Maintenance

To develop a comprehensive maintenance program obtain a floor plan of your building. Floor plans can be used to streamline the maintenance plan, identify high soil areas, anticipate the cost of labor and equipment and effectively communicate maintenance needs with staff members. The floor plan can also be used in forecasting and mapping traffic areas so it is easy to identify cleaning frequency and where walk-off tiles should be placed in the facility.

The maintenance plan should include:

Preventative Maintenance:

• Keep outside areas clean: Removing soil from the outside of the building will prevent it from coming inside. Clean sidewalks and entry-ways of debris and dirt
• Use walk-off tiles at entrances: To help trap dirt and moisture use a coarse texture tile with a water absorbent tile at entrances, elevators, corridors, break areas, stairways and in transition areas where the carpet meets a hard surface. This will help trap dirt and moisture.

Develop A Maintenance Schedule:

• Identify Traffic Patterns: Traffic patterns will vary among the different areas of a building. Generally offices and class rooms will have moderate traffic, while hallways, entry-ways and work rooms will have heavy traffic.
• Implement Plan: After the traffic patterns have been identified, the frequency of cleaning will be simple to identify.

Cleaning Guidelines

This chart represents a general guideline; your program should be customized to your specific conditions.

Vacuuming: Vacuuming is the most effective way to remove soil and to maintain the overall appearance of your carpets. Eighty percent of soil is dry and can be removed by daily vacuuming. Vacuuming can also reduce deep cleaning frequency. For the best results, select a vacuum that is certified by the Carpet and Rug Institute’s (CRI) Seal of Approval (SoA)/ Green Label Program. Vacuums that are specifically designed for commercial installations offer characteristics that help meet the demands of a good maintenance program.

Interim maintenance: Interim maintenance should be performed between extractions. This will reduce the total number of extractions and help maintain the carpet’s appearance. Low moisture encapsulation enables the carpet’s appearance to be improved and returned to service in a short amount of time.

1. The carpet is thoroughly vacuumed.
2. The encapsulating agent is sprayed onto the carpet surface and immediately agitated into the carpet using a machine with counter rotatiing brushes.
3. After the carpet is dry, vacuum to remove the encapsulated soil from the carpet.

Hot Water Extraction: Extractions should be performed after every 3 - 4 encapsulations. Hot water is forced into the carpet pile by high pressure. The water along with the soil is then immediately extracted.

1. Always thoroughly vacuum the carpet before a hot water extraction. This will remove the dry soil.
2. Pre-spray carpet with Shaw Industries’ r2X or equivalent CrI/SoA cleaning agent.
3. Agitate with a mechanical brush and allow dwell time for 10 minutes.
4. Extract using only clean hot water in a unit with sufficient power to avoid over wetting the carpet and that can apply water at a rate greater than one gallon per minute. Patcraft recommends CRI Gold or Platinum rated equipment. Do not use in tank cleaning solutions and machines that recycle water.
5. Adequate time is needed for drying. During this time the carpet should not be walked on as the moisture will remove any soil from the soles of shoes.
6. To prevent wicking, use fans to expedite drying time. The HVAC should be on in the facility during cleaning and for at least 12 hours after cleaning.

Immediate removal of spots and spills will help retain the appearance of the carpet and will reduce the probability of a permanent staining. Under no circumstances should carpet remain wet or spills remain untreated for more than 24 hours. Use general spot remover such as Shaw’s r2X or r2X Green for most common spots and spills. Other cleaning agents listed on the Carpet and Rug Institute’s Seal of Approval (SoA) program may be used.

Removal Procedures

1. Scoop up any solids gently with a spoon or dull knife. Absorb wet spills as quickly as possible with white paper towels or cloth towels.
2. Always blot, never scrub or rub abrasively, because it may create a fuzzy area. When blotting, work from the outer edge toward the center of the spot to avoid spreading the spill and enlarging the problem.
3. Thorough removal of both the stain material and the detergent residue is critical to prevent re-soiling. Water extraction is the best way to accomplish this. Many cleaning equipment manufacturers offer small extraction machines specifically designed for spot rinsing after spot cleaning. These are small, lightweight and portable. For information on these machines, please call the Patcraft Technical Services department at 800.471.7429.
4. Place several layers of white towels on the spot to draw out any remaining moisture. Weight the towel down with a heavy object that will not transfer color, such as a plastic jug of water. Repeat process until stain no longer transfers to the towel.

Before using a cleaning agent on a spill or stain, first identify the stain and use the following chart to determine how best to clean the carpet.

* Consulting a trained professional cleaner is an option

Shaw Industries Technical Services offers an engaging online, interactive, Maintenance and Cleaning training tool for your organization. Whether you are responsible for decisions about the purchase of floor coverings; the maintenance of your facility; or you actually maintain the carpet; this program is for you.

This training covers topics such as:

• How to select carpet that will make your maintenance job easier
• The science behind proper cleaning
• Why it is important to invest in a sound Maintenance Plan for your facility and how to create and implement such a plan
• Where to find the proper cleaning resources such as Education and Training and Industry approved Cleaning Agents and Cleaning equipment
• Demonstrates the actual cleaning procedures and technology including “Appearance Improvement Using Encapsulation Technology”

The program consists of two different courses:

1. MAC for Managers is for anyone who makes decisions concerning the design or purchase of commercial carpet or anyone who makes decisions about the care of carpet for a facility.
2. MAC for Technicians is designed specifically to train the staff that actually does the Maintenance and Cleaning and reinforces why their job is so important. (MAC for Technicians is offered in both English and Spanish.)

How do you take advantage of this valuable resource?

• Just ask your Patcraft sales representative for a Registration Code for your entire organization.
• By using this Registration Code members of your organization will be able to create their own personal log-in and password.
• It becomes their own personal training program and online reference.
• There is no limit to the number that you can enroll.
• Through high speed internet, training can be done individually or as a group.
• This is your answer to training issues caused by personnel turn-over.
• Best of all as a valued Patcraft Customer there is no charge.

Contact your Patcraft sales representative for your registration Code; then visit: www.shawcleanfloors.com

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