have several tools or methods ready
to use as the need arises. Good quality products, whether pre-
conditioning, cleaning or rinsing agents will always out perform
cheaper ones.
Always remember the end result is worth it, even if there may be
an odd occasion when a bad carpet requires a second clean.
42585 or
cleaning-matters.co.uk/enquiry
Tel: 0116 271 9550
44
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