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Shaw Industries, Inc. products are quality engineered to provide a long, useful life and enhance the indoor environment. Carpet offers many advantages over other flooring systems, such as reduced fatigue, sound absorption, and lower life cycle costs. A comprehensive carpet care program* consists of four elements: |
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The importance of planning Carpet maintenance must be established as a scheduled program, rather than as a random series of reactions to soiling conditions and infrequent cleaning. Virtually every complain of poor appearance, rapid soiling and, many times, poor performance has been shown to be related to lack of planning and control of the maintenance program. The most important consideration when planning a maintenance program is the budget. Like other expensive furnishings or equipment, carpet represents a substantial investment for any facility and requires adequate care to prolong its effective life. If the carpet maintenance budget is set unrealistically low, the carpet will need to be replaced prematurely. Tailor the design of the program to the amount of traffic and type of soiling, which vary by area. Due to the higher traffic levels, entrance lobbies, elevators, and hallways will need more care than offices. Food service areas and entrances will require more effort due to the more difficult soiling conditions. Consult the chart on the following page for suggested maintenance frequencies by traffic levels. What you can expect from your carpet in the real world Although Shaw Fibers’ products are designed for specific applications and are tested to withstand the tremendous beating that carpet receives in those recommended uses, there are some conditions where appearance change must be expected. In the areas where the oily material from asphalt sealers is tracked into the building, carpet and other flooring may become yellowed over time. It is virtually impossible to remove all of this material once it has penetrated the fiber of any carpet. Walk-off mats and periodic cleaning can reduce this phenomenon. When sealing asphalt parking lots, specify a high-quality sealer and ask the vendor for a warranty that this will not occur. Areas where large amounts of sandy soil enter the building may become dull in appearance over time. This is due to abrasion of the fiber surface, reducing the reflection of light. Frequent vacuuming minimizes this. *Please note that
the information in these instructions pertains to most carpets made of
synthetic or man-made fibers in commercial installations. Some procedures
may not be suitable for wool or wool-blend carpets or printed carpets.
For these type carpets, please see the special maintenance brochure from
the Shaw Industries Technical Services Department. Reduction of Soiling One of the most critical aspects of maintenance is the use of walk-off mats at building entrances. Mats are also one of the least understood and most neglected parts of the maintenance program. Walk-off mats greatly reduce the amount of soil carried into a building by foot traffic. Other areas where mats are beneficial are service entrances with direct contact to the outside, from the hard surface area in a kitchen to the carpeted dining area in a restaurant, or entrances from plant facilities into the offices. Various studios have shown that the cost of removing a pound of soil from a building ranges up to $500 or more! Clearly, it is far cheaper to stop the dirt at the door. The choice of mats is important because the cheaper mats do a poor job of trapping soil and have a short life span. Walk-off mats fall into two categories: those designed to remove and trap gritty soil and those intended to absorb water during wet weather. They should be used in combination. Both 3M and Kleenex produce excellent mats of both types. Some have the added feature of accepting logos and insignias as inlays to the mat. Good soil-removal mats have a coarse texture, are able to brush soil from shoes, and can hold large amounts of soil in their pile. The water-absorbent mat is used inside to prevent tracked in moisture from getting to the carpet. A wet carpet acts like a giant shoe cleaner and soils rapidly. When both types of mats are used in combination, they should always be placed so that incoming traffic passes over the soil removal mat first, because the absorbent types have very little soil-holding ability. For mats to continue to trap soil, they should be cleaned on a regular basis, more frequently than the carpet. If accumulated soil is not removed, the mat will become overloaded and cannot prevent soil from entering the building-the mat may even become a source of soil itself. When a building is new or still under construction, soil may be tracked in from unfinished grounds, so the mats need to be cleaned more often. Removal of Dry Soil Vacuuming is the most significant element in the maintenance of carpet and the overall appearance of the facility. Research has shown that 85% of the soil tracked into a building is dry, and the other 15% is oily. Vacuums are designed to remove the dry soil. Walking on soiled carpet permits the soil particles to work their way down into the pile where they are more difficult to remove. Frequent vacuuming removes soil particles from the surface before this happens. Heavily trafficked areas, such as entrances and major corridors, should be vacuumed at least once a day. Areas with less traffic, such as offices, should be vacuumed every other day depending upon conditions. Vacuum Cleaner Recommendations: 1. Vacuums should
have certification in The Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) Vacuum Cleaning
Indoor Air Quality Program. Vacuums specifically designed for commercial
installations offer characteristics which help meet the demands of a good
maintenance program. Pile Lifting Between cleanings, regular us of a pile lifter can remove deeply embedded dry sand and soil, help stand up the pile and renew the appearance of the carpet in high-traffic areas such as traffic funnel zones, elevators, and lobbies. A pile lifter is an upright, two-motor vacuum with a large adjustable, motor driven brush, a high suction vacuum motor, and a sand trap. Using a pile lifter in high-traffic lanes prior to cleaning removes the deeply embedded soil and opens up the pile so the hot water extraction can be more effective. Follow the pile lifting with a thorough vacuuming. Spot and Spill Removal All maintenance procedures mentioned thus far have been planned; spot and stain removal is the reaction to an unplanned incident. Therefore, it is desirable to have the needed materials handy by planning ahead of time. The professional cleaning companies have spot removal kits in convenient carrying cases that contain all the necessary materials. For assistance with specific stain-removal procedures, contact Shaw Fibers at 1.800.509.7429. General Instructions *Scoop up any solids
gently with a spoon or a dull knife. Absorb wet spills as quickly as possible
by blotting with white paper or cloth towels. Removal Procedures A. Water-Soluble Stains-Absorb as much as possible with white towels. Blot the affected area with more towels dampened with cool water until no more color transfers to the towels. If any of the stain remains, use a detergent solution of ½ teaspoon (no more) of CLEAR liquid hand washing detergent (do not use those containing lanolin or hand lotions) to one quart of water in a clean spray bottle. You may also use a general purpose spot cleaner with a pH less than 10. For printed carpets, do not use cleaning agents with a pH higher than 8. Spray lightly onto the spot and blot repeatedly with white towels. Rinse thoroughly by spraying with clean water, and then blot or extract. Do not use too much detergent, because the residue will contribute to re-soiling. A-1. Either: Apply a white vinegar solution (one part white vinegar to one part water) to a white towel and blot or spray onto spot. Continue as in “A” or use a slightly acidic spotter made for coffee, tea and other tannin stains rather than detergent. A-2. Either: Apply a solution of household ammonia (one tablespoon of ammonia to one cup of water) to a white towel and blot or spray onto spot. Continue as in “A”, or use an alkaline spotter made for removing blood and protein stains rather than detergent. Do not use on printed styles. B. Grease – Blot as much as possible with white towels. Apply a solvent designated for grease removal to a towel and blot. Use sparingly and do not pour or spray directly on the carpet pile, as damage to the backing or adhesive underneath may result. Use the towels to transport the solvent to the carpet. Repeat until no more color transfers to the towel. Protective gloves should be worn because the solvent will quickly remove oils from the skin and may result in irritation. Provide adequate ventilation and do not use flammable solvents! Rinse thoroughly by spraying with clean water, and then blot or extract. If needed, continue with procedures in “A”. C. Freeze chewing gum and candle wax with ice or a commercially available product in an aerosol can. Shatter with a blunt object, and vacuum before the chips soften. Follow up with solvent as in “B”. D. Several commercial preparations are available to remove medical stains such as Betadine, but they should be used with caution. A 5% sodium thiosulfate solution (from a photography store) may be used. For stains that are more than a few hours old, this solution should be warmed. Another effective treatment, which can be used on solution-dyed carpet, is Streepene (Sodium Hydrosulfate). For further assistance, consult a professional cleaner. E. Rust can be removed in most cases with a 10% solution of oxalic acid. Stubborn cases require 5% hydrofluoric acid which is difficult to obtain and dangerous to use. Both should be used only by a trained professional. F. SPECIAL PROCEDURES FOR SOLUTION-DYED (PIGMENTED) CARPETS ONLY **WARNING** Only carpets which are 100% solution-dyed are resistant to bleaching. Do not use this procedure unless you are absolutely sure the carpet is solution dyed – carpet dyed by other methods will be damaged. Do not use this procedure on printed carpets. Carpets with blends of solution dyed and conventionally dyed fibers will be damaged by bleach. If in doubt, call 1-800-441-SHAW for specific fiber content of your carpet. For solution dyed carpets with stains such as food dyes, fruit drink stains, and coffee not removed by procedure A-1 , use a solution of one part chlorine bleach to 5 parts water. Do not exceed this concentration-never use full strength bleach. Professional cleaners have products that may be more effective. Wearing rubber gloves and eye-protection, apply the bleach to a white towel and blot it on the stain. Do not pour the bleach directly onto the carpet. Allow 15 minutes for the treatment to work. Another Caution Follow with a thorough rinsing or extract with a wet-vac or extraction machine to remove excess bleach. Bleach remaining in the carpet can degrade the fiber over time. Full strength bleach can degrade the fiber and damage some backings. Do not track to other areas where there might be conventionally dyed carpet. Recommended Procedures by stain type (*Pro---Consult professional cleaner)
Cleaning Even with thorough vacuuming, cleaning is necessary to remove the 15% of soil that is the oily type material, as well as that which the vacuum cannot remove. To maintain an acceptable appearance, the carpet must be cleaned periodically to prevent it from becoming so dirty that it can no longer be cleaned satisfactorily. The frequency of cleaning must be adjusted to the rate at which soil accumulates; therefore, heavily trafficked areas typically require more frequent cleaning, as do the areas with less traffic but more soil. When the color of the carpet begins to look dull, it is time to clean the carpet. The traffic lanes will show this first. If the carpet is cleaned before it becomes excessively soiled, the cleaning will be more successful and a much easier task. This is especially important in places where oily soil is prevalent, such as the areas near streets or asphalt parking lots, and those around cooking or dining facilities. Oils oxidize slowly, forming a sticky material similar to varnish, which becomes nearly impossible to remove as it ages. Another stubborn problem is the salt or deicer from snowmelt, which accumulates in the carpet over winter. Salt pulls moisture from the air and prevents the carpet from drying as quickly as it normally would. Remember that damp carpet acts like a wet sponge to clean shoes and collect soil faster. The resulting black discoloration in the traffic lanes requires pretreatment with a traffic lane cleaner to break down the soiling and the use of hot, not warm water to dissolve and remove the salt and soil. Residue from snowmelt can cause possible damage including discoloration. The cleaning system Many cleaning systems are available; their effectiveness varies widely. When choosing the cleaning system, the important considerations are: It must clean effectively, it must not damage the texture of the carpet, and it must not leave excessive residues of cleaning materials Shaw Industries recommendations are based on significant laboratory work and many years of experience. Shaw recommends only the high-performance hot water extraction system, which research indicates provides the best capability for cleaning. This system is commonly referred to as “steam cleaning” although no steam is actually generated. The process consists of spraying a solution of water and cleaning agent into the pile and using a powerful vacuum, recovering the used solution and soil into the holding tank. This can be done from a truck-mounted unit outside the facility with only the hose and wand brought inside; or, where a truck mounted unit cannot reach, by a portable self-contained system brought into the facility. Self-contained, walk-behind machines are another type of hot-water extraction equipment commonly used. They apply the cleaning solution at a rate that is balanced with the recovery capability of the machine. This type machine is often employed where cleaning is done in-house maintenance staffs. Since these machines cannot equal the performance of high-performance wand type extractors, their use should be supplemented by periodic cleaning with a wand type high-performance machine. Shaw Does Not Recommend! - “Bonnet” Systems
- Water recycling machines
Choosing a professional cleaner One way to locate a nearby professional carpet cleaner who uses a hot-water extraction system is to call the national referral service listed below: Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) at 800-835-4624 6 This organization maintains a national directory of independent professional cleaners who are trained and certified in a variety of cleaning specialties. You must specifically request a professional cleaner using hot-water extraction. Those with the “Master Cleaner” certification are preferred.
Because care of the investment in your carpet is critical to your satisfaction, Shaw Industries offers a comprehensive maintenance program through its Shaw Product Care Program. This unique service is a single-source proactive maintenance and management program for all your flooring products, carpet and hard surface alike. This comprehensive approach provides:
If you choose to maintain your carpet using in-house personnel, here are some guidelines to follow. For a good reference describing carpet cleaning and the hot water extraction method specifically, read the Carpet Cleaning Standard (S001-1991) by the IICRC, available at the number listed above.
Contact Inforum for more information regarding maintenance © 2007 Shaw Industries, Inc. Technical bulletin #140-08/2000 SCF 122C-8/2000-BP Product
Care Group Commercial Floor Maintenance |
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