Why Properly Vacuuming Your Office Carpet is Key
Office carpet is a significant investment. It’s also an expensive asset to replace. That’s why it’s necessary to take care of your carpet the right way, which will keep it looking fresh and clean as well as extend the life of your investment. While regular wet carpet cleaning methods are essential, proper vacuuming is probably the most crucial thing to consider to protect the lifespan of your carpet and keep it looking great between cleanings. Carpeting demands frequent vacuuming because the fibers trap dust, dirt, and allergens and also absorb grime and spills, giving way to bacteria. The longer you neglect to vacuum soiled carpeting and continue to walk on it, the more enmeshed the dirt and debris become.
In addition, carpet fibers need to be vacuumed regularly to prevent the pile from compacting. This alone can cut years off of the life of your carpeting and require you to replace it prematurely, which costs money. Dust, dirt, dead skin, food crumbs, dust mites, pollen, dander, and other particulates can accumulate and settle into your office carpeting and create an unhealthy environment. Over time, it can damage your carpet and affect the air quality of the space. Implementing a consistent vacuuming regimen is an essential first step in achieving a cleaner office and better indoor air quality. Sometimes the minor details can make the biggest differences.
Three Steps to improve vacuuming effectiveness
Take your vacuuming to the next level and keep your carpets looking great by focusing on these three things: vacuuming method, frequency, and equipment:
1). Vacuuming method
How you vacuum matters. Many people don’t know the proper way to vacuum even though they do it regularly. Quick pushes in one direction will not be enough to capture all of the dirt embedded down into the carpet. Instead, take several long, slow passes back and forth with your vacuum. Then, change it and go from side to side to get the carpet fibers moving in a new direction. This approach will help grab dirt from soiled, high-traffic areas. Also, remember to empty the bag or canister regularly, which will improve performance. Before vacuuming, remove small objects from the floor so they don’t get stuck in your vacuum and damage its internal parts.
2). Frequency
How often should you vacuum depends on the area and how much traffic it gets. High-traffic areas in your facility , such as entryways and ground floor hallways, will naturally become the most filthy and should receive daily vacuuming. Administrative offices or other less-to-moderate use spaces need to vacuuming 3 to 4 times per week. Lighter-use areas such as conference rooms, boardrooms, or executive offices require weekly vacuuming.
Weekly vacuuming is sufficient for hard floors and tile floors because they don’t hold on to dust, dirt, and bacteria the way carpets do. Dust and allergens, however, can still collect on the surface and get caught between wooden floorboards and tiles, so regular vacuuming is a must. In addition, don’t forget to vacuum those hard-to-reach spaces such as high corners and air ducts at least a couple of times a year so that dust particles don’t fall on your carpeting.
3). The right equipment
Make sure the vacuum used for your office carpeting is up for the job. Selecting the right equipment for your space is critical for proper vacuuming. Most offices require different vacuum types for other areas. Backpack vacuums don’t have beater bars and special brushes to get deep soil and lift compacted fibers back into place. They are also too small to cover larger areas. Backpack vacuums are great for cleaning high areas, detailing, and removing soils from hard surfaces.
Upright vacuums often come with a 12 or 18-inch head. Like a backpack vacuum, uprights are great for tight areas, small office spaces, and smaller jobs. In contrast, stand-on and large-area vacuums are best for wide corridors, banquet rooms, aisleways, and other large areas that get vacuumed daily. No matter which size vacuum you choose, carpet manufacturers recommend using a vacuum with HEPA filters and a duel motor for maximum effectiveness.
Vacuuming & indoor air quality
Clean air in offices, schools and health care facilities is crucial and often starts at the surface. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Americans spend about 90 percent of their time indoors, where they can get exposed to tiny pollutants. These pollutants – including asthma and allergy triggers – often rise from floors and carpets into the air and are easily inhaled. A 2018 study published in the American Association for the Advancement of Science has shown that indoor air can be up to seven times more polluted than the air outside.
Along with aggravating asthma and allergy symptoms, the EPA says, poor indoor air quality has been shown to cause other physical problems such as fatigue, shortness of breath, and headaches. Allergy Standards Limited (ASL) recommends that facility managers implement some interventions, including a focus on vacuuming, to help contain and reduce exposure to asthma and allergy triggers. Vacuuming and floor cleaning best practices can help achieve exceptional air quality in commercial facilities, improving the quality of life, attendance, and performance of building occupants.
Vacuums should have HEPA filters to filter air and collect debris during vacuuming to maintain the best possible indoor air quality. HEPA filters can collect dust, allergens, and all sorts of potential respiratory irritants. Without filters, the vacuum can only manage a small portion of larger debris and recirculates dust throughout the space. Proper maintenance is imperative in keeping your machine working efficiently. Clean or replace filters often according to the manufacturer’s instructions, especially HEPA filters.
The use of entrance mats
The use of entrance mats is the first line of defense in keeping dirt and debris from entering your facility. Proper use of entrance mats can reduce the amount of dirt that is brought into the building that would otherwise get trapped in interior carpeting. Within the first 6 feet, 42% of the floor’s finish or carpet nap will be removed after only 1500 people have entered. Entrance matting absorbs much of the initial abuse to extend the life of carpeting to protect the investment. Also, the more dirt removed at the entrance, the less can become airborne inside the building, thereby improving air quality.
Vacuuming & wet carpet cleaning
Regular vacuuming is excellent at picking up surface dirt on carpets and upholstery along with the loose, dry debris that floats in between carpet fibers. However, vacuuming alone is not enough to remove all the ground-in dirt, stains, and allergens that cling to oily upholstery and carpet fibers over time. For this reason, vacuuming is only the first step in the cleaning process.
A wet cleaning method with abrasion and extraction is also needed to remove the remaining oils and soil. Cleaning helps preserve your carpet investment by loosening and removing embedded dirt and debris that can scratch and pit carpet fibers over time. Regular vacuuming and wet cleaning will maintain and protect your carpeting for years to come.
The takeaway
Keeping your office carpets looking their best requires a combination of strategies. The most important of these is a cleaning and maintenance schedule to ensure that your carpets get adequately cleaned regularly. At Cleanstart, our cleaning PROs are standing by and ready to keep your office carpets looking clean and fresh.
We can put together a carpet cleaning and maintenance program tailored to the specific needs of your facility, along with our other quality office cleaning services. You can be assured that we have the knowledge, tools, equipment, and trained workforce to get the job done right!
Office Carpet and Cleaning Services
Call Cleanstart today for more information about our quality office cleaning services at 253-921-2593.
For over 25 years, Cleanstart has been delivering high-quality, customized cleaning solutions for offices and other commercial facilities in greater Puget Sound. Our consistently high standards and attention to detail are what our customers appreciate most about our services. Flexible scheduling – daily, weekly, monthly, and after-hours cleanings are available. We guarantee the quality of our services and your complete satisfaction with every clean.
✓ Over 25 years of experience in the commercial cleaning and janitorial industry
✓ Thoroughly trained and vetted cleaning professionals
✓ Commitment to the highest quality clean
✓ Local, licensed, bonded, and insured
✓ 24/7 cleaning options & support
✓ Customized cleaning solutions
✓ Quick response times
✓ One-time and recurring auto dealership cleaning services
✓ Satisfaction guarantee
✓ OSHA, HIPAA, EPA, CDC, AORN compliant
✓ A+ BBB-rating
If you would like to know more about our quality carpet and office cleaning services or schedule a cleaning visit, please give Cleanstart a call today at (253) 921-2593 or request a free online cleaning quote now!
We service the following greater Puget Sound locations:
Auburn, Bellevue, Bellingham, Bonney Lake, Bremerton, Factoria, Fife, Gig Harbor, Kent, Lakewood, Olympia, Puyallup, Renton, Seattle, Tacoma, Tukwila, University Place, King County, Kitsap County, Pierce County, and Thurston County.
5013 Pacific Hwy E unit 16 Fife, WA 98424 • Phone: 253.921.2593 • Email: Caleb @ thecleanstart.com
