5 Commercial Carpet Cleaning Techniques Your Employees Need to Know

You've heard the age-old saying that "the devil is in the details". There couldn't be more truth in this saying for companies. Believe it or not, the condition of the carpet in your store is directly related to the success of your business. Dingy, dirty, grungy looking carpet can have a negative impact on your customer base as well as the productivity and health of your employees. Ready to get your carpet in tip-top shape, but not sure where to start? This is your guide to the importance of clean carpets and 5 carpet cleaning techniques that your employees need to know! 

Dirty Carpet Is Detrimental to Your Business

Let's face it, appearances matter! It doesn't matter how good your products are, if potential consumers walk through the door and see a dirty carpet, they may leave before even reaching the point of purchase. Dirty carpet tends to give off an odor as well, which will be unpleasant to your visitors and deter them from conducting business. 

A business that appears unkempt gives off the impression of an owner who doesn't care. This, in turn, will hurt your reputation throughout the community and potentially cause a decrease in sales. Indeed, no one wants to do business with a store that is perceived to be run by someone who isn't dedicated. It makes consumers feel as if the owner can't possibly be dedicated to their needs either. 

Dirty carpet tends to hold dust, allergens, and bacteria, all of which can make employees sick. This leads to a higher number of sick days and decreased productivity. Not to mention, this signals to employees that the owner doesn't care about the business, so why should they. 

The fact of the matter is that dirty carpets can hurt your bottom line. The good news is that there are a variety of commercial carpet cleaning techniques to help you make sure your company's carpet always looks its best. 

Steam Carpet Cleaning

This technique is also known as the hot water extraction method. Steam carpet cleaning consists of an initial application of a carpet cleaning solution onto the area to be cleaned. Next, the fibers of the carpet will be agitated by a power carpet brush, left to sit for a short period of time, and then rinsed with hot water. After the carpet is rinsed, you should allow adequate time for the area to dry. The purpose of agitating the fibers is to help dirt and debris dissolve in the solution so that it can be easily removed. 

Since this method requires a decent amount of time to dry, it is advisable for employees to perform this task before closing. By doing so, you are allowing the area all night to dry before staff and customers come back. 

Shampooing Carpet

Shampooing carpet is exactly as it sounds and can be compared to shampooing your hair. This technique involves using a power brush with a circular motion to scrub foam cleaning products into the carpet. Further, this method is best for carpet with very short fibers. The reason being that shampooing does not traditionally call for the removal of the product, which can lead to unwanted residue and long dry times. However, it is important to note that you can combine this method with other carpet cleaning methods, such as steam cleaning that do require extraction. 

Bonnet Cleaning

Bonnet cleaning uses a heavy-duty carpet cleaning machine with a spinning pad to thoroughly clean the surface of the carpet. It is important to note that it does not deep-clean beneath the surface. Thus, if you use the bonnet carpet cleaning technique, you will need to clean the carpets more often.

This technique is especially beneficial for companies that have high traffic areas that they need to be cleaned in a pinch with minimal dry time. Hotels are a great example because they essentially are always open. This means they do not have the time for a deep clean that requires hours of dry time.

Dry Carpet Cleaning

This technique is also known as the dry powder method. A carpet cleaner in the form of a dry powder is applied to the area to be cleaned. Next, a powered rotating brush is used to work the powder into the fibers which then attaches to the dirt and dust. Lastly, a powerful, commercial vacuum is needed to remove the cleaning agent with the debris attached to it. This technique is extremely fast drying. However, like the bonnet method, it only cleans the top 1/3 of the fibers. Although effective, cleaning will need to take place more often if this method is used.  

Encapsulation Carpet Cleaning

This relatively new carpet cleaning technique has taken the world by storm. It can be thought of as a hybrid between the shampooing method and the dry carpet cleaning method. Here's how it works. Synthetic foam is applied to the area and scrubbed into the carpet with a rotating encapsulation pad. The foam actually turns into a powder, which "encapsulates" dirt and debris in the carpet. Once the foam is in its powder form, it can be extracted with a powerful, commercial vacuum cleaner. This method offers fast drying times and minimal residue. It may not work as well on very heavily soiled carpets. 

Clean Carpet Begins With the Right Tools

The carpet cleaning technique you choose will depend on your company's needs. You may choose to incorporate more than one method. No matter which technique(s) you decide on, you must have the right tools. Truck Mount Forums is your ultimate one-stop-shop for all of your carpet cleaning supplies. Whether you need a commercial vacuum, rotary cleaning machines, or carpet cleaning solutions and agents, we've got you covered. Contact us today for more information on how we can help you make sure your carpets are in top-notch shape!