Cleaning Office Carpets
As with sparkling polished floors, maintaining clean carpets ensures a great first impression for those visiting, or working in, your business premises. Given the high volume of traffic office carpets are generally subject to, carpets may be more susceptible to discolouration, noticeable stains, and a build-up of daily dirt and debris which becomes trapped in carpet fibres, making them appear dull and grimy.
The cleaning method and the best carpet cleaning products for the task is determined by the type of cleaning you wish to undertake, from maintaining general cleanliness to targeting stubborn stains.
How Often Should You Clean Your Carpet?
Regularly cleaning your office carpet keeps it looking better for longer, can save money on professional cleaning services and is essential to its longevity and durability. Research has shown that carpets can be up to ten times dirtier than a toilet seat and vacuuming daily is ideal to limit not only dirt and dust, but allergens too.
Any spills should be dealt with immediately to prevent them turning into permanent stains. Act quickly to soak up the spill with a microfibre cloth (being careful not to rub) and absorb as much excess liquid as possible. Treat with a stain removal solution and let it dry thoroughly. Follow the tips below to ensure your office carpet looks good as new!
How to Clean an Office Carpet
Regular Vacuuming
Using a vacuum cleaner to regularly vacuum your office carpet is the most simple and effective way to lift dirt and prevent it becoming trodden into your carpet fibres. Keep your office carpets well maintained by vacuuming high traffic areas on a daily basis, and lower traffic areas two to three times per week.
For plant-based and synthetic carpet fibres, turn on the rotating brush and move the vacuum in different directions over the carpet to agitate and loosen dirt. A bristle-ended carpet flooring attachment can also be used to remove any ground in dirt. This method may not be suitable for all types of carpet, so follow the care instructions closely to avoid causing any damage.
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Baking Soda Cleaning and Deodorising
An inexpensive and natural cleaning product, baking soda is an effective alkaline product which works to remove stains and neutralise odours. For targeted cleaning, first determine whether the stain is greasy (spills containing oily residues such as lotions) or non-greasy (for example, tea or ink).
For non-greasy stains:
- Vacuum the area.
- Completely cover the area requiring attention with baking soda.
- Using a misting bottle, lightly spray the baking soda with cold water.
- Leave the baking soda for several hours, or ideally, overnight.
- Vacuum the area and assess the stain. Repeat as necessary.
For greasy stains, begin by blotting up as much of the residue as possible with a light coloured cloth. Follow the process above, without misting the baking soda with water. This allows the baking soda to absorb the grease (misting with water will prevent absorption).
To freshen and remove any unpleasant odours, vacuum the carpet before sprinkling the baking soda liberally over the area requiring attention. Use a dry brush to distribute the baking soda evenly into the carpet fibres and leave for up to 24 hours. Vacuum thoroughly and repeat as necessary.
Please note, the baking soda method will not kill bacteria. Try a different method of cleaning if this is your main aim.
Deep Cleaning
Traditional carpet shampoo remains a popular cleaning method, due to its ease and affordability. For optimum results, use or hire a carpet cleaning machine. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to fill the machine with water and the correct amount of cleaning solution. Don’t be tempted to overfill! Next, moving at a slow pace, begin in the corner of the room and push the machine in a straight line to the opposite wall. Repeat this process in the opposite direction as though you were mowing the grass. Be sure to follow the manual and leave the carpet to dry for as long as possible.
If you would prefer to shampoo the carpet by hand, apply the cleaning product to the carpet and spread thoroughly with a dry brush. Ensure even coverage for a thorough clean and leave the product for the instructed time, or at least 30 minutes. Use the vacuum cleaner to remove the product and the dirt.
Stain Treatment
Treating a stain as fast as possible will ensure a higher change of removing it successfully. For isolated spills, after blotting excess liquid and using a pre-treatment if required, use a commercial spot clean solution such as Ecolab Carpet A. Simply spray onto the area to be treated, allow to dry, and vacuum.
For dried on stains, use a stiff brush to loosen and remove the debris. Spot treat as outlined above, and deep clean as necessary. Removing any tough stains in this way will ensure your deep cleaning method is most effective.
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