Lasting asset value Carpet cleaning and care

Textile floor coverings may have had their heyday, but they continue to offer substantial benefits in terms of insulation for energy savings and soundproofing. The key to preserving this asset is consistent cleaning and care.Textile floor coverings have had a hard time of it in Germany for some years now. According to a recent study, demand for textile floor coverings slipped another 7.7 percent in 2013 alone. Elastic and wood floorings, on the other hand, are becoming more and more popular1. And yet carpets and other textile floor coverings continue to present incontestable advantages in buildings. Before exploring the question any further, let’s first get the definition out of the way: Textile floor coverings are, as per DIN ISO 2424, a product with a top layer of fibrous materials generally used to cover a floor. This top layer gives it sound muffling properties. Acoustic insulation and energy savingsTextile floor coverings, i.e. carpets and the like, significantly reduce footfall sound in buildings and help lower the overall noise level. They also absorb other sounds, such the echo in hallways and large rooms. In addition, the top layer of a textile flooring ensures a pleasant, ergonomic walking experience plus a high degree of slip resistance and stepping safety. Carpets provide thermal insulation as well and therefore help save energy. The heat stays where it’s supposed to – in the room. Carpets ensure a comfortable climate and contribute greatly to the general comfort on the premises. Scientific research has shown that the temperature in a room with textile flooring is perceived to be higher than in a room with a stone floor – on average by two degrees. Contrary to public opinion, textile floor coverings are, provided they receive the proper care, a hygienic flooring option. They actually trap fine dust particles more effectively than floors with a smooth hard surface. In fact, the average concentration of fine dust particles is twice as high in rooms with smooth flooring than in carpeted spaces. Higher particle readings are most often caused by other factors, such smoking, the presence of pets, cleaning frequency and cleaning method, to name the main causes. Proper cleaning and care are essential for retaining the value of textile flooring. The first step is to mitigate if not prevent dirt from reaching the carpet in the first place. After all, dirt that stays outside will not have to be removed inside. Cleaning outdoors around entrances with a sweeper vacuum dramatically reduces the amount of dirt that gets carried into a building. Dust collection mats at entrances are similarly effective in keeping carpeting cleaner from the outset. Another preventive measure is to install clean-off zones between the entry points and carpeted areas. These should be at least three to five steps long, so that the street dust can effectively get captured. Vacuum carpet sweepers for daily cleaningRemoving dust from textile floor coverings is an important part of daily maintenance cleaning and many textile flooring manufacturers recommend vacuum carpet sweepers to get the job done. They are indispensable to ensure thorough and value-preserving care of your floors. The sweeper’s rotating brushes loosen dirt from deeper recesses in the flooring very effectively. During the process the pile straightens up again, giving the carpet a well-groomed appearance. Setting the vacuum sweeper to the correct pile height is a key prerequisite for ensuring optimum cleaning performance. As is regular filter replacement because the loosened dirt particles get sucked off the floor by the vacuum unit of the brush-assisted vacuum cleaner and then captured by the filter system (the filter bag). Vacuum sweepers keep ‘traffic patterns’ from forming on the carpet and ensure a neater overall appearance. Using the right equipment can actually double the service life of the textile flooring, which in turn contributes towards preserving real estate value. A well-kept carpet is a building’s business card. Remove stains right awayStain removal is the second very important component of maintenance cleaning. Ideally, stains should be dealt with as soon as they happen. Most of the time, all it takes is plain water and an absorbent cloth. More stubborn stains can be removed with a special carpet cleaning powder, for instance. Here, a hand brush will be adequate for handling smaller stains. Larger stains are best handled with a carpet cleaning machine that has counter-rotating brushes to work the cleaning agent into the flooring. Special active ingredients in the carpet cleaning powder bind the particles that cause the stain, making it easier – after a specified exposure time – to essentially vacuum the stain away. Vacuuming the area thoroughly to make sure no cleaning agent is left on the floor is key, otherwise it will keep binding more dirt and subsequently lead to more rapid soiling. Alina Zöllner | peter.hartmann@holzmann-medien.de 1 http://www.interconnectionconsulting.com/index.php?presse= 80&lang=de

Lasting asset value Carpet cleaning and care

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